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Learn isiZulu: the words and phrases you'll use first
isiZulu is spoken by millions of people across Southern Africa. Start with these 104 everyday phrases, each with a say-it-like guide, checked by native-speaking tutors. Tap Listen to hear 23 of them.
- 104 starter phrases
- 23 to listen to
- 929 in the full isiZulu library
Practise: 20 phrases to know first
0 / 20 knownHow do you say "Hello"?
Sawubona
sah-woo-BOH-nah
How do you say "Yes / hello-reply"?
Yebo
YEH-boh
How do you say "No"?
Cha
[c]AH
How do you say "How are you?"?
Unjani?
oon-JAH-nee
How do you say "I'm well / I'm fine"?
Ngiyaphila
ngee-yah-PEE-lah
How do you say "I'm okay / I'm here"?
Ngikhona
ngee-KHOH-nah
How do you say "Thank you"?
Ngiyabonga
ngee-yah-BOHN-gah
How do you say "Thank you very much"?
Ngiyabonga kakhulu
ngee-yah-BOHN-gah kah-KHOO-loo
How do you say "You're welcome"?
Wamukelekile
wah-moo-keh-leh-KEE-leh
How do you say "Excuse me / sorry"?
Ngicela uxolo
ngee-CEH-lah oo-[x]OH-loh
How do you say "Go well"?
Hamba kahle
HAHM-bah KAH-shleh
How do you say "Stay well"?
Sala kahle
SAH-lah KAH-shleh
How do you say "Goodbye"?
Sala kahle / Hamba kahle
SAH-lah KAH-shleh / HAHM-bah KAH-shleh
How do you say "Good night"?
Lala kahle
LAH-lah KAH-shleh
How do you say "See you later"?
Sizobonana
How do you say "Sorry"?
Uxolo
oo-[x]OH-loh
How do you say "Excuse me"?
Uxolo
oo-[x]OH-loh
How do you say "Please"?
Ngicela
How do you say "My name is …"?
Igama lami ngu…
ee-GAH-mah LAH-mee ngoo
How do you say "What is your name?"?
Ngubani igama lakho?
ngoo-BAH-nee ee-GAH-mah LAH-koh
You know all 20 first isiZulu phrases
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Greetings & courtesy
- SawubonaHellosah-woo-BOH-nah›
- YeboYes / hello-replyYEH-boh›
- ChaNo[c]AH›
- Unjani?How are you?oon-JAH-nee›
- NgiyaphilaI'm well / I'm finengee-yah-PEE-lah›
- NgikhonaI'm okay / I'm herengee-KHOH-nah›
- NgiyabongaThank youngee-yah-BOHN-gah›
- Ngiyabonga kakhuluThank you very muchngee-yah-BOHN-gah kah-KHOO-loo›
- WamukelekileYou're welcomewah-moo-keh-leh-KEE-leh›
- Ngicela uxoloExcuse me / sorryngee-CEH-lah oo-[x]OH-loh›
- Hamba kahleGo wellHAHM-bah KAH-shleh›
- Sala kahleStay wellSAH-lah KAH-shleh›
- Sala kahle / Hamba kahleGoodbyeSAH-lah KAH-shleh / HAHM-bah KAH-shleh›
- Lala kahleGood nightLAH-lah KAH-shleh›
- SizobonanaSee you later›
- UxoloSorryoo-[x]OH-loh›
- UxoloExcuse meoo-[x]OH-loh›
- NgicelaPlease›
Introducing yourself
- Igama lami ngu…My name is …ee-GAH-mah LAH-mee ngoo›
- Ngubani igama lakho?What is your name?ngoo-BAH-nee ee-GAH-mah LAH-koh›
- Ngiyajabula ukukwaziPleased to meet youngee-yah-jah-BOO-lah oo-koo-KWAH-zee›
- Ngivela e…I come from …ngee-VEH-lah eh›
- Uvelaphi?Where do you come from?oo-veh-LAH-pee›
- Ngihlala e…I live in …ngee-SHLAH-lah eh›
- Uhlalaphi?Where do you live?oo-shlah-LAH-pee›
- Ngifunda isiZuluI am learning isiZulungee-FOON-dah ee-see-ZOO-loo›
