Useful Zulu phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Zulu, a Bantu language spoken mainly in South Africa

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).

English	isiZulu (Zulu)
Welcome	Ngiyakwemukela (sg) Ngiyanemukela (pl)
Hello (General greeting)	Sawubona (sg) Sanibonani (pl)
How are you?	Unjani? (sg) Ninjani? (pl)
Reply to 'How are you?'	Ngikhona, ngiyabonga. Wena unjani? (sg) Sikhona, siyabonga. Nina ninjani? (pl)
Long time no see	Mehlo madala! (old eyes)
What's your name?	Ngubani igama lakho?
My name is ...	Igama lami ngu...
Where are you from?	Uphumaphi? Uvelaphi?
I'm from ...	Ngiphuma e ... Ngivela e ...
Pleased to meet you	Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Good morning (Morning greeting)	Sawubona (sg) Sanibonani (pl)
Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting)	Sawubona (sg) Sanibonani (pl)
Good evening (Evening greeting)	Sawubona (sg) Sanibonani (pl)
Good night	Lala kahle! (sg) Lalani kahle! (pl)
Goodbye (Parting phrases)	Sala kahle (sg) >people staying Salani kahle (pl) >people staying Hamba kahle (sg) >people leaving Hambani kahle (pl) >people leaving Ube no hambo uluhle
Good luck!	Ngikufisela iwela! Ngikufisela impumelelo!
Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking)	Impilontle! Akubekuhle!
Have a nice day	Ube nosuku oluhle! (sg) Nibe nosulu ulohle! (pl)
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal	Thokoleza ukudla!
Bon voyage / Have a good journey	Ube nohambo oluhle!
Yes	Yebo
No	Cha
Maybe	Mhlawumbe
I don't know	Angazi
Do you understand?	Uyezwa?
I understand	Ngiyaqonda
I don't understand	Angizwa
Please speak more slowly	Ngicela ukhulume kancane
Please say that again	Ukwazi ukukuthi futhi na?
Please write it down	Ngicela ukubhale
Do you speak English?	Ukhuluma isiNgisi na?
Do you speak Zulu?	Ukhuluma isiZulu na?
Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?')	Yebo, ingcosana
I'm learning Zulu	Ngifunda isiZulu (frm) Ngi Funda isiZulu (inf)
Speak to me in Zulu	Ngicela ukhulume nami ngesiZulu
How do you say ... in Zulu?	... ukusho kanjani ngesiZulu?
Sorry	Ngiyaxolisa
Excuse me	Uxolo!
I would like ...	Ngicela ...
How much is this?	Kubiza malini?
Please	Ake Ngicela Siza
Thank you	Ngiyabonga Ngiyabonga kakhulu (sg) Siyabonga (pl)
Reply to thank you	Uyamukelwa (sg) Niyamukelwa (pl)
Where's the toilet / bathroom?	Likuphi ikamelo lokugezela? Likuphi itholethe?
This gentleman will pay for everything	Umnumzana uzokhokha konke
This lady will pay for everything	Inenekazi lizokhokha konke
Would you like to dance with me?	Uthanda ukudansa nami?
Do you come here often?	Ingabe uze lapha ngokuvamile?
I love you	Ngiyakuthanda
Get well soon	Phila masinya
Leave me alone!	Ndiyekele!
Help!	Usizo!
Fire!	Umlilo!
Stop!	Ma!
Call the police!	Biza amaphoyisa!
Christmas greetings	Jabulele uKhisimusi Ngikufisela uKhisimusi
New Year greetings	oMuhle noNyaka oMusha oNempumelelo Ngikufisela Unyaka Omusha Omuhle Unyaka omusha omuhle
Easter greetings	IPhasika elijabulayo IPhasika elithokozayo
Birthday greetings	Halala ngosuku lokuzalwa
One language is never enough	Ulwimi ululodwa alonelanga
My hovercraft is full of eels	Umkhumbi wami ugcwele ngenyoka zemanzini

Recordings and corrections by Cynthia Nozwelo

Download all the sound files (1.2 MB)

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Links

Other collections of Zulu phrases
http://www.phrasebase.com/forum/read.php?TID=7760
http://www.linguanaut.com/english_zulu.htm
http://www.cyberserv.co.za/users/~jako/lang/zulwrd.htm
http://africanlanguages.com/zulu/
http://www.codezulu.com/isizulu.asp
http://saharanvibe.blogspot.com/2007/03/zulu-language.html

Phrases in Bantu languages

Bemba, Chichewa, Chokwe, Duala, Herero, Kikuyu, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Lozi, Luganda, Ndebele (Northern - South Africa), Ndebele (Northern - Zimbabwe), Ndebele (Southern) Nkore, Northern Sotho, Oshiwambo, Shona, Southern Sotho (seSotho), Swahili, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Phrases in other languages

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