isiNdebele
Southern Ndebele
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Nguni)
Southern Ndebele (isiNdebele) is one of South Africa's eleven official languages, distinct from Northern Ndebele of Zimbabwe (a Zulu-derived diaspora variety). It is closely related to Zulu within the Nguni Bantu group but has acquired distinctive vocabulary through extensive contact with Northern Sotho (Pedi) and Tswana neighbours, and is famous outside its home region for the brilliantly painted Ndebele house murals of Mpumalanga, an iconic visual heritage.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Southern Ndebele
Sources
- South Ndebele Bible 2012 (bible.com 450; cached ~/langmap-work/r51/scratch/b/bible_nbl.tsv); en.wiktionary Southern Ndebele lemmas
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Nguni)
| Meaning | Southern Ndebele | Northern Ndebele | Zulu | Xhosa | Swazi | Tsonga | Lozi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amanzi /amanzi/ | amanzi /amanzi/ | amanzi /amanzi/ | amanzi /amaːnzi/ | emanti /emanti/ | mati /mati/ | mezi /mezi/ |
| Fire | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | ndzilo /ndzilo/ | mulilo /mulilo/ |
| Sun | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaːŋɡa/ | lilanga /lilaŋɡa/ | dyambu /dʒambu/ | lizazi /lizazi/ |
| Moon | inyezi /iɲezi/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaːŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | nʼweti /ŋweti/ | kweli /kweli/ |
| Star | ikwekwezi /ikʷekʷezi/ | inkanyezi /iŋkaɲezi/ | inkanyezi /iŋkaˈɲeːzi/ | inkwenkwezi /iŋkʷeŋkʷezi/ | inkhanyeti /iŋkʰaɲeti/ | nyeleti /ɲeleti/ | naleli /naleli/ |
| Night | ubusuku /uɓusuku/ | ubusuku /ubusuku/ | ubusuku /ubusuku/ | ubusuku /ubusuku/ | busuku /ɓusuku/ | vusiku /vusiku/ | busihu /busihu/ |
| Rain | izulu /izulu/ | imvula /imˈvula/ | imvula /imˈvula/ | imvula /imˈvula/ | imvula /imˈvula/ | mpfula /ˈmpfula/ | pula /ˈpula/ |
| Snow | iliqhwa /iliǃʰwa/ | iliqhwa /iliǃʰwa/ | iqhwa /iǃʰwa/ | ikhephu /ikʰepʰu/ | lichwa /liǀʰwa/ | gamboko /ɡamboko/ | litwa /ˈlitwa/ |
| Wind | umoya /umoja/ | umoya /umoːja/ | umoya /umoːja/ | umoya /umoːja/ | umoya /umoːja/ | moya /moja/ | moya /moja/ |
| Earth | ihlabathi /iɬaɓatʰi/ | inhlabathi /inɬaɓaːtʰi/ | inhlabathi /inɬaɓatʰi/ | umhlabathi /umɬaɓatʰi/ | umhlabatsi /umɬaɓatsi/ | misava /misava/ | mubu /mubu/ |
| Stone | ilitje /iliˈtʃe/ | ilitshe /iliˈtʃe/ | itshe /ˈiːtʃʼe/ | ilitye /iˈlitʼje/ | litje /liˈtʃe/ | ribye /riˈbje/ | licwe /liˈtʃwe/ |
| Mountain | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ | intaba /inˈtaːɓa/ | intsaba /intsaɓa/ | ntshava /ntsʰava/ | lilundu /lilundu/ |
| Sea | ilwandle /ilwandɮe/ | ulwandle /ulwandɮe/ | ulwandle /uˈlwandɮe/ | ulwandle /uˈlwandɮe/ | lwandle /lwandɮe/ | lwandle /lwandɮe/ | liwate /liwate/ |
| Mother | umma /umma/ | umama /umama/ | umama /umama/ | umama /umaːma/ | make /make/ | manana /manana/ | ma /ma/ |
| Father | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | utata /utaːta/ | babe /ɓaɓe/ | tatana /tatana/ | ndate /ndate/ |
