English–Zulu Dictionary

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

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Browse common Zulu vocabulary

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