Xhosa is a Bantu language spoken in South Africa, mainly in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and Northern Cape. It is also in parts of Lesotho and Zimbabwe. According to the 2011 census there are about 8.2 million native speakers of Xhosa, and another 11 million second language speakers.
Xhosa is an official language in South Africa and Zimbabe, and is used as a language of instruction in primary schools, and in some secondary schools. It is also taught in universities. There are books, magazines and newspapers in Xhosa, as well as TV and radio programmes, films, plays and songs.
Xhosa is closely related to Zulu, Swati and Ndebele, and mutually intelligible with them to some extent.
Xhosa's click consonants were most likely borrowed from the Khoisan languages as a result of long and extensive interaction between the Xhosa and Khoisan peoples.
A system for writing Xhosa using the Latin alphabet was devised by Christian missionaries during the early 19th century. The first printed work in Xhosa was published in 1823.
Hear the Xhosa alphabet:
Hear how to pronounce Xhosa:
Download an alphabet chart for Xhosa (Excel)
Bonke abantu bazalwa bekhululekile belingana ngesidima nangokweemfanelo. Bonke abantu banesiphiwo sesazela nesizathu sokwenza isenzo ongathanda ukuba senziwe kumzalwane wakho.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Some corrections to this page by Michael Peter Füstumum
Information about Xhosa | Phrases | Numbers | Colours | Family words | Tower of Babel | Books about Xhosa on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]
Information about the Xhosa language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xhosa_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/xho
Online Xhosa lessons
https://www.memrise.com/course/1572/xhosa-an-intro/
http://learn101.org/xhosa.php
http://ilanguages.org/xhosa.php
http://xhosaculture.co.za/about-us/learn-xhosa/
http://www.youtube.com/user/XhosaKhaya
https://www.twinkl.co.za/resources/south-africa-resources/isixhosa-foundation-phase-english-south-africa-suid-afrika/2
Online Xhosa dictionaries
http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/xhosa.php
http://glosbe.com/en/xh/
http://www.gononda.com/xhosa/
Xhosa phrases
http://www.salanguages.com/isixhosa/xhowrd.htm
http://www.southafricalogue.com/travel-tips/south-african-phrases-xhosa.html
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Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page last modified: 17.08.22
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