Xhosa–English Dictionary

Look up Xhosa words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Xhosa word into the lookup tool.

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Browse common Xhosa vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
mna	pronoun	I	Mna ndilapha ngoku. I am here now.
wena	pronoun	you	Wena ungumhlobo wam. You are my friend.
yena	pronoun	he	Yena usekhaya. He is at home.
yena	pronoun	she	Yena usesikolweni. She is at school.
thina	pronoun	we	Thina sisebenza yonke imihla. We work every day.
bona	pronoun	they	Bona bahlala esixekweni. They live in the city.
ntoni	pronoun	what	Ufuna ntoni ngoku? What do you want now?
phi	adverb	where	Iphi indlu yakho? Where is your house?
nini	adverb	when	Uza kuza nini? When will you come?
ngubani	pronoun	who	Ngubani loo mntu? Who is that person?
kutheni	adverb	why	Kutheni ulusizi? Why are you sad?
njani	adverb	how	Wazi njani? How do you know?
ukuba	verb	to be	Ndifuna ukuba namandla. I want to be strong.
ukuba	verb	to have	Ndinencwadi entsha. I have a new book.
ukwenza	verb	to do	Siwenza kunye umsebenzi. We do the work together.
ukuya	verb	to go	Baya esikolweni kusasa. They go to school early.
ukuza	verb	to come	Nceda uze endlwini yam. Please come to my house.
ukubona	verb	to see	Ndibona intaba. I see the mountain.
ukwazi	verb	to know	Ndiyalazi igama lakho. I know your name.
ukucinga	verb	to think	Sicinga ngekamva. We think about the future.
ukufuna	verb	to want	Bafuna amanzi amaninzi. They want more water.
ukudinga	verb	to need	Ndidinga uncedo. I need some help.
ukwenza	verb	to make	Wenza isonka esimnandi. She makes good bread.
ukuthatha	verb	to take	Thatha incwadi uye nayo ekhaya. Take the book home.
ukunika	verb	to give	Ndinike amanzi. Give me some water.
ukuthi	verb	to say	Uthi igama lam kancinci. He says my name softly.
ukuxelela	verb	to tell	Ndixelele ibali. Tell me the story.
ukubuza	verb	to ask	Ndibuza umbuzo. I ask a question.
ukufumana	verb	to find	Sifumene isitshixo. We found the key.
ukujonga	verb	to look	Jonga isibhakabhaka. Look at the sky.
ukusebenzisa	verb	to use	Ndisebenzisa le peni yonke imihla. I use this pen daily.
ukusebenza	verb	to work	Basebenza edolophini. They work in town.
ukutya	verb	to eat	Abantwana batya irayisi namhlanje. Children eat rice today.
ukusela	verb	to drink	Sisela iti ntsasa nganye. We drink tea every morning.
ukulala	verb	to sleep	Umntwana ulala ngoxolo. The child sleeps peacefully.
ukuhamba	verb	to walk	Ndihamba ukuya esikolweni. I walk to school.
ukubaleka	verb	to run	Inkwenkwe ibaleka ngokukhawuleza. The boy runs fast.
ukufunda	verb	to read	Ufunda incwadi. She reads a book.
ukubhala	verb	to write	Bhala igama lakho apha. Write your name here.
ukuthetha	verb	to speak	Bathetha isiXhosa kakuhle. They speak Xhosa well.
ukuphulaphula	verb	to listen	Phulaphula utitshala ngenyameko. Listen to the teacher carefully.
ukuva	verb	to hear	Ndiyawuva umculo. I hear the music.
ukuthenga	verb	to buy	Sithenga iziqhamo ezitsha. We buy fresh fruit.
ukuthengisa	verb	to sell	Bathengisa isonka apha. They sell bread here.
ukuhlawula	verb	to pay	Ndihlawula ngemali. I pay with money.
ukunceda	verb	to help	Nceda uncede umama wakho. Please help your mother.
ukuthanda	verb	to love	Ndiyaluthanda usapho lwam. I love my family.
ukuhlala	verb	to live	Sihlala kufuphi nomlambo. We live near the river.
ukufa	verb	to die	Izityalo ziyafa ngaphandle kwamanzi. Plants die without water.
ukufunda	verb	to learn	Abantwana bafunda esikolweni. Children learn at school.
ukufundisa	verb	to teach	Bafundisa abantwana abancinci. They teach young children.
ukuvula	verb	to open	Vula ucango kancinci. Open the door slowly.
ukuvala	verb	to close	Vala ifestile ngoku. Close the window now.
umntu	noun	person	Loo mntu unobubele. That person is kind.
indoda	noun	man	Indoda inde. The man is tall.
umfazi	noun	woman	Umfazi uyancuma. The woman is smiling.