| Daughter | indodakazi /indodakazi/ | indodakazi /indodakazi/ | indodakazi /indodaˈkazi/ | intombi /inˈtombi/ | indvodzakati /indvodzakaːti/ | nʼwana wa xisati /ŋʷana wa ʃisati/ | mwana wa musizana /mwana wa musizana/ |
| I | mina /mina/ | mina /mina/ | mina /ˈmiːna/ | mna /mna/ | mine /míne/ | mina /mina/ | na /na/ |
| You | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /ˈweːna/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wéna/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ |
| We | thina /tʰina/ | thina /tʰina/ | thina /ˈtʰiːna/ | thina /tʰina/ | tsine /tsíne/ | hina /hina/ | luna /luna/ |
| Name | ibizo /iɓizo/ | ibizo /ibizo/ | igama /iˈɡaːma/ | igama /iɡaːma/ | libito /liɓiːto/ | vito /vito/ | libizo /libizo/ |
| Person | umuntu /umuntu/ | umuntu /umuntu/ | umuntu /uˈmuntu/ | umntu /ˈumntu/ | umuntfu /umuntfu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | mutu /mutu/ |
| Head | ihloko /iɬoko/ | ikhanda /iˈkʰanda/ | ikhanda /iˈkʰanda/ | intloko /intɬoːko/ | inhloko /inɬoko/ | nhloko /nɬoko/ | toho /toho/ |
| Eye | ilihlo /iliɬo/ | ilihlo /iliɬo/ | iso /iso/ | iliso /iliso/ | liso /liso/ | tihlo /tiɬo/ | liito /liːto/ |
| Ear | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ | indlebe /indɮɛɓe/ | ndleve /ndɮeve/ | zebe /zebe/ |
| Nose | ipumulo /ipuˈmulo/ | ikhala /ikʰala/ | impumulo /impuˈmulo/ | impumlo /impuˈmlo/ | likhala /likʰala/ | nhompfu /nʱompfu/ | ngo /ŋo/ |
| Mouth | umlomo /umˈlomo/ | umlomo /umˈlomo/ | umlomo /umˈlomo/ | umlomo /umˈlomo/ | umlomo /umlomo/ | nomu /nomu/ | mulomo /mulomo/ |
| Tooth | izinyo /iziɲo/ | izinyo /iziɲo/ | izinyo /iziɲo/ | izinyo /iziɲo/ | litinyo /litiɲo/ | tino /tino/ | liino /liːno/ |
| Tongue | ilimu /ilimu/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulwimi /ulwimi/ | lulwimi /lulwimi/ | ririmi /ririmi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ |
| Hand | isandla /isandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | sandla /sandɮa/ | voko /voko/ | lizoho /lizoho/ |
| Foot | inyawo /iɲawo/ | unyawo /uɲawo/ | unyawo /uːɲaːwo/ | unyawo /uɲaːwo/ | lunyawo /luɲawo/ | nenge /neŋɡe/ | lihutu /liˈhutu/ |
| Heart | ihliziyo /iɬizijo/ | inhliziyo /inɬizijo/ | inhliziyo /inɬizijo/ | intliziyo /intɬizijo/ | inhlitiyo /inɬitijo/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | pilu /pilu/ |
| Bone | ithambo /itʰambo/ | ithambo /itʰambo/ | ithambo /itʰambo/ | ithambo /itʰambo/ | litsambo /litsambo/ | rhambu /rambu/ | sapo /sapo/ |
| Blood | iingazi /iːŋɡazi/ | igazi /iɡazi/ | igazi /iɡazi/ | igazi /iɡazi/ | ingati /iŋɡati/ | ngati /ŋɡati/ | mali /mali/ |
| Poop | amasimba /amasimba/ | amasimba /amasimba/ | amasimba /amasimba/ | amasimba /amasimba/ | emasimba /emasimba/ | — | ñanda /ɲanda/ |
| Love | ithando /itʰando/ | uthando /utʰando/ | uthando /utʰando/ | uthando /utʰando/ | lutsandvo /lutsandwo/ | rirhandzu /riɾandzu/ | lilato /lilato/ |
| Tree | umuthi /umutʰi/ | isihlahla /isiɬaɬa/ | isihlahla /isiɬaɬa/ | umthi /umtʰi/ | sihlahla /siɬaɬa/ | nsinya /nsiɲa/ | kota /kota/ |
| Dog | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | mbyana /mbjana/ | nja /ndʒa/ |
| Cat | ikati /ikati/ | ikati /ikati/ | ikati /ikati/ | ikati /ikati/ | likati /likati/ | mangoyi /maŋɡoji/ | kaze /kaze/ |
