Learn To Speak Zulu, Using The Common Words From The Zulu Dictionary

Zulu Speakers in South Africa

+ or - 9 200 144 people in South Africa use zulu as their home language and about 8.5 million speak isiZulu.

Numbers in isiZulu

1 - one - kunye

2 - two - kubili

3 - three - kuthathu

4 - four - kune

5 - five - kuhlanu

6 - six - yisithupa

7 - seven - yisikhombisa

8 - eight - yisishiyagalombili

9 - nine - yisishiyagalolunye

10 - ten - yishumi

11 - eleven - yishumi nanye

12 - twelve - yishumi nambili

13 - thirteen - yishumi nantathu

14 - fourteen - yishumi nane

15 - fifteen - yishumi nesihlanu

20 - twenty - amashumi amabili

21 - twenty one - amashumi amabili nanye

22 - twenty two - amashumi amabili nambili

50 - fifty - amashumi amahlanu

100 - hundred - ikhulu

1000 - thousand - inkulungwane

Learn how to greet your neighbour

Hello - Sawubona - Sanibona
How are you? - Unjani?
I am well - Ngisaphila
I am fine thank you - Ngisaphila ngiyabonga.
Goodbye - Hamba kahle - Sala kahle
Good luck - Ngikufisela inhlanhla

Expressions in Zulu

Yes - yebo
No - cha
Please - ngiyakucela
Thank you - ngiyabonga
Excuse me - Uxolo
I am sorry. - Ngiyaxolisa.
I love you. - Ngiyakuthanda.

Where did zulu language begin?

The writing of Zulu was started by missionaries in the then Natal. The names J W Colenso, S B Stone, H Callaway and Lewis Grant. They taught people how to spreading the word of God, basic writing skills in Zulu.