Zulu–English Dictionary

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

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Browse common Zulu vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
mina	pronoun	I	Mina ngikhona manje. I am here now.
wena	pronoun	you	Wena ungumngane wami. You are my friend.
yena	pronoun	he	Yena usekhaya. He is at home.
yena	pronoun	she	Yena uyafunda manje. She is reading now.
thina	pronoun	we	Thina siya ekhaya. We are going home.
bona	pronoun	they	Bona basebenza nsuku zonke. They work every day.
ini	pronoun	what	Ufunani? What do you want?
kuphi	adverb	where	Ikuphi indlu yakho? Where is your house?
nini	adverb	when	Uza nini? When are you coming?
ubani	pronoun	who	Ubani lowo muntu? Who is that person?
ngani	adverb	why	Kungani udabukile? Why are you sad?
kanjani	adverb	how	Wazi kanjani? How do you know?
ukuba	verb	to be	Ngijabule kakhulu. I am very happy.
ukuba na	verb	to have	Nginencwadi. I have a book.
ukwenza	verb	to do	Senza umsebenzi wethu. We do our work.
ukuhamba	verb	to go	Baya esikoleni. They go to school.
ukuza	verb	to come	Woza lapha manje. Please come here now.
ukubona	verb	to see	Ngibona inyanga. I see the moon.
ukwazi	verb	to know	Ngiyayazi impendulo. I know the answer.
ukucabanga	verb	to think	Sicabanga ngempilo. We think about life.
ukufuna	verb	to want	Ngifuna amanzi. I want some water.
ukudinga	verb	to need	Sidinga isikhathi esengeziwe. We need more time.
ukwenza	verb	to make	Benza isinkwa esihle. They make good bread.
ukuthatha	verb	to take	Thatha incwadi uye nayo ekhaya. Take the book home.
ukunika	verb	to give	Nginike leyo ncwadi. Give me that book.
ukusho	verb	to say	Sicela usho igama lakho. Please say your name.
ukutshela	verb	to tell	Ngitshele indaba. Tell me the story.
ukubuza	verb	to ask	Ngibuza umbuzo owodwa. I ask one question.
ukuthola	verb	to find	Sithole ukhiye. We found the key.
ukubheka	verb	to look	Bheka isibhakabhaka. Look at the sky.
ukusebenzisa	verb	to use	Ngisebenzisa leli tafula. I use this table.
ukusebenza	verb	to work	Basebenza edolobheni. They work in town.
ukudla	verb	to eat	Izingane zidla irayisi lapha. Children eat rice here.
ukuphuza	verb	to drink	Ngiphuza itiye elishisayo. I drink hot tea.
ukulala	verb	to sleep	Ingane ilala kusenesikhathi. The child sleeps early.
ukuhamba ngezinyawo	verb	to walk	Sihamba ngezinyawo njalo ekuseni. We walk every morning.
ukugijima	verb	to run	Abafana bagijima kakhulu. Boys run very fast.
ukufunda	verb	to read	Ufunda incwadi. She reads a book.
ukubhala	verb	to write	Ngibhala igama lami. I write my name.
ukukhuluma	verb	to speak	Bakhuluma isiZulu kahle. They speak Zulu well.
ukulalela	verb	to listen	Lalela uthisha. Listen to the teacher.
ukuzwa	verb	to hear	Ngizwa umoya. I hear the wind.
ukuthenga	verb	to buy	Sithenga izithelo ezintsha. We buy fresh fruit.
ukuthengisa	verb	to sell	Bathengisa ikhofi elihle. They sell good coffee.
ukukhokha	verb	to pay	Ngikhokha ngemali. I pay with money.
ukusiza	verb	to help	Abangane bayasizana. Friends help each other.
ukuthanda	verb	to love	Ngithanda umndeni wami. I love my family.
ukuphila	verb	to live	Siphila ngokuthula. We live in peace.
ukufa	verb	to die	Bonke abantu bayafa ngelinye ilanga. All people die someday.
ukufunda	verb	to learn	Izingane zifunda esikoleni. Children learn at school.
ukufundisa	verb	to teach	Bafundisa izingane ezincane. They teach young children.
ukuvula	verb	to open	Sicela uvule umnyango. Please open the door.
ukuvala	verb	to close	Vala iwindi manje. Close the window now.
umuntu	noun	person	Lowo muntu unomusa. That person is kind.
indoda	noun	man	Indoda yinde. The man is tall.
umfazi	noun	woman	Umfazi ujabule. The woman is happy.
