A collection of useful phrases in Northern Ndebele, a Bantu language spoken in parts of South Africa.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| Phrase | SiNdebele saseNyakatho (Northern Ndebele) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Siyaliyamukela |
| Hello (General greeting) | Mushade! Lotjhani! |
| How are you? | U(n)jani? (sg) Li(n)jani? (pl / to an elder) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Diyaphila (sg) Siyaphila (pl) Dikhona (sg) Sikhona (pl) Nkhona (sg) Sikhona (pl) U(n)jani wena? (response) |
| Long time no see | Nkade dakubona Nkade ngakuboni |
| What's your name? | Libito lakho (n)gubani? Litinyo lakho (n)gubani? |
| My name is ... | Libito / Litinyo lami gu ... Mina digu ... |
| Where are you from? | Uvela kuphi? Uphuma kuphi? |
| I'm from ... | Divela e ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Nthabele kukubona |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Mushade/Lotjhani, livukile? Mushade/Lotjhani, lithobele jani? |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Mushade Lotjhani |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Mushade/Lotjhani, lihlwe (n)jani? (sg) lihlwe (n)jani? (pl / to an elder) |
| Good night | Uthobale kuhle (sg) Lithobale kuhle (pl / to an elder) |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Usale kuhle (sg) Lisale kuhle (pl / to an elder) |
| Good luck! | Mahlate amahle! |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Buphilo bobuhle! |
| Have a nice day | Ube nella(n)ga lelihle (sg) Ube nella(n)ga lelihle (pl / to an elder) |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Udle kamuna(n)di! (sg) Udle kamuna(n)di! (pl / to an elder) |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Ukha(m)bhe kuhle (sg) Ube neliyedo lelihle (sg) Likha(m)bhe kuhle (pl / to an elder) Libe neliyedo lelihle (pl / to an elder) |
| I don't know | Adiyati Adiwati |
| I understand | Ndiyavisisa |
| I don't understand | Adivisisi |
| Please speak more slowly | Sumela kanghatanyana Sumela kanghane Sumayela kanghatanyana Sumayela kanghane |
| Please say that again | Nku(m)bhela usumele leso ka(m)bhe Nkhu(m)bhela lisumayele leso ka(m)bhe |
| Please write it down | Gwala pha(n)si |
| Do you speak English? | Usumela sikxhuwa? Usumayela sikxhuwa? |
| Do you speak Northern Ndebele? | Usumela siNdebele saseNyakatho? Usumayela siNdebele saseNyakatho? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Yebo. Kanghane |
| Speak to me in Northern Ndebele | Sumela nami geSiNdebele (saseNyakatho) Sumayela nami geSiNdebele (saseNyakatho) |
| How do you say ... in Northern Ndebele? | Kuthwani ... ngeSiNdebele? |
| Excuse me | Kahle! Jama bhili! Nkhubhela ku(n)dlula! (when you want to pass) Andlule! (when you want to pass) |
| How much is this? | Mbugagi? |
| Sorry | Mphathele Nkhu(m)bhela mphathelo |
| Please | Dikhu(m)bhela |
| Thank you | Diyalebuka |
| Reply to thank you | Kulu(n)gile |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Ikuphi ndlwana? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Lisokana leli litabhadelela tokxe |
| This lady will pay for everything | Muthembana lo utabhadelela tokxe Nkxosatana le itabhadelela tokxe |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Ufuna kubina nami? Ufuna kuthagela nami? Ufuna kurida nami? |
| Do you come here often? | Uta la kanyeti? |
| I miss you | Diyakukhu(m)bhula |
| I love you | Diyakutha(n)da |
| Get well soon | Uphole ga(m)bhila |
| Go away! | Suka! Kha(m)bha! |
| Leave me alone! | Nsukele! (sg) Nsukeleni! (reply to an elder or more than one person) |
| Help! | Sita! Thusha! |
| Fire! | Mullo! |
| Stop! | Jama! |
| Call the police! | Bita maphodisa! |
| Christmas greetings | Nkhresimusi ehle neMunyaka omutjha omuhle |
| New Year greetings | |
| Easter greetings | Mukhosi weMbhasinga omuhle |
| Birthday greetings | Ube nelilla(n)ga lelihle lemabeletho (sg) Libe nelilla(n)ga lelihle lemabeletho (pl) |
| One language is never enough | Lilimi linye ligasivuki ligayanele |
| How was your day? | Uhlwe jani (sg) Lihlwe jani? (pl) |
| What time is it? | Nnago bani? |
| When will you see us again? | Uto sibona nini ka(m)bhe? |
| When will we see you again? | Sito kubona nini ka(m)bhe? |
| Pass my greetings | Umulotjhise (sg) Ubalotjhise (pl) |
| Where do you work? | Uberega kuphi? Usebenta kuphi? |
| Where are you going? | Uyakuphi? (sg) (Uya'phi?) Liyakuphi? (pl) (Liya'phi?) |
| We are going to ... | Diya e ... (sg) Siya e ...(pl) |
| Where do you live? | Uhlala kuphi? (Uhlala'phi?) |
| I am looking for ... | Nfuna .... |
| How do I get to ... | Diyajani e ... |
| Where is the road to ... | Ndlela yekuya e ... ikuphi? |
| Where do I board a bus/taxi? | Nkhwela kuphi mbhese/nteksi? |
| How do I stop a taxi to town? | Njamisa jani nteksi yekuya etirojeni? |
| Where is the nearest shop/store? | Libengela leli likudute likuphi? Libengela lakudute likuphi? |
| Where do I buy ... | Nthe(n)ga kuphi ... |
| How much is this? | Mbugagi? |
| Where can I sleep? | Ngathobala kuphi? |
| Where is the nearest hotel? | Nhotele yakudute ikuphi? |
| Where is the nearest bank? | Mbhanka yakudute ikuphi? |
| Where is the nearest ATM? | Mutjhini wentjhelede osedute ukuphi? |
| Where is the nearest hospital? | Sibhedlela sikuphi? |
| How is the place? | Ndawo yakhona i(n)jani? |
| Where is the hospital? | Sibhedlela sikuphi? |
| Where can I find a doctor? | Ngafumana kuphi nnyaga (yesikxhuwa)? |
| Can I have water please? | Nkhu(m)bhela mma(n)ti. |
| Where can I see wild animals? | Ngabona kuphi tinyamatana? |
| Where can I see wild animals? | Ngabona kuphi tinyamatana? |
| Is it safe here? | Kubulugekile lapho? |
Northern Ndebele (South Africa) phrases supplied by Dr Plaatjie Mahlobogoane (Ph.D.)
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Northern Ndebele of South Africa | Phrases | Tower of Babel
Bemba, Chichewa, Chokwe, Duala, Herero, Ibinda, Kikuyu, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Lozi, Luganda, Ndebele (Northern - South Africa), Ndebele (Northern - Zimbabwe), Ndebele (Southern) Ngoni, Nkore, Northern Sotho, Oshiwambo, Shona, Southern Sotho (seSotho), Swahili, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
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