- Ngikhuluma kancaneI speak a littlengee-khoo-LOO-mah kah-NCAH-neh›
- NgiyezwaI understandngee-YEH-zwah›
Speaking like a local
- NgisizeHelp!ngee-SEE-zeh›
- Heita!Hi!HAY-tah›
- Kunjani?How's it going?koon-JAH-nee›
- Sharp! (Shap!)Cool / OK / all goodshahp›
- Sho!Hey / yeah / coolshoh›
- NgyabongaThanksngyah-BOHN-gah›
- Mfethu / MfowethuBro / my guyMFEH-too›
- SisiSisSEE-see›
- Usharp?You good?oo-SHAHP›
- Sobonana!See you !soh-boh-NAH-nah›
Numbers
- kunyeOnekoo-NYEH›
- kubiliTwokoo-BEE-lee›
- kuthathuThreekoo-TAH-too›
- kuneFourKOO-neh›
- kuhlanuFivekoo-SHLAH-noo›
- isithuphaSixee-see-TOO-pah›
- isikhombisaSevenee-see-khohm-BEE-sah›
- isishiyagalombiliEightee-see-shee-yah-gah-lohm-BEE-lee›
- isishiyagalolunyeNineee-see-shee-yah-gah-loh-LOO-nyeh›
- ishumiTenee-SHOO-mee›
- ishumi nanyeElevenee-SHOO-mee NAH-nyeh›
- ishumi nambiliTwelveee-SHOO-mee nahm-BEE-lee›
Days & time
- uMsombulukoMondayoom-soh-mboo-LOO-koh›
- uLwesibiliTuesdayoo-lweh-see-BEE-lee›
- uLwesithathuWednesdayoo-lweh-see-TAH-too›
- uLwesineThursdayoo-lweh-SEE-neh›
- uLwesihlanuFridayoo-lweh-see-SHLAH-noo›
- uMgqibeloSaturdayoom-g[q]ee-BEH-loh›
- iSontoSunday / weekee-SOHN-toh›
- namuhlaTodaynah-MOO-hlah›
- izoloYesterdayee-ZOH-loh›
- kusasaTomorrowkoo-SAH-sah›
Food & drink
- ukudlaFoodoo-KOO-dlah›
- amanziWaterah-MAHN-zee›
- itiyeTeaee-TEE-yeh›
- ikhofiCoffeeee-KHOH-fee›
- ubisiMilkoo-BEE-see›
- isinkwaBreadee-SEEN-kwah›
- inyamaMeatee-NYAH-mah›
- amazambanePotatoesah-mah-zah-MBAH-neh›
- isitshuluStew / relishee-see-TSHOO-loo›
- iphalishiPorridgeee-pah-LEE-shee›
Shopping & money
- Ngicela …May I have … / pleasengee-CEH-lah›
- Ngifuna …I want …ngee-FOO-nah›
- NgiyathengaI am buyingngee-yah-THEH-ngah›
- isitoloShop / storeee-see-TOH-loh›
- imaketheMarketee-mah-KEH-teh›
- Unakho?Do you have it?oo-NAH-koh›
- Ngingakhokha kanjani?How can I pay?ngee-ngah-KHOH-khah kah-NJAH-nee›
- ngemaliWith cashngeh-MAH-lee›
Places & directions
- indawoPlaceeen-DAH-woh›
- umgwaqoRoad / streetoom-GWAH-[q]oh›
- isikoleSchoolee-see-KOH-leh›
- isibhedlelaHospitalee-see-bheh-DLEH-lah›
- isiteshiStationee-see-TEH-shee›
- ibhangeBankee-BHAH-ngeh›
- ikhayaHomeee-KHAH-yah›
- laphaHereLAH-pah›
Family & people
- umndeniFamilyoom-NDEH-nee›
- umamaMotheroo-MAH-mah›
- ubabaFatheroo-BAH-bah›
- umntwanaChildoom-TWAH-nah›
- abantwanaChildrenah-bahn-TWAH-nah›
- indodanaSoneen-doh-DAH-nah›
- indodakaziDaughtereen-doh-dah-KAH-zee›
- ugogoGrandmotheroo-GOH-goh›
- umkhuluGrandfatheroom-KHOO-loo›
- umfowethuMy brotheroom-foh-WEH-too›
Feelings
- NgijabuleI'm happyngee-jah-BOO-leh›
- NgidiniweI'm tiredngee-dee-NEE-weh›
- NgiyakuthandaI love youngee-yah-koo-TAHN-dah›
- Nami ngiyakuthandaI love you tooNAH-mee ngee-yah-koo-TAHN-dah›
- Ngiyaziqhenya ngaweI am proud of youngee-yah-zee-[q]EH-nyah NGAH-weh›
- Sala ngokuthulaStay in peaceSAH-lah ngoh-koo-TOO-lah›
- UNkulunkulu akubusiseGod bless youoon-koo-loon-KOO-loo ah-koo-boo-SEE-seh›
- Uqine kahleBe strong / take heartoo-[q]EE-neh KAH-shleh›