isiXhosa is spoken by around 8M+ people in South Africa. Here are common everyday words and phrases to get you started - then practise the pronunciation live with a native isiXhosa tutor.
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English
Flip through the everyday phrases below, then say them out loud with a native tutor.
Greetings
| isiXhosa | English |
|---|---|
| Molo | Hello (to one person) |
| Molweni | Hello (to a group) |
| Unjani? | How are you? |
| Ndiphilile | I am fine |
| Ninjani? | How are you all? |
Everyday courtesy
| isiXhosa | English |
|---|---|
| Enkosi | Thank you |
| Enkosi kakhulu | Thank you very much |
| Uxolo | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Ndicela | Please |
Useful basics
| isiXhosa | English |
|---|---|
| Ewe | Yes |
| Hayi | No |
| Igama lam ngu ___ | My name is ___ |
| Ngubani igama lakho? | What is your name? |
| Ndiyakuthanda | I love you |
| Sala kakuhle | Goodbye (to one staying) |
| Hamba kakuhle | Goodbye (to one leaving) |
Numbers 1-5
| isiXhosa | English |
|---|---|
| Inye | 1 |
| Zimbini | 2 |
| Zintathu | 3 |
| Zine | 4 |
| Zintlanu | 5 |
Start speaking isiXhosa today
Reading phrases is a great start - but the fastest way to learn isiXhosa is to speak it. Book a 30-minute trial with a native-speaker tutor and practise these phrases out loud.
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