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Xhosa words translated into English for begginers.

The accuracy of these words is not guaranteed, but care has been taken to provide an accurate or closest translation

SIFUNDA ISIXHOSA
WE ARE LEARNING XHOSA


Amagama esiXhosa



English words


 

 

Bawo

Father

Molo

Hi

Kunjani

How are you/How are things?

Sikhona

We are fine/We are here

igama

name

mna

me

yena

him/her

wena

you

bona

them

dadewethu

my sister

mfowethu

my brother

imbizo

meeting

ulwimi

tongue/language/gossip

isiza

site

uncedo

help

-cela

beg/ask (depends on situation)

-bulisa/ukubulisa

greet/to greet

-veza

show

-thanda

Love

ukutya

Food

isipho

gift/talent

igqwirha/ubugqwirha

witch/witchcraft

ugqirha

doctor

umfundisi

teacher/priest

undwendwe

visitor

ummelwane

neighbour

ilifa

inheritance

ukufa

to die

inqwelo-mafutha

car

ubuntu/unobuntu

humanity/he is humane/

umntu

person

ilizwi

voice

usuku

day/date

unomathotholo

radio

imbotyi/ii--

bean/s

ixesha

time

umculo

music

ubizo

talent/career/call (as in becoming a priest)

ixhego/ixhegwazana

old man/old woman

iyelenqe

conspiracy

umbutho

group/organization

umfazi

married woman

indoda

man

inkwenkwe

boy

indawo

place

intombi/intombazane

unmarried woman/girl

umthi

tree

umzi

house

ubuhlanti

kraal

umbona

mielies/corn

inja

dog

ilizwe

country

uMzantsi

the South

uMntla

North

eNtshona

West

eMpuma

East

ulwaluko

circumcision

inkuni

wood

uxolo/ixolo

forgiveness/peel

ingozi

danger

isibonda/uSibonda/ukubonda

pillar/headman/ to stir

inkanyamba

tornado

umlozi

whistle

intaba

mountain

intaka

bird

ubume/isimo

situation/circumstance

inxaxheba

opportunity

indlela (umgaqo){umgaqo-sisekelo}

road/way (direction/law){constitution}

ukubulala

to kill

vusa/ukuvusa

wake/to wake

ukuzala

to give birth

umvuzo

reward/salary

phandle

outside

ithanga

thigh/pumkin

umphathiswa

government minister

intatheli

reporter

intshatsheli

champion

inyama

meat

udonga

wall

igokra

hero

amanzi

water

ulwandle

sea

iliwa

cliff

umsila

tail

ixoki

liar

impendulo

the answer

intloko

head/

amehlo

eyes

indlebe

ears

impumlo

nose

ubuso

face

isandla

hand

iminwe

fingers

uzipho

nail

idolo

knee

amagxa

shoulders/

umlomo

mouth

isifundo

lesson

ukudada/idada

to swim/duck

Umbuzo

question

Lam

mine

Yakho

yours

Yabo

theirs

kona

it

bona

them

eyona

the one

impukane

a fly

imbovane

an ant

isithunzi/umthunzi

shadow/shade

umzukulwane

grand-child

umkhwenyana

son-in-law

umkhwe/...kazi

in laws (parent)

igazi

blood

inwele

hair

incwadi

book

ibunzi

forehead

ixoxo

frog

ihagu

pig

igusha

sheep

indlovu

elephant

amabele

breasts

intsomi

fable/tale

intsumantsumane

mystery

impilo

health

umnxeba

rope/phoneline

intambo

rope

intamo

neck

isizathu

reason

isono

sin

uduladula

bus

uloliwe

train

amahlandenyuka

ups and downs

ummango

hill

sabela

respond to a call

xolisa

bring about peace

thelekisa

to cause a fight while not fighting

umlo

fight

inqwelo-ntaka

air plane

isilevu

xhin

intsini

gum/laughter

intsimi

farm

ukuhleka

to laugh

ukulila

to cry

khangela

look/search

ikhuthala

hard worker/busy bee

inqenerha

lazy person

umnqweno

wish

imazi

feminine gender

induna

masculine gender

umzali

parent

ukupheka

to cook

ukuvula

to open

ukuvala

to close

ukuveza

to show/reveal

ukufihla

to bury/hide

ukutshata/ukwenda

marriage/common law marriage

ukudlwengula

to rape

ukukhulelwa

to be pregnant

isiphelo

the end

isiqalo

beginning

uThixo/uQamata

God

amasi

sour milk

ubisi

milk

itakane

baby goat/sheep/deer

intshontsho

baby animal (chicken, piglet, ..)

