English–Xhosa Dictionary

Browse common English words and their Xhosa translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Xhosa.

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Browse common Xhosa vocabulary

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