Xhosa Phrasebook

Pronunciation guide Vowels a e i o u Consonants d, f, h, j, l, m, n s, sh, v, w, y, z dl g hl Pronounced as in English Pronounced as in English Similar in sound to hl (see below) always like g in go Place your tongue to the side of your mouth and expel the air (like Welsh ll sound) A hissing sound made by placing your tongue just above your teeth and ejecting air. similar to dge in judge similar to dge in judge pronounced like "ch" in Reich like a in hard like e in red like ee in seen like a in all like oo in moon Phrase list Basics Hello Hello (to more than 1) How are you? Fine, thank you And how are you? What is your name? My name is ______ Nice to meet you Please Thank you You're welcome Yes No Molo Molweni Kunjani? Ndiyaphila, enkosi Kunjani kuwe? Ngubani igama lakho? Igama lam ngu ______ Ndiyavuya ukukwazi Ndicela ('Ndiyacela' ) Enkosi or ('Ndiyabulela') ('wamkelekile') Ewe Hayi

ts

Excuse me (getting attention) ('ndicela uxolo ) or ('uxolo ) Excuse me (begging pardon) I'm sorry Goodbye I can't speak Xhosa Do you speak English? Uxolo andivanga. Xolo ('ndixolele' ) Uhambe/Usale kakuhle. Andisithethi isiXhosa Uyasithetha isingesi na? ('Ukhona apha umntu othetha isiNgesi' ?) Molo ('Molo' ) Ulale kakuhle Andiqondi

tsh ty r

Common diphthongs Clicks c Place your tongue at the back of the teeth and suck in, like when expressing annoyance. Place your tongue on the roof of the mouth and suck in, like imitating a clock's ticking. Place your tongue on your upper right jaw and pull it down, as if urging on a horse.

Is there someone here who speaks English? Good morning Good evening Good night I don't understand

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Xhosa Phrasebook
I don't know Where is the toilet? Andazi ('Iphi indlu yangasese' ?) Duration in the morning during the day Problems in the evening My ... have been stolen I've lost my ... handbag passport luggage wallet I ... yam intshontshiwe. or ('I ... yam ibiwe' ) Ndilahlekelwe yi ... isingxobo or ibhegi pasipoti ('incwadi yokundwendwela' ) mpahla spaji in the afternoon at night yesterday today tomorrow ngokuhlwa emvakwemini ebsuku izolo namhlanje ngomso kusasa emini

Days Sunday Cawe mvulo sibini sithathu sine sihlanu mgqibelo

Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 unothi enye zimbini zintathu zine zintlanu zinthandathu zisixhenxe zisibhozo zisithoba lishumi

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Months January February March April May uMdumba (Janyuwari) uMthupha (Februwari) ukwindla (Matshi) uThazimpunzi (Epril) uCanzibe (Meyi) uSilimela (Juni) uNtulikazi (Julayi) eyeKhala (Agasti)

Time English expressions for telling the time are commonly used by Xhosa speakers

June July August

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Xhosa Phrasebook
September October November December eyoMsintsi (Septemba) eyeDwarha (Oktoba) eyeNkanga (Novemba) eyoMnga (Disemba) Taxi How much is it to...? Take me to this address Please stop here Yimalini ukuya e...? Ndise kule dilesi Yima apha

Seasons Summer Autumn Winter Spring iHlobo uKwindla uBusika iNtwasahlobo

Lodging I need a room One room Two rooms Single room Double room Ndifuna igumbi Igumbi elinye Amagumbi amabini Igumbi lomntu omnye Igumbi labantu ababini Umntu eminye