umntwana/usana

child/baby

intlekisa

laughing stock

ukuwa

to fall

ukubhala

to write

ukudlala

to play

umlungu

white person

umthwa

short person/San

ubude

tallness

kude

far

kufutshane

close by

isidlele

cheek

ububele

kindness/generosity

umabona-kude

television/binoculars

inxeba

wound

umkhwepha

white meat

iphiko

wing

inyawo

feet

indla-lifa

1st born/

ingxowa

sack

ixelegu

dirty person (dwellings and personal)

ukucoca

to clean

ukucaphuka

to get mad/angry

impambano

madness

intlonipho

respect

impi

army

isidenge

mad/dumb person

isithuko

insult

isiduko

clan name

intlanzi

fish

inyoka

snake

umlenga

eel

umhlaba

earth

Phrases to warm your heart



isiXhosa

English



Enkosi kakhuli

Thank you very much

Ndiyakuthanda

I LOVE YOU

uyindoda emadodeni

you are a man amongst men

Molweni baphulaphuli

Greetings to you listeners

uphethwe yimincili

H/She is excited

uyazithanda

He/She is full of him/herself

nceda bhalela ekhaya

please write home

ukuthatha inxaxheba

to take part/to participate

amaphuth' ahlathinye

birds of a feather

Daily Conversation

Ndifuna ukudla

I want food

Ndifuna ukutya okunesondlo

I want food with nourishment

Ndicela undibonise umzi ka...

Please show me the house of ...

Iphi imbizo?

Where is the meeting?

Ndifuna ukukhwela uduladula

I want to ride in/on a bus

Baphi abantu abadala/abakhulu

Where are the older people of the house

Lumkela inja

Beware of the dog

Imini nobususku

Day and night

Waphukelwe yintliziyo

He/She has a broken heart

Uvelemva

One who appears last

Inja phandle

Dogs out!

Amadoda endlini

Men inside

ubusika bufikile

The winter is here

uqikelelo lwemozulu

weather forecast

amalahle abomvu

red coal

inyama yehagu

pork

inyama yegusha

mutton

inyama yenkomo

beef

ndixakekile

I am busy

hlamba ubuso

wash your face

uyanuka

you smell

sula inyembezi

wipe your tears

umgubo wombona

mielie meal

ufuna ntoni?

what do you want?

ufuna bani?

who do you want?

ufunda phi?

where do you go to school?

ndibone umlungu

I saw a white man

amanzi aneswekile

sweetened water

hambela phambili

move forward

impazamo eyenziwe ngumntu

human mistake

iphi intokazi yam?

where is my girl friend?

musa ukulala kwakhona

Do not sleep again

hlala phantsi

sit down

yima ngenyawo

stand up

guqa ngamadolo

kneel

finya

blow your nose

khulula impahla

undress

ndifuna ukulala

I want to sleep

sala kakuhle

stay well

izakubonana

see you

dunusa

bend over

utshiswa ngumchamo

he/she wants to pee

aphi amantombi?

where are the girls

luphi ulwandle?

where is the sea?

umculo opholileyo

quiet music

utyebe okwehagu

fat as a pig

ndiyabulela kakhulu

thank you very much

imvula iyana

it is raining

ndidiniwe ngoku

I am tired now

phaka ukudla

serve  food

ndlala/khalisa umculo

play the music

abalobi bentlanzi

fisherman

njalo-njalo

and so on

For more information, please write to me and I will do my best to assist


© 1998 Sabelo Ndabazandile, Cape Town, SA