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.
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