Compass Points Per person North East South West uMntla (Node) eMpuma (eMpumalanga) uMzantsi (Sude) eNtshona (eNtshonalanga) Bed and Breakfast A meal Beverages or Drinks Supper Colors Lunch black blue brown green orange red white yellow mnyama Dinner luhlaza Kitchen ntsundu luhlaza orenji Money bomvu Money mhlophe In cash mthubi Cheque Coins Notes itsheke ? imali eziinkozo imali engamaphepa eziinkozo Imali Sharing Igumbi lokuphekela ('Ekhitshini') Kunye ('ukwabelana')? Isidlo sasemvakwemini Isidlo sasemini Isidlo Isiselo Isidlo sangokuhlwa

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Xhosa Phrasebook
Expensive ixabisa kakhulu or iyabiza Give So&So a call Mail Driving By post Turn Left Right Stop('stop the car' ) Go Forward Go forward Straight ahead Gravel road jika ekhohlo ekunene misa or ('yima') hamba phambili bheka phambili phambili indlela yomhlaba English Words 1st born/ a fly air plane an ant army Amagama esiXhosa indla-lifa impukane ibalona imbovane impi Fast mail ngeposi iposi engxamisekileyo tsalela u So&So umnxeba Iposi

baby animal (chicken, piglet, intshontsho ..) baby goat/sheep/deer itakane imbotyi/ii--cela isiqalo intaka igazi incwadi inkwenkwe amabele xolisa uduladula inqwelo-mafutha intshatsheli isidlele

Emergency Help! Look out! Call the police! Get a doctor! Go away! I'm ill I'm lost Leave me alone! Stop thief! Communication Telephone Telegram Mobile or Cellphone Make a call Umnxeba Ucingo ifoni tsala umnxeba Nceda! Qaphela! Biza amapolisa! Biza ugqirha! Hamba Ndiyagula. Ndilahlekile. Ndiyeke! Yima sela!

bean/s beg/ask (depends on situation) beginning bird blood book boy breasts bring about peace bus car champion cheek

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Xhosa Phrasebook
child/baby circumcision clan name cliff close by conspiracy country danger day/date dirty person (dwellings and personal) doctor dog ears earth East eel elephant eyes fable/tale face far farm Father feet feminine gender fight umntwana/usana ulwaluko isiduko iliwa kufutshane iyelenqe ilizwe ingozi usuku ixelegu ugqirha group/organization inja gum/laughter indlebe hair umhlaba hand eMpuma hard worker/busy bee umlenga head/ indlovu health amehlo Hello intsomi help ubuso hero kude hill intsimi him/her Tata house inyawo How are you/How are things? Kunjani umfazi humanity/he is humane/ umlo in laws (parent) umkhwe/...kazi ubuntu/unobuntu umzi yena ummango igokra uncedo Molo (s) Molweni (pl) impilo intloko ikhuthala isandla inwele intsini umbutho fingers fish Food forehead forgiveness/peel frog gift/talent God government minister grand-child greet/to greet iminwe intlanzi ukutya ibunzi uxolo/ixolo ixoxo isipho uThixo/uQamata umphathiswa umzukulwane -bulisa/ukubulisa

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Xhosa Phrasebook
inheritance insult it kindness/generosity knee kraal laughing stock lazy person lesson liar look/search Love mad/dumb person madness man marriage/common law marriage married woman masculine gender me meat meeting mielies/corn milk mine mountain mouth ilifa isithuko kona ububele idolo ubuhlanti intlekisa inqenerha isifundo ixoki khangela -thanda isidenge impambano indoda ukutshata/ukwenda umfazi place induna question mna radio inyama reason imbizo reporter umbona respect ubisi respond to a call Lam reward/salary intaba umlomo road/way indlela (umgaqo){umgaqo(direction/law){constitution} sisekelo} umvuzo sabela intlonipho intatheli isizathu unomathotholo Umbuzo indawo music my brother my sister mystery nail name neck neighbour North nose old man/old woman opportunity outside parent person pig pillar/headman/ to stir umculo mfowethu dadewethu intsumantsumane uzipho igama intamo ummelwane uMntla impumlo ixhego/ixhegwazana inxaxheba phandle umzali umntu ihagu isibonda/uSibonda/ukubonda