umntwana	noun	child	Umntwana ulele. The child is sleeping.
inkwenkwe	noun	boy	Inkwenkwe ifunda kakuhle. The boy reads well.
intombazana	noun	girl	Intombazana icula kakuhle. The girl sings beautifully.
usapho	noun	family	Usapho lwam lukhulu. My family is big.
umama	noun	mother	Umama wam usekhaya. My mother is home.
utata	noun	father	Utata wam usebenza nzima. My father works hard.
umhlobo	noun	friend	Ungumhlobo wam. She is my friend.
indlu	noun	house	Indlu yabo intsha. Their house is new.
ikhaya	noun	home	Siya ekhaya. We are going home.
isikolo	noun	school	Isikolo sikufuphi. The school is nearby.
isixeko	noun	city	Esi sixeko sixakekile. This city is busy.
ilizwe	noun	country	Ilizwe lethu lihle. Our country is beautiful.
ihlabathi	noun	world	Ihlabathi liyatshintsha. The world is changing.
isitalato	noun	street	Isitalato side. The street is long.
igumbi	noun	room	Igumbi licocekile. The room is clean.
ixesha	noun	time	Ixesha lihamba ngokukhawuleza. Time goes very fast.
imini	noun	day	Namhlanje yimini entle. Today is a good day.
ubusuku	noun	night	Ubusuku buyabanda. The night is cold.
intsasa	noun	morning	Intsasa ithule. The morning is quiet.
ngokuhlwa	noun	evening	Sisela iti ngokuhlwa. We drink tea this evening.
iveki	noun	week	Le veki ixakekile. This week is busy.
inyanga	noun	month	Kwinyanga ezayo siyahamba. Next month we travel.
unyaka	noun	year	Lo nyaka ubalulekile. This year is important.
namhlanje	adverb	today	Ndisebenza namhlanje kuphela. I work today only.
ngomso	adverb	tomorrow	Siza kuza ngomso. We will come tomorrow.
izolo	adverb	yesterday	Uze izolo emalanga. She came yesterday afternoon.
ngoku	adverb	now	Ndidinga amanzi ngoku. I need water now.
ilanga	noun	sun	Ilanga liyatshisa. The sun is hot.
inyanga	noun	moon	Inyanga ikhanya ebusuku. The moon is bright tonight.
inkwenkwezi	noun	star	Loo nkwenkwezi iyakhanya. That star is bright.
isibhakabhaka	noun	sky	Isibhakabhaka siluhlaza. The sky is blue.
umhlaba	noun	earth	Umhlaba likhaya lethu. The earth is our home.
umlilo	noun	fire	Umlilo uyatshisa. The fire is hot.
amanzi	noun	water	Amanzi abaluleke kakhulu. Water is very important.
imvula	noun	rain	Imvula iyana. The rain is falling.
umoya	noun	wind	Umoya unamandla. The wind is strong.
umthi	noun	tree	Umthi mde. The tree is tall.
intyatyambo	noun	flower	Intyatyambo intle. The flower is beautiful.
intaba	noun	mountain	Intaba iphezulu. The mountain is high.
umlambo	noun	river	Umlambo ubanzi. The river is wide.
ulwandle	noun	sea	Ulwandle luyabanda. The sea is cold.
ukutya	noun	food	Ukutya kulungile. The food is ready.
isonka	noun	bread	Nditya isonka yonke imihla. I eat bread daily.
irayisi	noun	rice	Irayisi ishushu. The rice is hot.
inyama	noun	meat	Sipheka inyama ngokuhlwa. We cook meat tonight.
intlanzi	noun	fish	Intlanzi imnandi. The fish tastes good.
iqanda	noun	egg	Iqanda lophukile. The egg is broken.
ubisi	noun	milk	Umntwana usela ubisi. The child drinks milk.
isiqhamo	noun	fruit	Esi siqhamo simnandi. This fruit is sweet.
iti	noun	tea	Sisela iti kunye. We drink tea together.
ikofu	noun	coffee	Ndisela ikofu eshushu. I drink hot coffee.
intloko	noun	head	Intloko yam ibuhlungu namhlanje. My head hurts today.
iliso	noun	eye	Iliso lakhe libomvu. Her eye is red.
indlebe	noun	ear	Indlebe yam iyakwazi ukuva. My ear can hear.
umlomo	noun	mouth	Vula umlomo wakho kakhulu. Open your mouth wide.
impumlo	noun	nose	Impumlo yam iyabanda. My nose is cold.
isandla	noun	hand	Hlamba isandla sakho ngoku. Wash your hand now.
unyawo	noun	foot	Unyawo lwakhe lonzakele. His foot is hurt.
intliziyo	noun	heart	Intliziyo yam yomelele. My heart is strong.
igama	noun	name	Igama lakho lihle. Your name is beautiful.