| Fish | ihlambi /iɬambi/ | inhlanzi /iɬanzi/ | inhlanzi /iɬanzi/ | intlanzi /intɬanzi/ | inhlanti /iɬanti/ | nhlampfi /nɬampfi/ | tapi /tapi/ |
| Bird | inyoni /iɲoni/ | inyoni /iɲoni/ | inyoni /iˈɲoni/ | intaka /inˈtaka/ | inyoni /iɲoni/ | xinyenyana /ʃiɲeˈɲana/ | nyunywani /ɲuɲwani/ |
| Butterfly | iviyaviyani /ivijavijani/ | ivevane /iveˈvane/ | uvemvane /uvemˈvaːne/ | ibhabhathane /ibʱabʱaˈtʰaːne/ | luvivane /luvivane/ | phapharhati /pʰapʰaˈrati/ | sipulumuki /sipulumuki/ |
| Egg | iqanda /iǃanda/ | iqanda /iǃanda/ | iqanda /iǃaːnda/ | iqanda /iǃaːnda/ | licandza /liǀandza/ | tandza /tandza/ | lii /liː/ |
| Bear | ibhere /ibʱere/ | ibhere /ibʱere/ | ibhere /iˈbʱeːre/ | ibhere /ibʱere/ | libhele /libʱele/ | bere /bere/ | bele /bele/ |
| Horse | injomani /indʒoˈmani/ | ibhiza /iˈbiza/ | ihhashi /iˈɦaːʃi/ | ihashe /iˈhaʃe/ | lihhashi /liɦaʃi/ | hanci /hantʃi/ | pizi /pizi/ |
| House | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | yindlu /jindɮu/ | ndu /ndu/ |
| Milk | ibisi /iˈɓisi/ | uchago /uˈtʃaɡo/ | ubisi /uˈbisi/ | ubisi /uˈbisi/ | lubisi /luˈɓisi/ | masi /masi/ | mabisi /mabisi/ |
| Honey | iliju /ilidʒu/ | uluju /uludʒu/ | uju /udʒu/ | ubusi /ubusi/ | luju /ludʒu/ | vulombe /vulombe/ | linosi /linosi/ |
| Salt | itswayi /itswaji/ | itswayi /itswaji/ | usawoti /usaˈwoti/ | ityuwa /iˈtjuwa/ | luswayi /luswaji/ | munyu /muɲu/ | lizwai /lizwai/ |
| Wine | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ | iwayini /iwaˈjini/ | liwayini /liwajini/ | vhinyo /viɲo/ | waine /waine/ |
| Rice | ireyisi /irejisi/ | — | irayisi /iɾaˈjiːsi/ | irayisi /iraˈjiːsi/ | lilayisi /lilajisi/ | rhayisi /rajisi/ | laisi /laisi/ |
| Iron | isimbi /iˈsimbi/ | insimbi /inˈsimbi/ | insimbi /inˈsimbi/ | intsimbi /inˈtsimbi/ | insimbi /inˈsimbi/ | nsimbi /nsimbi/ | sipi /sipi/ |
| Wheel | ivili /iˈvili/ | ivili /iˈvili/ | isondo /iˈsondo/ | ivili /iˈvili/ | lisondvo /liˈsondvo/ | vhilwa /vilwa/ | liwili /liwili/ |
| Silk | isilika /isiˈlika/ | isilika /isiˈlika/ | usilika /usiˈliːka/ | isilika /isiˈliːka/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | siliki /siliki/ |
| Book | incwadi /iŋǀʷadi/ | incwadi /iŋǀʷadi/ | incwadi /iŋˈǀʷaːdi/ | incwadi /iŋˈǀʷaːdi/ | incwadzi /iŋǀʷadzi/ | buku /buku/ | buka /buka/ |
| Eat | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | ukutya /ukutʲa/ | kudla /kuɮa/ | ku dya /ku dʒa/ | kuca /kutʃa/ |
| Drink | ukusela /ukusela/ | ukunatha /ukunatʰa/ | ukuphuza /ukupʰuza/ | ukusela /ukusɛla/ | kunatsa /kunatsa/ | ku nwa /ku nwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Sleep | ukulala /ukulala/ | ukulala /ukulala/ | ukulala /ukulala/ | ukulala /ukulala/ | kulala /kulala/ | ku etlela /ku eˈtɬela/ | kulobala /kulobala/ |
| One | nye /ɲe/ | nye /ɲe/ | kunye /kuɲe/ | inye /iɲɛ/ | kunye /kuɲe/ | rinʼwe /riŋwe/ | nyinwi /ɲiŋʷi/ |
| Two | kubili /kuɓili/ | kubili /kubili/ | kubili /kuˈɓili/ | mbini /mbiːni/ | kubili /kuɓiːli/ | mbirhi /mbiri/ | peli /peli/ |
| Three | kuthathu /kutʰatʰu/ | kuthathu /kutʰatʰu/ | kuthathu /kutʰaːtʰu/ | kuthathu /kutʰatʰu/ | kutsatfu /kutsʼatfu/ | nharhu /ɳaɾu/ | talu /talu/ |