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Xhosa Phrasebook
rope rope/phoneline sack sea shadow/shade sheep short person/San shoulders/ show sin site situation/circumstance snake son-in-law sour milk tail talent/career/call (as in becoming a priest) tallness teacher/priest television/binoculars the answer the end the one the South theirs them intambo umnxeba ingxowa ulwandle isithunzi/umthunzi igusha to clean umthwa to close amagxa to cook -veza to cry isono to die isiza to fall ubume/isimo to get mad/angry inyoka to give birth umkhwenyana to kill amasi to laugh umsila to open ubizo to play ubude umfundisi umabona-kude impendulo isiphelo eyona uMzantsi Yabo bona to rape to show/reveal to swim/duck to write tongue/language/gossip tornado train tree unmarried woman/girl ukudlala ukudlwengula ukuveza ukudada/idada ukubhala ulwimi inkanyamba uloliwe umthi intombi/intombazane ukuvula ukuhleka ukubulala ukuzala ukucaphuka ukuwa ukufa ukulila ukupheka ukuvala ukucoca thigh/pumkin time to be pregnant to bury/hide to cause a fight while not fighting ithanga ixesha ukukhulelwa ukufihla thelekisa

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Xhosa Phrasebook
ups and downs visitor voice wake/to wake wall water We are fine/We are here West whistle white meat white person wing wish witch/witchcraft wood wound xhin you yours amahlandenyuka undwendwe ilizwi vusa/ukuvusa udonga amanzi Sikhona eNtshona umlozi umkhwepha umlungu iphiko umnqweno igqwirha/ubugqwirha inkuni inxeba isilevu wena Yakho Daily Conversation and so on beef bend over Beware of the dog blow your nose Day and night Do not sleep again Dogs out! fat as a pig fisherman He/She has a broken heart he/she wants to pee human mistake I am busy I am tired now Phrases to warm your heart birds of a feather Greetings to you listeners H/She is excited He/She is full of him/herself I LOVE YOU please write home amaphuth' ahlathinye Molweni baphulaphuli uphethwe yimincili uyazithanda I want to sleep Ndiyakuthanda it is raining nceda bhalela ekhaya kneel guqa ngamadol Page 8 of 9 imvula iyana ndifuna ukulala I saw a white man I want food njalo-njalo inyama yenkomo dunusa Lumkela inja finya Imini nobususku musa ukulala kwakhona Inja phandle utyebe okwehagu abalobi bentlanzi Waphukelwe yintliziyo utshiswa ngumchamo impazamo eyenziwe ngumntu ndixakekile ndidiniwe ngoku ndibone umlungu Ndifuna ukudla Thank you very much to take part/to participate you are a man amongst men Enkosi kakhuli ukuthatha inxaxheba uyindoda emadodeni

I want food with nourishment Ndifuna ukutya okunesondlo I want to ride in/on a bus Ndifuna ukukhwela uduladula

Xhosa Phrasebook
Men inside mielie meal move forward mutton One who appears last play the music Please show me the house of ... pork quiet music red coal see you serve food sit down stand up stay well sweetened water thank you very much The winter is here undress wash your face weather forecast what do you want? where are the girls Amadoda endlini umgubo wombona hambela phambili inyama yegusha Uvelemva ndlala/khalisa umculo Ndicela undibonise umzi ka... inyama yehagu umculo opholileyo amalahle abomvu izakubonana phaka ukudla hlala phantsi yima ngenyawo sala kakuhle amanzi aneswekile ndiyabulela kakhulu ubusika bufikile khulula impahla hlamba ubuso uqikelelo lwemozulu ufuna ntoni? aphi amantombi? Where is the meeting? where is the sea? who do you want? wipe your tears you smell Iphi imbizo? luphi ulwandle? ufuna bani? sula inyembezi uyanuka

Where are the older people of Baphi abantu the house abadala/abakhulu where do you go to school? where is my girl friend? ufunda phi? iphi intokazi yam?

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