incwadi	noun	book	Le ncwadi intsha. This book is new.
igama	noun	word	Elo gama libalulekile. That word is important.
ulwimi	noun	language	Ulwimi ludibanisa abantu abaninzi. Language connects many people.
imali	noun	money	Ndidinga imali eninzi. I need more money.
umsebenzi	noun	work	Umsebenzi unzima. The work is hard.
uthando	noun	love	Uthando lomelele kakhulu. Love is very strong.
umculo	noun	music	Umculo umhle. The music is beautiful.
ibali	noun	story	Ibali lide. The story is long.
indlela	noun	way	Le ndlela ilula. This way is easy.
into	noun	thing	Le nto iluncedo. This thing is useful.
ubomi	noun	life	Ubomi abulula. Life is not easy.
ucango	noun	door	Ucango luvulekile. The door is open.
itafile	noun	table	Incwadi iphezu kwetafile. The book is on the table.
isitulo	noun	chair	Isitulo sophukile. The chair is broken.
imoto	noun	car	Imoto iyakhawuleza. The car is fast.
lungile	adjective	good	Oku kutya kulungile. This food is good.
mbi	adjective	bad	Imozulu imbi namhlanje. The weather is bad today.
khulu	adjective	big	Loo ndlu inkulu. That house is big.
ncinci	adjective	small	Igumbi lincinci. The room is small.
ntsha	adjective	new	Ndinemoto entsha. I have a new car.
dala	adjective	old	Le ncwadi indala. This book is old.
de	adjective	long	Indlela inde. The road is long.
futshane	adjective	short	Ibali lifutshane. The story is short.
phezulu	adjective	high	Intaba iphezulu. The mountain is high.
phantsi	adjective	low	Itafile iphantsi. The table is low.
shushu	adjective	hot	Iti ishushu. The tea is hot.
banda	adjective	cold	Amanzi ayabanda. The water is cold.
vuya	adjective	happy	Umntwana uyonwabile. The child is happy.
lusizi	adjective	sad	Ulusizi namhlanje. She feels sad today.
hle	adjective	beautiful	Intyatyambo intle. The flower is beautiful.
lula	adjective	easy	Lo msebenzi ulula. This work is easy.
nzima	adjective	hard	Lo mbuzo unzima. This question is hard.
khawuleza	adjective	fast	Imoto iyakhawuleza. The car is fast.
cotha	adjective	slow	Imoto endala iyacotha. The old car is slow.
chanekile	adjective	right	Impendulo yakho ichanekile. Your answer is right.
phosakele	adjective	wrong	Loo mpendulo iphosakele. That answer is wrong.
balulekile	adjective	important	Le ncwadi ibalulekile. This book is important.
yinyaniso	adjective	true	Elo bali liyinyaniso. That story is true.
gcwele	adjective	full	Indebe igcwele. The cup is full.
anto	adjective	empty	Igumbi alinanto. The room is empty.
ncinci	adjective	young	Umntwana mncinci kakhulu. The child is very young.
qinile	adjective	strong	Loo ndoda yomelele. That man is strong.
buthathaka	adjective	weak	Umntwana uziva ebuthathaka. The child feels weak.
bomvu	adjective	red	Intyatyambo ibomvu. The flower is red.
luhlaza	adjective	blue	Isibhakabhaka siluhlaza. The sky is blue.
luhlaza	adjective	green	Ingca iluhlaza. The grass is green.
tyheli	adjective	yellow	Intyatyambo ityheli. The flower is yellow.
mnyama	adjective	black	Imoto imnyama. The car is black.
mhlophe	adjective	white	Ubisi bumhlophe. The milk is white.
ewe	interjection	yes	Ewe, ndikulungele. Yes, I am ready.
hayi	interjection	no	Hayi, andazi. No, I do not know.
hayi	adverb	not	Andidinwanga. I am not tired.
kwaye	conjunction	and	Iti nesonka zilungile. Tea and bread are ready.
okanye	conjunction	or	Iti okanye ikofu kulungile. Tea or coffee is fine.
kodwa	conjunction	but	Ndidiniwe, kodwa ndonwabile. I am tired, but happy.
ukuba	conjunction	if	Ukuba kuyanetha, hlala ekhaya. If it rains, stay home.
ngenxa yokuba	conjunction	because	Ndizile ngenxa yokuba ubuzile. I came because you asked.
kunye	preposition	with	Ndize nomhlobo wam. I came with my friend.
ngaphandle	preposition	without	Uhambe ngaphandle kwemali. He left without money.
ye	preposition	for	Esi sipho sesakho. This gift is for you.
ukusuka	preposition	from	Ndivele esixekweni. I came from the city.
ukuya	preposition	to	Sihambe ukuya esikolweni. We walked to school.