Angry (adj)
-thukuthele, -nolaka
Umama wami ubengithukhuthelele ngokushiya indlu yogungezela imahlaphahlapha.
My mother was angry with me for leaving the bathroom in a mess.
I love:
the grammar lesson in the word: ubengithukuthelele
and the word
imahlaphahlapha - how perfect for a mess?
but
having to call a bathroom
indlu yogugenzela
(a tongue twister!)
is a but much.
Anger (n)
intukuthelo
ulaka -fierce temper
(igwebu, also provided by isizulu.net, seems otherwise to mean 'froth')
Ulaka lwakhe lozumbulala.
His fierce temper will kill him.
vocabulary from isizulu.net
izibonelo from isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Thursday, June 29, 2017
-qinile (to be fit, strong)
-qinile (static verb)
to be firm, hard, solid, stiff, strong
to be physically fit
to be headstrong, stubborn, obdurate, pigheaded, stubborn
a word for teenage boys?
;)
also (I'm finding some more translation sites)
tough, sturdy - wordhippo
uqinile - be strong
hlala uqinile - stay strong
hlale uqinile
mymemory.translated.net
From a news report on Zim soccer legend Peter "Nsukuzonke" Ndlovu being discharged from hospital:
“Uqinile wena mfana (you are a strong man) after all that happened. We commend your family for remaining strong and supportive especially Madinda,” said Dr Mpofu. Said Peter in response: “Yini elingiqinisayo mdala. You are one of the people who make me strong,” he said laughing. (nehandaradio.com)
"Nsukuzonke" - every day
A lovely sentence fom isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary:
to be firm, hard, solid, stiff, strong
to be physically fit
to be headstrong, stubborn, obdurate, pigheaded, stubborn
a word for teenage boys?
;)
also (I'm finding some more translation sites)
tough, sturdy - wordhippo
uqinile - be strong
hlala uqinile - stay strong
hlale uqinile
mymemory.translated.net
From a news report on Zim soccer legend Peter "Nsukuzonke" Ndlovu being discharged from hospital:
“Uqinile wena mfana (you are a strong man) after all that happened. We commend your family for remaining strong and supportive especially Madinda,” said Dr Mpofu. Said Peter in response: “Yini elingiqinisayo mdala. You are one of the people who make me strong,” he said laughing. (nehandaradio.com)
"Nsukuzonke" - every day
A lovely sentence fom isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary:
Uyamethemba uMokohlane lona, kakhulukazi ngoba useyindoda eqinile, futhi enomusa.
You trust this Mokohlane, especially because he is now a man who is strong and kind too.
“Uqinile
wena mfana (you are a strong man) after all that happened. We commend
your family for remaining strong and supportive especially Madinda,”
said Dr Mpofu. Said Peter in response: “Yini elingiqinisayo mdala. You
are one of the people who make me strong,” he said laughing.
“Uqinile
wena mfana (you are a strong man) after all that happened. We commend
your family for remaining strong and supportive especially Madinda,”
said Dr Mpofu. Said Peter in response: “Yini elingiqinisayo mdala. You
are one of the people who make me strong,” he said laughing.
“Uqinile
wena mfana (you are a strong man) after all that happened. We commend
your family for remaining strong and supportive especially Madinda,”
said Dr Mpofu. Said Peter in response: “Yini elingiqinisayo mdala. You
are one of the people who make me strong,” he said laughing.
-banzi (wide)
-banzi (adj)
wide
ububanzi (n)
width, breadth
(see a very odd one at the bottom of the post)
In names:
Ubanzi, Lubanzi are given names. What is the significance of this name?
On the Wild Coast, Lubanzi Village, and Backpacker
which having discovered, I feel much drawn to visit.
Lubanzi wine, named after a dog, Lubanzi, who walked for six days with two American hikers along the Wild Coast.
Canis Africanis, is known in isiZulu/isiXhosa as iBanzi according to this blog.
Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, a play by Athol Fugard
in which a man, Sizwe Banzi has to give up his name and identity to survive in apartheid times of South Africa
Sizwe - Nation
Banzi - Wide
surely referring to the universality of the character and his experiences.
wide
ububanzi (n)
width, breadth
Isibonelo:
Olunye uphawu lokhozi wukuthi lunamaphiko abanzi.
Another feature of the eagle is that it has broad wings.
(see a very odd one at the bottom of the post)
In names:
Ubanzi, Lubanzi are given names. What is the significance of this name?
On the Wild Coast, Lubanzi Village, and Backpacker
which having discovered, I feel much drawn to visit.
Lubanzi wine, named after a dog, Lubanzi, who walked for six days with two American hikers along the Wild Coast.
Canis Africanis, is known in isiZulu/isiXhosa as iBanzi according to this blog.
Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, a play by Athol Fugard
in which a man, Sizwe Banzi has to give up his name and identity to survive in apartheid times of South Africa
Sizwe - Nation
Banzi - Wide
surely referring to the universality of the character and his experiences.
(So far the only example sentence I've been able to obtain from the isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary is an example of the weirdness one can encounter there among user-submitted contents.
Lapha sisho abantu abanezidingo ezithile, isibonelo, labo abadinga ukufakelwa iminyango ebanzi ezindlini zabo.
Here we mean people who have certain needs, for example those for whom wider doors need to be installed in their homes.)