| Four | kune /kunɛ/ | kune /kune/ | kune /kuːne/ | kune /kune/ | kune /kune/ | mune /mune/ | ne /ne/ |
| Five | ihlanu /iɬanu/ | hlanu /ɬaːnu/ | hlanu /ɬaːnu/ | hlanu /ɬaːnu/ | sihlanu /siɬaːnu/ | ntlhanu /ntɬʰanu/ | ketalizoho /ketalizoho/ |
| Hundred | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ | ikhulu /iˈkʰulu/ | likhulu /liˈkʰulu/ | dzana /dzana/ | mwanda /mwanda/ |
| Hello | lotjhani /lotʃʰani/ | salibonani /saliɓonani/ | sawubona /sawuɓona/ | molo /molo/ | sawubona /sawuɓona/ | avuxeni /avuʃeni/ | lumela /lumela/ |
| Thank you | ngiyathokoza /ŋijatʰokoza/ | ngiyabonga /ŋijaɓoŋɡa/ | ngiyabonga /ŋɡijaɓoŋɡa/ | enkosi /ɛnkosi/ | ngiyabonga /ŋijaɓoŋɡa/ | inkomu /iŋkomu/ | nitumezi /nitumezi/ |
| Good | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | lungile /luŋɡilɛ/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kahle /kaɬe/ | nde /nde/ |
| New | tjha /tʃʰa/ | tsha /tʃʰa/ | sha /ʃa/ | tsha /tʃʰa/ | sha /ʃa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | nca /ntʃa/ |
| Red | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ | bomvu /ɓoːmvu/ | bovu /ɓoːvu/ | tshwuka /tsʰwuka/ | fubelu /fubelu/ |
| White | mhlophe /mɬɔpʰe/ | mhlophe /mɬɔpʰe/ | mhlophe /ˈmɬɔːpʰe/ | mhlophe /mɬɔːpʰe/ | mhlophe /mɬɔpʰe/ | basa /ˈbasa/ | sweu /sweu/ |
| Black | nzima /nzima/ | mnyama /mɲaːma/ | mnyama /ˈmɲaːma/ | mnyama /mɲaːma/ | mnyama /mɲaːma/ | ntima /ntima/ | nsu /nsu/ |
| Green | hlaza /ɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luˈɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luˈɬaːza/ | luhlata /luɬaːta/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | tala /tala/ |
| Blue | hlaza /ɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luˈɬaːza/ | luhlaza /luˈɬaːza/ | luhlata /luɬaːta/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | tala /tala/ |
| Computer | ikhomphyutha /ikʰompʰjutʰa/ | ikhompiyutha /ikʰompijutʰa/ | ikhompiyutha /ikʰompijutʰa/ | ikhompyutha /ikʰompjutʰa/ | — | khompyuta /kʰompjuta/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ |
| Tea | itiye /iˈtije/ | itiye /itije/ | itiye /iˈtijɛ/ | iti /iˈti/ | litiya /litija/ | tiya /tija/ | tii /tiː/ |
| Coffee | ikofi /ikofi/ | ikhofi /ikʰofi/ | ikhofi /iˈkʰofi/ | ikofu /iˈkoːfu/ | likhofi /likʰofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ |
| Sugar | itjhukela /itʃʰukela/ | itshukela /itʃukela/ | ushukela /uʃuˈkɛːla/ | iswekile /isweˈkiːle/ | shukela /ʃukela/ | chukela /tʃukela/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ |
| Orange | orentji /orentʃi/ | — | iwolintshi /iwolintʃi/ | iorenji /iorendʒi/ | — | lamula /lamula/ | olenji /olendʒi/ |
| Ninety-nine | amatjhumi alithoba nethoba /amatʃʰumi alitʰoɓa netʰoɓa/ | amatshumi aficamunwemunye lesificamunwemunye /amatʃumi afiǀamunwemunje lesifiǀamunwemunje/ | amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye /amaʃumi ajisiʃijaɡaloˈluɲe nesiʃijaɡaloˈluɲe/ | amashumi asithoba anesithoba /amaʃumi asitʰɔɓa anesitʰɔɓa/ | emashumi layimfica nemfica /emaʃumi lajimfiǀa nemfiǀa/ | makume nkaye nkaye /makume ŋkaje ŋkaje/ | — |
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