ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why learn Zulu?
Zulu is an African langauge spoken by about 12 million Zulu people in South Africa and parts of Malawi, Mozambique and Swaziland. It became one of South Africa's 11 official languages in 1994. Zulu means heaven or sky in the Zulu language.Knowing Zulu opens the door to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, film, philosophy, and science Understanding Zulu enhances your opportunities in government, business, medicine, law, technology, military, industry, marketing, etc. Skills like problem solving, dealing with abstract concepts, are increased when you study Zulu. Learning about another culture enables you to gain a more profound understanding of your own culture.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Zulu?
*** NOTES *** Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa (24% of the population), and it is understood by over 50% of its population.
Zulu Alphabet & Pronunciation
a
[a]
[a]
b
[b]
[b]
bh
[bʱ]
[bʱ]
c
[ǀ]
[ǀ]
ch
[ǀʰ]
[ǀʰ]
d
[d]
[d]
dl
[ɮ]
[ɮ]
e
[e]
[e]
f
[f]
[f]
g
[ɡ]
[ɡ]
gc
[ ᶢǀʱ]
[ ᶢǀʱ]
gq
[ᶢǃʱ]
[ᶢǃʱ]
gx
[ᶢǂʱ]
[ᶢǂʱ]
h
[h]
[h]
hh
[ɦ]
[ɦ]
hl
[ɬ]
[ɬ]
i
[i]
[i]
j
[dʒ]
[dʒ]
k
[k]
[k]
k
[kʰ]
[kʰ]
k
[kx]
[kx]
l
[l]
[l]
m
[m]
[m]
mb
[mb]
[mb]
n
[n]
[n]
nc
[ᵑǀ]
[ᵑǀ]
ng
[nɡ]
[nɡ]
ngc
[ᵑǀʱ]
[ᵑǀʱ]
ngq
[ᵑǃʱ]
[ᵑǃʱ]
ngx
[ᵑǂʱ]
[ᵑǂʱ]
nj
[ɲdʒ]
[ɲdʒ]
nk
[ŋk]
[ŋk]
nq
[ᵑǃ]
[ᵑǃ]
ntsh
[ɲtʃʼ]
[ɲtʃʼ]
nx
[ᵑǂ]
[ᵑǂ]
ny
[ɲ]
[ɲ]
o
[o]
[o]
p
[p]
[p]
ph
[pʰ]
[pʰ]
q
[ǃ]
[ǃ]
qh
[ǃʰ]
[ǃʰ]
r
[r]
[r]
s
[s]
[s]
sh
[ʃ]
[ʃ]
t
[t]
[t]
th
[tʰ]
[tʰ]
ts
[tsʼ]
[tsʼ]
tsh
[tʃʼ]
[tʃʼ]
u
[u]
[u]
v
[v]
[v]
w
[w]
[w]
x
[ǂ]
[ǂ]
xh
[ǂʰ]
[ǂʰ]
y
[j]
[j]
z
[z]
[z]
Basic Phrases in Zulu
| Hello | Sawubona |
|---|---|
| Goodbye | Hamba kahle |
| Yes | Cha |
| No | Cha |
| Excuse me | Uxolo |
| Please | Ngiyacela |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga |
| You are welcome | Wamukelekile |
| Do you speak english | Ingabe uyasikhuluma isingisi? |
| Do you understand | Uyaqonda? |
| I understand | Ngiyaqonda |
| I do not understand | Angiqondi |
| How are you | Unjani? |
| Fine thanks | Ngiyaphila ngiyabonga! |
| What is your name | Ubani igama lakho? |
| My name is | Igama lami ngu |
| Pleased to meet you | Ngijabulela ukukwazi |
Zulu Grammar
Zulu Nouns
| Man | Indoda (indoda) |
|---|---|
| Woman | Umfazi (umfazi) |
| Boy | Umfana (umfana) |
| Girl | Intombazane |
| Cat | Ikati (ikkʰkxati) |
| Dog | Inja (indʒa) |
| Fish | Inhlanzi |
| Water | Amanzi (amanzi) |
| Milk | Ubisi |
| Egg | Iqanda |
| House | Indlu (indlu) |
| Flower | Imbali (imbali) |
| Tree | Isihlahla |
| Shirt | Ihembe |