ingane	noun	child	Ingane ilele. The child is sleeping.
umfana	noun	boy	Umfana ugijima ngesivinini. The boy runs fast.
intombazane	noun	girl	Intombazane ifunda buthule. The girl reads quietly.
umndeni	noun	family	Umndeni wami mkhulu. My family is big.
umama	noun	mother	Umama wami ukhona lapha. My mother is here.
ubaba	noun	father	Ubaba wami usebenza kanzima. My father works hard.
umngane	noun	friend	Ungumngane wami. She is my friend.
indlu	noun	house	Indlu intsha. The house is new.
ikhaya	noun	home	Siya ekhaya. We are going home.
isikole	noun	school	Isikole siseduze. The school is nearby.
idolobha	noun	city	Leli dolobha likhulu. This city is big.
izwe	noun	country	Izwe lethu lihle. Our country is beautiful.
umhlaba	noun	world	Umhlaba uyashintsha. The world is changing.
umgwaqo	noun	street	Umgwaqo umatasa. The street is busy.
igumbi	noun	room	Leli gumbi lincane. This room is small.
isikhathi	noun	time	Isikhathi sihamba ngokushesha kakhulu. Time goes very quickly.
usuku	noun	day	Namuhla usuku oluhle. Today is a good day.
ubusuku	noun	night	Ubusuku buyabanda. The night is cold.
ekuseni	noun	morning	Ekuseni kuthule. The morning is quiet.
kusihlwa	noun	evening	Sawubona kusihlwa, mngane wami. Good evening, my friend.
isonto	noun	week	Kudlule isonto elilodwa. One week has passed.
inyanga	noun	month	Le nyanga imatasa. This month is busy.
unyaka	noun	year	Lo nyaka uhlukile. This year is different.
namuhla	adverb	today	Ngimatasa namuhla. I am busy today.
kusasa	adverb	tomorrow	Sizohamba kusasa. We will go tomorrow.
izolo	adverb	yesterday	Ufike izolo ekuseni. She came yesterday morning.
manje	adverb	now	Woza lapha manje. Come here now.
ilanga	noun	sun	Ilanga liyashisa. The sun is hot.
inyanga	noun	moon	Inyanga iyakhanya. The moon is bright.
inkanyezi	noun	star	Leyo nkanyezi iyakhanya. That star is bright.
isibhakabhaka	noun	sky	Isibhakabhaka siluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. The sky is blue.
umhlaba	noun	earth	Umhlaba uyikhaya lethu. The earth is our home.
umlilo	noun	fire	Umlilo uyashisa. 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.
isihlahla	noun	tree	Isihlahla side. The tree is tall.
imbali	noun	flower	Imbali inhle. The flower is beautiful.
intaba	noun	mountain	Leyo ntaba iphakeme. That mountain is high.
umfula	noun	river	Umfula mude. The river is long.
ulwandle	noun	sea	Ulwandle luluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. The sea is blue.
ukudla	noun	food	Ukudla sekulungile. The food is ready.
isinkwa	noun	bread	Ngidla isinkwa nsuku zonke. I eat bread daily.
irayisi	noun	rice	Irayisi liyashisa. The rice is hot.
inyama	noun	meat	Sipheke inyama. We cooked the meat.
inhlanzi	noun	fish	Inhlanzi imnandi. The fish tastes good.
iqanda	noun	egg	Iqanda liphukile. The egg is broken.
ubisi	noun	milk	Ubisi luyabanda. The milk is cold.
isithelo	noun	fruit	Lesi sithelo simnandi. This fruit is sweet.
itiye	noun	tea	Itiye liyashisa. The tea is hot.
ikhofi	noun	coffee	Ngiphuza ikhofi nsuku zonke. I drink coffee daily.
ikhanda	noun	head	Ikhanda lami libuhlungu namuhla. My head hurts today.
iso	noun	eye	Iso lakhe libomvu. Her eye is red.
indlebe	noun	ear	Indlebe yami ibuhlungu manje. My ear hurts now.
umlomo	noun	mouth	Vula umlomo wakho kakhulu. Open your mouth wide.
ikhala	noun	nose	Ikhala lami liyabanda. My nose is cold.
isandla	noun	hand	Geza isandla sakho kahle. Wash your hand well.
unyawo	noun	foot	Unyawo lwami lubuhlungu kakhulu. My foot hurts badly.
inhliziyo	noun	heart	Inhliziyo yami inamandla. My heart is strong.
igama	noun	name	Ungubani igama lakho? What is your name?
incwadi	noun	book	Le ncwadi intsha. This book is new.
