# Zulu phrasebook

Zulu (isiZulu) is the language of the Zulu people, the majority of them living in South Africa.

## Pronunciation guide

Note that Zulu is a tonal language, so the meaning of some words depends on whether you use a high or low pitch. For instance, "Unjani?" with a high tone on the 'u' means "How are you?" whereas a low thone on the 'u' means "How are they?"

### Vowels

Zulu vowels are very similar to those found in English.

### Consonants

Zulu has three click consonants, represented by "c," "q," and "x" in written Zulu.
c: Click your tongue off the back of your teeth, like a disapproving "tsk tsk."
x: This sounds like the click made to summon a horse. Click the side of your tongue off your molars, on either or both sides of your mouth.
q: This is the hardest click. It should sound somewhat like a cork being popped from a bottle. Put your tongue on the edge of your hard palate, and pull it off sharply. This will take some practice.
Here are the other consonants that can be difficult:
t like the "t" in "tea"
k somewhere between English "k" and English "g"
kh this is a digraph; it is pronounced like a hard k in English, like k in "kick".
hh A digraph, this is a voiced "h", like "ch" in the Scottish "loch" but softer.
y Like the English "y"
b Like the English "b"

## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello (to one person)

    Sawubona.

#### Hello (to a group of people)

    Sanibonani.

#### How are you? (singular 'you')

    Unjani?

#### How are you? (plural 'you')

    Ninjani?

#### I'm fine.

    Ngiyaphila

#### We're fine.

    Siyaphila

#### What's your name?

    Ungubani igama lakho?

#### My name is _____.

    Igama lami ngingu _____.

#### Can you help me?

    Ungangisiza?

#### How much (does it cost)?

    Yimalini?

#### What's the time?

    Isikhathisini?

#### Where are you from?

    Uphumaphi?

#### I come from ___________.

    Ngiphuma _____.

#### Do you speak English?

    Uyasikhuluma isiNgisi?

#### Thank you.

    Ngiyabonga.

#### Stay well / Go well. (used as 'goodbye')

    Sala kahle / Hamba kahle.

### Problems
#### Leave me alone.

    Ngiyeke!

#### Don't touch me!

    Ungangithinti!

#### I will call the Police.

    Ngizobiza amaPhoyisa.

#### Police!

    Phoyisa!

#### Thief!

    Sgebengu!

#### I need your help.

    Ngidinga usizo lwakho.

#### It's an emergency.

    Kuyaphuthuma.

#### I'm lost.

    Ngidukile.

#### I lost my bag.

    Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami.

#### I lost my wallet.

    Ngilahlekelwe isikhwama sami semali.

#### I'm sick.

    Ngiyagula.

#### I need a doctor.

    Ngidinga udokotela.

#### Please can I use your phone.

    Ngicela ukusebenzisa ucingo lwakho.

### Numbers [Izinombolo]

Numbers in Zulu are quite complex, with all of them acting as adjectives that alter the subsequent word. The numbers listed below are the traditional Zulu numbers, but virtually all Zulu speakers use the English counting system for convenience.