| Pants | Ibhulukwe (ibhulukkʰkxwe) |
Zulu Adjectives
Colors in Zulu
| Black | Mnyama |
|---|---|
| White | Mhlophe |
| Red | Bomvu |
| Orange | Iwolintshi |
| Yellow | Ophuzi |
| Green | Luhlaza |
| Blue | Oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka |
| Purple | Onsomi |
| Pink | Opinki |
| Gray | Mpunga |
| Brown | Nsundu |
Numbers in Zulu
| Zero | Ize |
|---|---|
| One | Eyodwa |
| Two | Ababili |
| Three | Okuthathu |
| Four | Abane |
| Five | Ezinhlanu |
| Six | Isithupha |
| Seven | Isikhombisa |
| Eight | Isishiyagalombili |
| Nine | Isishiyagalolunye |
| Ten | Ishumi |
| Eleven | Ishumi nanye |
| Twelve | Eyishumi nambili |
| Twenty | Amashumi amabili |
| Thirty | Amashumi amathathu |
| Forty | Amashumi amane |
| Fifty | Amashumi amahlanu |
| Sixty | Amashumi ayisithupha |
| Seventy | Amashumi ayisikhombisa |
| Eighty | Amashumi ayisishiyagalombili |
| Ninety | Amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye |
| Hundred | Ikhulu |
| Thousand | Inkulungwane |
Zulu Verbs
| To be | Uku |
|---|---|
| To have | Ukuba |
| To want | Ukufuna |
| To need | Ukudinga |
| To help | Ukusiza |
| To go | Ukuhamba |
| To come | Ukuza |
| To eat | Ukudla |
| To drink | Ukuphuza |
| To speak | Ukukhuluma |
Building Simple Sentences
More Complex Zulu Sentences
| And | Futhi |
|---|---|
| Or | Noma |
| But | Kodwa |
| Because | Ngoba |
| With | Nge |
| Also | Futhi |
| However | Nokho |
| Neither | Noma |
| Nor | Futhi |
| If | Uma |
| Then | Ke |
Useful Zulu Vocabulary
Zulu Questions
| Who | Ubani |
|---|---|
| What | Ini |
| When | Nini |
| Where | Kuphi |
| Why | Kungani |
| How | Kanjani |
| How many | Mangaki |
| How much | Malini |
Days of the Week in Zulu
| Monday | UMsombuluko |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Usuku lwakusasa |
| Wednesday | NgoLwesithathu |
| Thursday | Lwesine |
| Friday | NgoLwesihlanu |
| Saturday | Ilanga |
| Sunday | ISonto |
| Yesterday | Izolo |
| Today | Namuhla |
| Tomorrow | Kusasa |
Months in Zulu
| January | Janawari |
|---|---|
| February | UFebhuwari |
| March | Mashi |
| April | Ephreli |
| May | Meyi |
| June | NgoJuni |
| July | Julayi |
| August | Agasti |
| September | Septhemba |
| October | Okthoba |
| November | Novemba |
| December | Disemba |
Seasons in Zulu
| Winter | Ubusika |
|---|---|
| Spring | Entwasahlobo |
| Summer | Ihlobo |
| Autumn | Ekwindla |
Telling Time in Zulu
| What time is it | Kungasiphi isikhathi? |
|---|---|
| Hours | Amahora |
| Minutes | Imizuzu |
| Seconds | Imizuzwana |
| O clock | Ihora |
| Half | Uhhafu |
| Quarter past | Ikota edlule |
| Before | Ngaphambili |
| After | Emva |
