Zulu/Lesson 6

Ngithanda ukudlala ibhola

In this lesson, we learn how to express likes and dislikes. To this end, we introduce and explain how to use infinitives e.g. 'to play'. A number of verbs are also introduced.

Ubhuti usebenzela i-Eskom

uNandi: Sawubona Philani!

uPhilani: Yebo sawubona Nandi!

uNandi: Unjani?

uPhilani: Ngisaphila, wena unjani?

uNandi: Nami ngiyaphila.

uPhilani: Unobhuti angithi?

uNandi: Yebo, nginobhuti.

uPhilani: Ubhuti usebenzaphi?

uNandi: Ubhuti usebenzela i-Eskom.

uPhilani: Eish, yena uyasebenza kakhulu angithi?

uNandi: Yebo, manje uyasebenza kakhulu. Wena unobhuti?

uPhilani: Cha, anginaye ubhuti.

uNandi: Hamba kahle.

uPhilani: Sala kahle.

Zulu	English
angithi	isn't it
anginabhuti	I do not have a brother
Eish	wow
sebenzela	work for

When "na" is used in the negative, we just drop the first letter of the noun then add the na. So, to say I do have not a sister: Angi+na+sisi becomes 'Anginasisi'. We have also introduced the word angithi, which also be used instead of na or intonation.

Ngithanda ubisi noshizi

Funda

Sanibona! NginguThato wakwaNdlovu. Ngineminyaka engu-21 ubudala. Ngingumfundi. Ngifunda eWits. Ngifundela ukuba i-Accountant. Ngineminyaka engu-3 ngifunda. Ngifunda ngokuzimisela,futhi ngithanda ukudlala ibhola. Ngiphuza ubhiya newayini kodwa ngithanda ubisi noshizi futhi. Ngiyajabula ukunazi!

Zulu	English
umfundi	student
iWits	Wits (University of the Witwatersrand)
ukuba	to be
thanda	like
dlala	play
ibhola	soccer/ ball
phuza	drink
ubhiya	beer
iwayini	wine
ubisi	milk
ushizi	cheese

Notice the use of uku- as a prefix, it means 'to' so if we want to say I like to play, for instance, we simply put uku- onto the second verb as its prefix 'Ngithanda ukudlala'. Also notice the use of na-, it links two nouns with coalescence - merging - and means either 'with' or 'and'.

In the above table, we have introduced additional nouns. The nouns beginning with u- below to class 1a and those with i- to class 3. At this stage, you should be able to understand the whole passage.

Negation

Funda

Ugogo wami akathandi ukubhema. Yena akalithandi ikofi newayini. Akaluphuzi ubisi kodwa uyawudla ushizi. Akawudli utamatisi. Ngiphuza ubisi namanzi kodwa angiphuzi ubhiya. Obhuti bathanda ukuphuza umqombothi. Abaphuzi iwayini.

Zulu	English
bhema	smoke
amanzi	water
umqombothi	traditional beer

The passage above illustrates how to form negatives in the present tense. We add an 'a' before the subject concord and change the final letter of the verb to an 'i'. But this still raises questions, what happens when the first letter of the subject concord is a 'u'? Well in that case, it becomes a little more complicated. The table below show a summary of what happens.

What happens with u
Mina angiphuzi ijusi.	Thina asiphuzi ijusi.
Wena awuphuzi ubisi.	Nina aniphuzi ubisi.
Yena akadli ushizi.	Bona abadli ushizi.
Ugogo akaphuzi iwayini.	Ogogo abaphuzi ibhiya.
Umzali akaphuzi amanzi	Abazali abaphuzi amanzi.
iKholigi alidli ushizi.	amaKholigi awadli ushizi.

Summary

• We can say that we don't have a family member or an object. Anginagogo.
• We can say what we like and dislike. Ngithanda/angithandi
• We can tell people what we like to do and what don't like to do. Ngithanda ukudlala/ Angithandi ukudlala.
• We have learnt how to negate verbs in the present. Akathandi ubisi. Awuthandi ushizi.