#### zero

    iqanda

#### one

    kunye

#### two

    kubili

#### three

    kuthathu

#### four

    kune

#### five

    isihlanu

#### six

    isithupha

#### seven

    isikhombisa

#### eight

    isishiyagalombili

#### nine

    isishiyagalolunye

#### ten

    ishumi

#### eleven

    ishumi nanye

#### twelve

    ishumi nambili

#### thirteen

    ishumi nantathu

#### fourteen

    ishumi nane

#### fifteen

    ishumi nesihlanu

#### sixteen

    ishumi nesithupha

#### seventeen

    ishumi nesikhombisa

#### eighteen

    ishumi nesishiyagalombili

#### nineteen

    ishumi nesishiyagalolunye

#### twenty

    amashumi amabili

#### twenty-one

    amashumi amabili nanye

#### twenty-two

    amashumi amabili nambili

#### twenty-three

    amashumi amabili nantathu

#### twenty-four

    amashumi amabili nane

#### twenty-five

    amashumi amabili nesihlanu

#### twenty-six

    amashumi amabili nesithupha

#### twenty-seven

    amashumi amabili nesikhombisa

#### twenty-eight

    amashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili

#### twenty-nine

    amashumi amabili nesishiyagalolunye

#### thirty

    amashumi amathathu

#### forty

    amashumi amane

#### fifty

    amashumi amahlanu

#### sixty

    amashumi ayisithupha

#### seventy

    amashumi ayisikhombisa

#### eighty

    amashumi ayisishiyagalombili

#### ninety

    amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye

#### hundred

    ikhulu

#### one hundred one

    ikhulu nanye

#### one hundred two

    ikhulu nambili

#### two hundred

    amakhulu amabili

#### three hundred

    amakhulu amathathu

#### four hundred

    amakhulu amane

#### five hundred

    amakhulu amahlanu

#### six hundred

    amakhulu ayisithupha

#### seven hundred

    amakhulu ayisikhombisa

#### eight hundred

    amakhulu ayisishiyagalombili

#### nine hundred

    amakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye

#### thousand

    inkulungwane

#### two thousand

    izinkulungwane ezimbili

#### three thousand

    izinkulungwane ezintathu

#### four thousand

    izinkulungwane ezine

#### five thousand

    izinkulungwane ezinhlanu

#### six thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyisithupha

#### seven thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa

#### eight thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalombili

#### nine thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalolunye

#### ten thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi

#### eleven thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinanye

#### twelve thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezimbili

#### thirteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezintathu

#### fourteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezine

#### fifteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinhlanu

#### sixteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisithupha

#### seventeen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisikhombisa

#### eighteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalombili

#### nineteen thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyishumi eziyisishiyagalolunye

#### twenty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamabili

#### thirty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathathu

#### forty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamane

#### fifty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamahlanu

#### sixty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamathupha

#### seventy thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamakhombisa

#### eighty thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalombili

#### ninety thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamashumi eziamaisishiyagalolunye

#### hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziyikhulu

#### two hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamabili

#### three hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathathu

#### four hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamane

#### five hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamahlanu

#### six hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamathupha

#### seven hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamakhombisa

#### eight hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalombili

#### nine hundred thousand

    izinkulungwane eziamakhulu eziamaisishiyagalolunye

#### one million

    isigidi

### Time
#### now

    (manje/njengamanje...)

#### later

    (esikhathini esizayo...)

#### before

    (esikhathini esidlulile...)

#### morning

    (ekuseni...)

#### afternoon

    (ntambama...)

#### evening

    (ntambama...)

#### night

    (ebusuku...)

#### Clock time
##### What time is it?

    (ubani/sithini isikhathi...)

##### one o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious)

    (ihora lokuqala...)

##### two o'clock (when AM/PM is obvious)

    (ihora lesibili...)

##### one o'clock AM

    (ihora lokuqala ekuseni...)

##### two o'clock AM

    (ihora lesibili ekuseni...)

##### noon

    (ntambama...)

##### one o'clock PM

    (ihora lokuqala ntambama...)

##### two o'clock PM

    (ihora lesibili ntambama...)

##### midnight

    (phakathi kwamabili...)

#### Duration
##### _____ minute(s)

    (imizuzu...)

##### _____ hour(s)

    (amahora...)

##### _____ day(s)

    (izinsuku...)

##### _____ week(s)

    (amaviki...)

##### _____ month(s)

    (izinyanga...)

##### _____ year(s)

    (iminyaka...)

#### Days : (Izinsuku)
##### Monday

    uMsombuluko

##### Tuesday

    uLwesibili

##### Wednesday

    uLwesithathu

##### Thursday

    uLwesine

##### Friday

    uLwesihlanu

##### Saturday

    uMgqibelo

##### Sunday

    iSonto

#### Months : (Izinyanga)
##### January

    (Masingana)

##### February

    (Nhlolanja)

##### March

    (Ndasa)

##### April

    (Mbasa)

##### May

    (Nhlaba)

##### June

    (Nhlangulana)

##### July

    (Ntulikazi)

##### August

    (Ncwaba)

##### September

    (Mandulo)

##### October

    (Mfumfu)

##### November

    (Lwezi)

##### December

    (Zibandlela)

#### Writing time and date
##### day

    (usuku...)

##### week

    (iviki...)

##### month

    (inyanga...)

##### year

    (unyaka...)

##### 2:00 PM
### Colors
#### blue

    luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka

#### orange

    kusawolintshi

#### purple

    kunsomi

#### green

    luhlaza okotshani

#### gray

    mpunga

#### brown

    nsundu

#### black

    mnyama

#### white

    mhlophe

### Transportation

[English word] - [Zulu word] ([plural Zulu word])
car - imoto (izimoto)
bus - ibhasi (amabhasi)
ship -umkhumbi (imikhumbi)
plane - indiza, ibhanoyi (izindiza, amabhanoyi)
motorcycle - isithuthuthu (izithuthuthu)
train - isitimela (izitimela)

#### Directions
##### Money (iMali)
### Eating
### Authority
#### I haven't done anything wrong.

    (Angenzanga lutho okubi)

#### It was a misunderstanding.

    (Beku yimpazamo)

#### Where are you taking me?

    (Ungisaphi)

#### I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.

    (ngi ngum_______)

#### I want to talk to a lawyer.

    (Ngifuna ukukhuluma nommeli wami)

#### Can I just pay a fine now?

    (Ngicela ukukhokha ifayini manje)

### Learning more
#### How do you say _____ in Zulu?

    (Usho ______ kanjani ngesiZulu)

#### What is this/that called?

    (kungabe kuyini lento/Ibizwa ngani)