igama	noun	word	Lelo gama libalulekile. That word is important.
ulimi	noun	language	IsiZulu ulimi. Zulu is a language.
imali	noun	money	Ngidinga imali eyengeziwe. I need more money.
umsebenzi	noun	work	Umsebenzi wami unzima. My work is hard.
uthando	noun	love	Uthando lubaluleke kakhulu. Love is very important.
umculo	noun	music	Umculo muhle. The music is beautiful.
indaba	noun	story	Indaba iyathakazelisa. The story is interesting.
indlela	noun	way	Le ndlela ilula. This way is easy.
into	noun	thing	Le nto ilusizo. This thing is useful.
impilo	noun	life	Impilo iyigugu kakhulu. Life is very precious.
umnyango	noun	door	Umnyango uvulekile. The door is open.
itafula	noun	table	Itafula lihlanzekile. The table is clean.
isihlalo	noun	chair	Isihlalo siphukile. The chair is broken.
imoto	noun	car	Imoto iyashesha. The car is fast.
kuhle	adjective	good	Lokhu kudla kuhle. This food is good.
kubi	adjective	bad	Isimo sezulu sibi. The weather is bad.
khulu	adjective	big	Indlu inkulu. The house is big.
ncane	adjective	small	Igumbi lincane. The room is small.
sha	adjective	new	Nginencwadi entsha. I have a new book.
dala	adjective	old	Leyo ndlu indala. That house is old.
de	adjective	long	Umgwaqo mude. The road is long.
fushane	adjective	short	Indaba imfishane. The story is short.
phakeme	adjective	high	Intaba iphakeme. The mountain is high.
phansi	adjective	low	Itafula liphansi. The table is low.
shisa	adjective	hot	Itiye liyashisa. The tea is hot.
banda	adjective	cold	Amanzi ayabanda. The water is cold.
jabule	adjective	happy	Ingane ijabule. The child is happy.
dabukile	adjective	sad	Udabukile namuhla. She feels sad today.
hle	adjective	beautiful	Imbali inhle. The flower is beautiful.
lula	adjective	easy	Lo msebenzi ulula. This work is easy.
nzima	adjective	hard	Umsebenzi unzima. The work is hard.
shesha	adjective	fast	Imoto iyashesha. The car is fast.
ncane	adjective	slow
lungile	adjective	right	Impendulo yakho ilungile. Your answer is right.
phutha	adjective	wrong	Leyo mpendulo ayilungile. That answer is wrong.
balulekile	adjective	important	Amanzi abalulekile empilweni. Water is important for life.
yiqiniso	adjective	true	Leyo ndaba iyiqiniso. That story is true.
gcwele	adjective	full	Indebe igcwele. The cup is full.
nalutho	adjective	empty	Igumbi alinalutho. The room is empty.
ncane	adjective	young	Umfana usemncane. The boy is young.
qinile	adjective	strong	Leyo ndoda iqinile. That man is strong.
buthaka	adjective	weak	Ingane ibuthakathaka. The child is weak.
bomvu	adjective	red	Imbali ibomvu. The flower is red.
luhlaza okwesibhakabhaka	adjective	blue	Isibhakabhaka siluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. The sky is blue.
luhlaza	adjective	green	Isihlahla siluhlaza. The tree is green.
phuzi	adjective	yellow	Imbali iphuzi. The flower is yellow.
mnyama	adjective	black	Imoto imnyama. The car is black.
mhlophe	adjective	white	Ubisi lumhlophe. The milk is white.
yebo	interjection	yes	Yebo, sengiyaqonda manje. Yes, I understand now.
cha	interjection	no	Cha, angazi. No, I do not know.
hhayi	adverb	not	Angikakulungeli. I am not ready.
futhi	conjunction	and	Itiye nesinkwa sekulungile. Tea and bread are ready.
noma	conjunction	or	Itiye noma ikhofi namuhla? Tea or coffee today?
kodwa	conjunction	but	Ngikhathele, kodwa ngijabule. I am tired, but happy.
uma	conjunction	if	Uma uza, ngishayele ucingo. If you come, call me.
ngoba	conjunction	because	Ngihlale ngoba imvula inile. I stayed because it rained.
na	preposition	with	Ngize nomngane wami. I came with my friend.
ngaphandle kwa	preposition	without	Uhambe ngaphandle kwemali. He left without money.
okwenzelwe	preposition	for
kuvela	preposition	from	Uvela ekhaya. She comes from home.
kuya	preposition	to	Siya esikoleni. We are going to school.