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isiZulu (Zulu) is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa. There are 10,677,305 (23.82 %) first language speakers [2001 census data], which makes this the language in South Africa with the most first language speakers. isiZulu is mostly spoken in and around Kwa-Zulu Natal (see map). There are also a fairly large number of speakers in the Gauteng area.
isiZulu is a member of the "Nguni" language group, and is most closely related to isiXhosa, isiNdebele and SiSwati.
isiZulu words that have made their way into English
Mamba (a type of snake); Indaba (issue, matter, topic)
If you are learning Zulu, you might find this noun class reference chart handy (note: this is for reference/study purposes, it assumes you have already studied the grammar).
isiZulu (Zulu) language family tree.
A map showing the (very) approximate geographical area of South Africa
where isiZulu (Zulu) is spoken (indicated in blue). There are also a number of speakers in Gauteng.
| English | isiZulu |
| Hello | Sawubona |
| Hello (To more than one person) | Sanibonani (pronounced, roughly, "San'bonaan") |
| How are you? | Unjani? |
| I am fine | Ngikhona |
| Goodbye ("Stay well" - to one person, if he/she remains behind) | Sala kahle (Or: Usale kahle) |
| Goodbye ("Go well" - to one person, if he/she is leaving) | Hamba kahle (Or: Uhambe kahle) |
| Goodbye ("Stay well" - to multiple people, if they remain behind) | Salani kahle (Or: Nisale kahle) |
| Goodbye ("Go well" - to multiple people, if they are leaving) | Hambani kahle (Or: Nihambe kahle) |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga |
| Yes | Yebo |
| No | Cha |
Online dictionaries / Electronic dictionariesZulu - English Microsoft Terminology New October 2014 Online searchable version of Microsoft's Zulu - English terminology (site not affiliated with Microsoft), published using tlTerm
Zulu - English / English - Zulu Dictionary Online Zulu - English / English - Zulu dictionary.
Zulu - English / English - Zulu Dictionary Downloadable Zulu - English / English - Zulu dictionary.
Jason Wolfe's Useful Zulu Medical Dictionary "Important Zulu Medical Words - Their Pronunciation and Translation."
Books
Oxford Bilingual School Dictionary: Zulu and English / Isichazamazwi Sesikole: isiZulu - isiNgisi (Gilles-Maurice de Schryver et al.). New (2010) and revised 2015, modern Zulu - English bilingual dictionary with many useful features, such as real (corpus-based) usage examples, most frequent words indicated, detailed part of speech and grammatical information and word sense breakdowns, and more
[ Publisher link to Oxford Bilingual Zulu - English Dictionary ]
English-Zulu, Zulu-English (CM Doke, D McK Malcolm, JMA Sikakana, BW Vilakazi).
("The most comprehensive English-Zulu/Zulu-English dictionary available. Complete with notes on the new orthography, it is an invaluable reference for students of Zulu, Zulu speaking students of English and linguists working in the Zulu language")
[ Buy from Kalahari.net ]Scholars Zulu dictionary: English-Zulu/Zulu-English (GR Dent, CLS Nyembezi)
[ Buy from Kalahari.net ]South African Oxford Multilingual Primary Dictionary (Nguni) (OUPSA)
[ Buy from Kalahari.net | Publisher link ]
Learning Zulu
Handbook of isiZulu (P.C. Taljaard, S.E. Bosch) Zulu grammar reference
[ Buy from Kalahari.net ]- Say it in Zulu (A Wilkes)
[ Buy from Kalahari.net ]- Se jou se in zulu (A Wilkes) Afrikaans version of 'Say it in Zulu'
[ Buy from Kalahari.net ]
A Linguistic Analysis of Zulu (G Poulos, CT Msimang) Zulu grammar reference.
[ Buy from Kalahari.net | Author page ]
Online newspapersIsolezwe (Zulu news)
A Zulu language South African newspaper, now onlineIlanga (Zulu news)
A Zulu language South African newspaper (since 1903), now onlineLanguage coursesAfrican Voices
produces multimedia CD-ROM lessons for isiXhosa and isiZulu. These can be ordered directly from African Voices in South Africa, or can also be purchased from Amazon:Speak Zulu With Us (Book & CD-Rom...)
Miscellaneous websitesZulu learner's reference guide by Matt Williams
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/6570/
Ipheji labakhuluma isiZulu. isiZulu website, with discussion board.eLanguage isiZulu site
Multimedia (images, sounds) isiZulu learning site.ProjectsZulu Language Interface Pack for Windows XP
A partial isiZulu translation of Windows XP.http://www.translate.org.za/
A non-profit organization translating various OpenSource software packages such as OpenOffice.org and the Mozilla web browser into all official South African languages. They have released isiZulu, Sesotho sa Leboa and Afrikaans versions of OpenOffice.Miscellaneous
