Greetings & Common Phrases
Unjani? - How are you?
Ninjani? - How are you? (with some familial respect)
Unjani umsebenzi? - How is work?
Kunjani emsebenzini? - How is it at work?
Ngiphuma - Used as in ‘Ngiphuma eGoli’ (I come from Johannesburg)
eGoli - Johannesburg
eThekwini - Durban
eKapa - Cape Town
eMelika - America
Uyakwazi ukukhuluma isiNgisi? - Do you speak English?
Ngisaqlala ukufunda isiZulu - I’ve started learning the zulu language
Angazi - I don’t know
Ngiyabonga - I thank you
Ngiyabonga kakhulu - I thank you a lot!
Ngicela - Please / I ask for / I would like
Uxolo! - Sorry!
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi - Nice to meet you
Ngingakusiza ngani? - Can I help you with something?
Ngizothatha okukodwa - I’ll take one
Sihamba manje na? - Are we going now?
Sizobonana - See you soon
Sala kahle - Stay well (singular) - when you are leaving
Salani kahle - Stay well (plural) - when you are leaving
Hamba kahle - Go well (singular) - when they are going
Hambani kahle - Go well (plural) - when they are going
Exclamations
Kuyamangalisa - amazing
Uyahlanya yini? - Are you crazy? (warning: can be derogatory)
Jabula - Be happy
Awukahle - come on (in context of someone fooling around)
Siyakuhalalisela - congratulations!
Yaze yamunandi lento - damn this is good
Njengoba - exactly
Umqondo omuhle - Good idea
Umsebenzi omuhle - Good job
Ngikufisela inhlanhla - Good luck
Usizo - help
Sheshisa - hurry up
Angidlali - I’m not joking
Angazi ukuthi ngizothini - I’m speechless
Ngithemba kanjalo - I hope so
Historical Phrases
Umkhonto we Sizwe - Spear of the Nation (ex militant wing of the ANC)
Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika - God bless africa (first verse, national anthem)
Simunye - We are one
Yona ke yona - I’m yours and you’re mine
Mfecane - ‘The crushing’ (the diaspora of the 19th century when Shaka rose to power and rival tribes fled across South Africa to excape the Zulu state)
Amandla! - Power! (anti-apartheid rally cry)
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[…] You can find the start of the audio reference (phrase book) here. It’s quite small, but will grow soon Lessons will follow shortly. […]