The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Xhosa language. The words listed below are not the most common words, but a broad sampling of words. See the Word Lists page for more details.
English | Xhosa |
I | ndi-, mna |
you *(sing)* | u-, wena |
he | u-, yena |
we | si-, thina |
you *(pl)* | ni-, nina |
they | ba-, bona |
this | lo, aba, le, eli, la, esi, ezi, olu, obu, oku |
that | lowa, abaya, leya, eliya, lawa, esiya, eziya, oluya, obuya, okuya |
here | apha |
there | apho |
who | ngubani |
what | -ni, ntoni |
where | phi? |
when | ni |
how | njani, kanjani *(adv)* |
not | khange, a-, -nga- |
all | -onke |
many | -ninzi |
some | -nye |
few | -balwa |
other | -mbi, -nye |
one | isinye, eyona |
two | -bini |
three | -thathu |
four | -ne |
five | -hlanu |
big | -khulu |
long | -de |
wide | -banzi |
thick | -nzinzilili |
heavy | -nzima |
small | -mncinane, -ncinci |
short | -futshane |
narrow | -mxinwa |
thin | -bhityile |
woman | inkosikazi |
man | indoda, umlisela *(young man)* |
human | umntu |
child | umntwana, usana |
wife | umfazi |
husband | umyeni |
mother | umama |
father | ubawo, utata |
animal | isilwane |
fish | intlanzi |
bird | intaka |
dog | inja |
louse | intwala |
snake | inyoka |
worm | umsundulu |
tree | umthi |
forest | ihlathi |
stick | induku, uluthi |
fruit | isiqhamo |
seed | imbewu |
leaf | igqabi |
root | ingcambu |
bark *(tree)* | ixolo |
flower | intyantyambo |
grass | ingca |
rope | intambo |
skin | isikhumba |
meat | inyama |
blood | igazi |
bone | ihleza, ithambo |
fat *(n.)* | amafutha |
egg | iqanda |
horn | uphondo |
tail | umsila |
feather | usiba |
hair | inwele |
head | intloko |
ear | indlebe |
eye | iliso |
nose | impumlo |
mouth | umlomo |
tooth | izinyo |
tongue | ulwimi |
fingernail | uzipho |
foot | unyawo |
leg | umlenze |
knee | idolo |
hand | isandla |
wing | iphiko |
belly | isisu |
guts | ithumbu |
neck | intamo, umqala *(throat)* |
back | umhlana |
breast | ibele *(breast)*, isifuba *(chest)* |
heart | intliziyo |
liver | isibindi |
to drink | ukusela, -sela, -phunga |
to eat | -tya |
to bite | -luma |
to suck | -munca |
to spit | -the |
to vomit | -hlanza |
to blow | -bhudla, -vuthuza |
to breathe | -phefumla |
to laugh | -hleka |
to see | -bona, -buka |
to hear | -va |
to know | -azi |
to think | -cinga |
to smell | -nuka |
to fear | -oyika |
to sleep | -lala |
to live | -phila |
to die | -fa |
to kill | -bulala |
to fight | lwa |
to hunt | -zingela |
to hit | -betha |
to cut | -sika |
to split | -krazuka, -tyanda |
to stab | -gwaza, -hlaba |
to scratch | -phanda |
to dig | -grumba |
to swim | -dada |
to fly | -bhabha |
to walk | -hamba |
to come | -za |
to lie *(bed)* | -xoka |
to sit | -hlala |
to stand | -ma |
to turn | -jika |
to fall | -wa |
to give | -pha |
to hold | -bamba |
to squeeze | -bandezela, -foca |
to rub | -dyobha, – gudla |
to wash | -coca, -hlamba |
to wipe | -sula |
to pull | -dontsa, -tsala |
to push | -dudula |
to throw | -gibisa, -jula, -phosa |
to tie | -bopha |
to sew | -thunga |
to count | -bala |
to say | -thi, -tsho |
to sing | -cula |
to play | -dlala |
to float | -bhabhazela |
to freeze | -nquma *(congeal)*, -tshaza *(be frostbitten)* |
to swell | -dumba |
sun | ilanga |
moon | inyanga |
star | inkwenkwezi |
water | amanzi |
rain | imvula |
river | umlambo |
lake | ichibi |
sea | ulwandle |
salt | ityuwa |
stone | ilitye |
sand | isanti |
dust | uthuli |
earth | umthonyama, ihlabathi |
cloud | ilifu |
fog | inkungu |
sky | izulu |
wind | umoya |
snow | ikhephu |
ice | umkhenkce |
fire | umlilo |
ash | uthuthu |
to burn | -vutha |
road | indlela |
mountain | intaba |
red | -bomvu |
green | -luhlaza |
yellow | -lubhelu, -mthuba, -tyheli |
white | -mhlophe |
black | -mnyama |
night | ubusuku |
day | umhla, imini, usuku |
year | umnyaka |
warm | -fudumeleyo |
cold | -banda |
full | -gcwele |
new | -tsha |
old | -dala |
good | -mnandi |
bad | -bi |
rotten | -bolile |
dirty | -nkone, -mdaka |
straight | -ngqala |
round | -mbumbulu |
sharp *(knife)* | -bukhali, -tsolo |
blunt *(knife)* | -buthuntu |
wet | -manzi, -nqum |
dry | -omelela, -oma |
correct | -nyanisile |
near | -kufuphi |
far | -kude |
right | -nene |
left | -nxele |
with | na, ne, no, kunye |
and | kwaye |
if | ukuba |
because | kaloku, ngokuba |
name | igama |