isiNdebele
Northern Ndebele
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Nguni)
Northern Ndebele (isiNdebele) is the main Nguni Bantu language of Zimbabwe, spoken predominantly in Matabeleland with Bulawayo as its cultural centre. It descends from a 19th-century migration of Mzilikazi's Nguni people from northern South Africa, making it closely related to Zulu (zu). Distinct from Southern Ndebele (nbl) of South Africa, which split off earlier and developed under different contact conditions. Recognised as one of Zimbabwe's 16 official languages under the 2013 constitution.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Northern Ndebele
Water
amanzi
/amanzi/
Fire
umlilo
/umlilo/
Sun
ilanga
/ilaŋɡa/
Moon
inyanga
/iɲaŋɡa/
Mother
umama
/umama/
Father
ubaba
/uɓaɓa/
Eat
ukudla
/ukuɮa/
Drink
ukunatha
/ukunatʰa/
Love
uthando
/utʰando/
Heart
inhliziyo
/inɬizijo/
Tree
isihlahla
/isiɬaɬa/
House
indlu
/indɮu/
Dog
inja
/indʒa/
Cat
ikati
/ikati/
Hand
isandla
/isandɮa/
Eye
ilihlo
/iliɬo/
Hello
salibonani
/saliɓonani/
Thank you
ngiyabonga
/ŋijaɓoŋɡa/
One
nye
/ɲe/
Good
kuhle
/kuɬe/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Nguni) languages
| Meaning | Northern Ndebele | Zulu | Southern Ndebele | Swazi | Xhosa | Tsonga | Kirundi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amanzi /amanzi/ | amanzi /amanzi/ | amanzi /amanzi/ | emanti /emanti/ | amanzi /amaːnzi/ | mati /mati/ | amazi /amaːzi/ |
| Fire | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | umlilo /umlilo/ | ndzilo /ndzilo/ | umuriro /umuɾiɾo/ |
| Sun | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaŋɡa/ | lilanga /lilaŋɡa/ | ilanga /ilaːŋɡa/ | dyambu /dʒambu/ | izuba /izuba/ |
| Moon | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaŋɡa/ | inyanga /iɲaːŋɡa/ | n'weti /ŋweti/ | ukwezi /ukwezi/ |
| Mother | umama /umama/ | umama /umama/ | umma /umma/ | make /make/ | umama /umaːma/ | manana /manana/ | mama /maːma/ |
| Father | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | ubaba /uɓaɓa/ | babe /ɓaɓe/ | utata /utaːta/ | tatana /tatana/ | data /data/ |
| Eat | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | ukudla /ukuɮa/ | kudla /kuɮa/ | ukutya /ukutʲa/ | ku dya /ku dʒa/ | kurya /kuɾja/ |
| Drink | ukunatha /ukunatʰa/ | ukuphuza /ukupʰuza/ | ukusela /ukusela/ | kunatsa /kunatsa/ | ukusela /ukusɛla/ | ku nwa /ku nwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Love | uthando /utʰando/ | uthando /utʰando/ | ithando /itʰando/ | lutsandvo /luʦandwo/ | uthando /utʰando/ | rirhandzu /riɾandzu/ | urukundo /uɾukundo/ |
| Heart | inhliziyo /inɬizijo/ | inhliziyo /inɬizijo/ | ihliziyo /iɬizijo/ | inhlitiyo /inɬitijo/ | intliziyo /intɬizijo/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Tree | isihlahla /isiɬaɬa/ | isihlahla /isiɬaɬa/ | umuthi /umutʰi/ | sihlahla /siɬaɬa/ | umthi /umtʰi/ | nsinya /nsiɲa/ | igiti /iɡiti/ |
| House | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | indlu /indɮu/ | yindlu /jindɮu/ | inzu /inzu/ |
| Dog | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | inja /indʒa/ | mbyana /mbjana/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | ikati /ikati/ | ikati /ikati/ | ikati /ikati/ | likati /likati/ | ikati /ikati/ | mangoyi /maŋɡoji/ | akayabu /akajabu/ |
| Hand | isandla /isandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | sandla /sandɮa/ | isandla /isandɮa/ | voko /voko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Eye | ilihlo /iliɬo/ | iso /iso/ | ihlo /iɬo/ | liso /liso/ | iliso /iliso/ | tihlo /tiɬo/ | ijisho /idʒiʃo/ |
| Hello | salibonani /saliɓonani/ | sawubona /sawuɓona/ | lotjhani /lotʃʰani/ | sawubona /sawuɓona/ | molo /molo/ | avuxeni /avuʃeni/ | amahoro /amahoɾo/ |
| Thank you | ngiyabonga /ŋijaɓoŋɡa/ | ngiyabonga /ŋɡijaɓoŋɡa/ | ngiyathokoza /ŋijatʰokoza/ | ngiyabonga /ŋijaɓoŋɡa/ | enkosi /ɛnkosi/ | inkomu /iŋkomu/ | murakoze /muɾakoze/ |
| One | nye /ɲe/ | kunye /kuɲe/ | nye /ɲe/ | kunye /kuɲe/ | inye /iɲɛ/ | rin'we /riŋwe/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ |
| Good | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | kuhle /kuɬe/ | lungile /luŋɡilɛ/ | kahle /kaɬe/ | nziza /nziza/ |
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