All languages
Southern Africa
Zulu
isiZuluThe most widely spoken home language in South Africa, and one of the Nguni languages that carries click consonants borrowed from long contact with Khoisan speakers.
- Family
- Niger–Congo (Bantu, Nguni)
- Script
- Latin
- Speakers
- ~28 million speakers
- Spoken in
- South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Zimbabwe
The course
Five units, one word at a time
0/5 mastered
Unit 1
Greetings
Greeting in Zulu is an act of recognition, not a formality.
- Sawubona — Hello (to one person)
- Sanibonani — Hello (to several people)
- Unjani? — How are you?
- Ngiyaphila — I am well
- Ngiyabonga — Thank you
- Sala kahle — Goodbye (to the one staying)
Unit 2
People and family
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu — a person is a person through people.
- Umuntu — Person
- Abantu — People
- Umama — Mother
- Ubaba — Father
- Umngane — Friend
- Ingane — Child
Unit 3
Numbers one to ten
Counting on the fingers, the way children learn it.
- Kunye — One
- Kubili — Two
- Kuthathu — Three
- Kune — Four
- Kuhlanu — Five
- Ishumi — Ten
Unit 4
Food and the market
Buying, eating and asking the price.
- Amanzi — Water
- Ukudla — Food
- Imali — Money
- Kubiza malini? — How much does it cost?
- Ngifuna — I want
- Kuyabiza — It is expensive
Unit 5
Everyday phrases
Yes, no, please and the polite way out of trouble.
- Yebo — Yes
- Cha — No
- Ngicela — Please / I request
- Uxolo — Sorry / excuse me
- Kuphi? — Where?
- Angiqondi — I don't understand
How to sound right
- Three clicks: c (dental, like a tut), q (palatal, like a bottle pop), x (lateral, like urging a horse).
- Sawubona literally means 'I see you' — the reply Yebo, sawubona completes it.
- Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable, and vowels stay pure.
The audio button in lessons uses your device's speech engine, which rarely has a native African voice. Treat it as a rough guide and trust the written pronunciation hints and the coach instead.