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Memeza!
-memeza
shout, call out
Kwezwakala umuntu ememeza ethi, "Iyasha indlu! Iyasha indlu kwa Mthombeni!"
A person was heard shouting, "A house is burning! A house is burning at Mthombeni!"
Brenda Fassie's song Memeza, title song of her 1997 album:
listen here on youtube.
Lyrics
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
akusizi lutho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yimi nabo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yiminabo nkosiyami (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Chorus
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Akusizi lutho (repeat x2)
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
akusizi lutho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yimi nabo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yiminabo nkosiyami (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Chorus
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Akusizi lutho (repeat x2)
Lyrics from www.letssingit.com
shout, call out
Kwezwakala umuntu ememeza ethi, "Iyasha indlu! Iyasha indlu kwa Mthombeni!"
A person was heard shouting, "A house is burning! A house is burning at Mthombeni!"
Brenda Fassie's song Memeza, title song of her 1997 album:
listen here on youtube.
Lyrics
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
akusizi lutho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yimi nabo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yiminabo nkosiyami (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Chorus
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Akusizi lutho (repeat x2)
Bangitholile (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Abanganaxolo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Bangikhomba (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Ngezibhamu nemikhontho (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
akusizi lutho (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yimi nabo (memeza ma, memeza ma)
yiminabo nkosiyami (memeza ma, memeza ma) (repeat x2)
Chorus
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Noma ngingamemeza ma (memeza ma, memeza ma)
Akusizi lutho (repeat x2)
Lyrics from www.letssingit.com
Example from isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary
Monday, June 26, 2017
Biza
-biza
call, summon
or
call (something/someone/oneself), name; -biza nokuthi
Izibonelo
Yebo ndodana, ubizwe yimina.
Yes, my son, you have been summoned by me.
Bambiza nokuthi uSipho.
They call him Sipho.
also
-biza
cost (I guess - calls for a price)
Amathikithi umculo abiza ama-R100 ngalinye.
Tickets for the concert cost R100 each.
Vocab and examples from isizulu.net and the isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary.
call, summon
or
call (something/someone/oneself), name; -biza nokuthi
Izibonelo
Yebo ndodana, ubizwe yimina.
Yes, my son, you have been summoned by me.
Bambiza nokuthi uSipho.
They call him Sipho.
also
-biza
cost (I guess - calls for a price)
Amathikithi umculo abiza ama-R100 ngalinye.
Tickets for the concert cost R100 each.
Vocab and examples from isizulu.net and the isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Help - Siza
help (v)
-siza, -nceda, -hlenga, -bambisa
to get helped
-sizeka
help (n)
usizo, uncedo
Abazali bangasiza, kepha isikhole sikhuthaza ukuthi abazenzele ngokwabo amaphrojekthi.
Parents may help, but the school encourages (learners) to do their own projects.
abazenzele: let them do for themselves
ngokwabo: by themselves/on their own
Given names:
Siza, Hlengiwe, Sizeka
vocabulary from isizulu.net
example from isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary
-siza, -nceda, -hlenga, -bambisa
to get helped
-sizeka
help (n)
usizo, uncedo
Abazali bangasiza, kepha isikhole sikhuthaza ukuthi abazenzele ngokwabo amaphrojekthi.
Parents may help, but the school encourages (learners) to do their own projects.
abazenzele: let them do for themselves
ngokwabo: by themselves/on their own
Given names:
Siza, Hlengiwe, Sizeka
vocabulary from isizulu.net
example from isiZulu Oxford Living Dictionary
Monday, June 19, 2017
Ubusuku - night
night (n)
ubusuku
at night
ebusuku
ngobusuku
good night
lale kahle, ulale kahle (sleep well)
lalani kahle, nilale kahle (pl)
A search for the word 'busuku' on google brought me:
This beautiful acapella song, sung by a group of Zambian gospel singers. Whether or not one subscribes to any religion, the power of composition and song to express longing, comfort, and beauty present in the human spirit is present in this video.
'Busuku Obuhle' - Beautiful Night is the isiZulu version of 'Silent Night' (the group above is singing something different as far as I can understand).
And, Busuku is also a surname. One person carrying this name is the young poet Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese. Some of her moving poems can be found on this web page.
PS I wonder if anyone can help me understand why 'oluhle' and 'obuhle' are used in these two expressions - what is the difference that changes the prefix?
Ube nosuku oluhle
Have a beautiful day
Busuku obuhle
Beautiful night
ubusuku
at night
ebusuku
ngobusuku
good night
lale kahle, ulale kahle (sleep well)
lalani kahle, nilale kahle (pl)
A search for the word 'busuku' on google brought me:
This beautiful acapella song, sung by a group of Zambian gospel singers. Whether or not one subscribes to any religion, the power of composition and song to express longing, comfort, and beauty present in the human spirit is present in this video.
'Busuku Obuhle' - Beautiful Night is the isiZulu version of 'Silent Night' (the group above is singing something different as far as I can understand).
And, Busuku is also a surname. One person carrying this name is the young poet Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese. Some of her moving poems can be found on this web page.
PS I wonder if anyone can help me understand why 'oluhle' and 'obuhle' are used in these two expressions - what is the difference that changes the prefix?
Ube nosuku oluhle
Have a beautiful day
Busuku obuhle
Beautiful night
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