The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Zulu 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 | Zulu (isiZulu) |
| I | ngi-, mina |
| you (singular) | u-, wena |
| he | u-, yena |
| we | si-, thina |
| you (plural) | ni-, nina |
| they | ba-, bona |
| this | lo, leli, lesi, le, lolu, lobu, lokhu |
| that | lowo, lelo, leso, leyo, lolo, lobo, lokho |
| here | lapha, khona |
| there | lapho, laphaya, khona |
| who | ubani (interrogative) |
| what | -ni, yini (interrogative) |
| where | -phi (interrogative) |
| when | nini |
| how | kanjani, ngani |
| not | a-, akekho, abekho |
| all | -nke |
| many | -ningi |
| some | -nye |
| few | -mbalwa, -ncane |
| other | -nye |
| one | -dwa, -nye |
| two | -bili |
| three | -thathu |
| four | -ne |
| five | -hlanu |
| big | -khulu |
| long | -de |
| wide | -banzi |
| thick | -qinile, -gqinsi |
| heavy | -nzima |
| small | -ncane |
| short | -fuphi |
| narrow | -ncane, -msweswana |
| thin | -ondile |
| woman | umfazi |
| man (adult male) | indoda, umlisa |
| man (human being) | umuntu |
| child | umntwana |
| wife | umka-, inkosikazi |
| husband | umyeni, indoda |
| mother | umama |
| father | ubaba |
| animal | isilwane |
| fish | inhlanzi, ufishi |
| bird | inyoni |
| dog | inja |
| louse | intwala |
| snake | inyoka |
| worm | isibungu, umsundu |
| tree | isihlahla, umuthi |
| forest | ihlathi |
| stick | induku, uthi |
| fruit | isithelo |
| seed | inhlamvu, imbewu |
| leaf | ikhasi, iqabi |
| root | impande (of a plant), umsuka (cause, origin) |
| bark (of a tree) | igxolo |
| flower | imbali |
| grass | utshani |
| rope | intambo |
| skin | isikhumba |
| meat | inyama |
| blood | igazi |
| bone | ithambo |
| fat (noun) | amafutha |
| egg | iqanda |
| horn | uphondo |
| tail | umsila |
| feather | uphaphe |
| hair | unwele |
| head | ikhanda |
| ear | indlebe |
| eye | iso, ihlo |
| nose | ikhala |
| mouth | umlomo |
| tooth | izinyo |
| tongue (organ) | ulimi |
| fingernail | uzipho |
| foot | unyawo |
| leg | umlenze |
| knee | idolo |
| hand | isandla |
| wing | iphiko |
| belly | isisu |
| guts | ithumbu |
| neck | intamo |
| back | umhlane |
| breast | ibele |
| heart | inhliziyo |
| liver | isibindi |
| to drink | -phuza |
| to eat | -dla |
| to bite | -luma |
| to suck | -munca, -ncela |
| to spit | -phimisa |
| to vomit | -phalaza |
| to blow | -vunguza |
| to breathe | -phefumula |
| to laugh | -hleka |
| to see | -bona |
| to hear | -zwa |
| to know | -azi |
| to think | -cabanga |
| to smell | (to have a particular smell) -nuka, (to sense the smell of) -nuka, -zwa |
| to fear | -esaba, -saba |
| to sleep | -lala |
| to live | -phila, -zwa |
| to die | -fa |
| to kill | -bulala, -fisa |
| to fight | -lwa |
| to hunt | -zingela |
| to hit | -shaya |
| to cut | -sika, -nquma |
| to split | -dabula |
| to stab | -gwaza |
| to scratch | -klwebha |
| to dig | -mba |
| to swim | -bhukuda |
| to fly | -ndiza |
| to walk | -hamba |
| to come | -za |
| to lie (as in a bed) | -lala (lie down, sleep), -cambalala (be lying down) |
| to sit | -hlala (sit down), -hleli, -hlezi (be sitting, be seated) |
| to stand | -sukuma (stand up), -ma (be standing) |
| to turn (intransitive) | -jika, -guquka, -phenduka |
| to fall | -wa |
| to give | -nika, -nikeza, -pha |
| to hold | -phatha, -bamba |
| to squeeze | -cindezela |
| to rub | -hlikihla |
| to wash | -geza, -hlamba |
| to wipe | -sula |
| to pull | -donsa |
| to push | -sunduza |
| to throw | -phosa |
| to tie | -bopha |
| to sew | -thunga |
| to count | -bala |
| to say | -thi |
| to sing | -cula, -hlabelela, -huba |
| to play | -dlala |
| to float | -ntaza |
| to flow | -gobhoza |
| to freeze | -nquma (solidify), -qanda (be freezing cold) |
| to swell | -vuvukala |
| sun | ilanga |
| moon | inyanga |
| star | imbasa, inkanyezi |
| water | amanzi |
| rain | imvula |
| river | umfula |
| lake | ichibi |
| sea | ulwandle |
| salt | itswayi, usawoti |
| stone | itshe |
| sand | isihlabathi |
| dust | uthuli |
| earth | umhlaba |
| cloud | ifu |
| fog | inkungu |
| sky | izulu |
| wind | umoya |
| snow | iqhwa |
| ice | iqhwa |
| smoke | intuthu |
| fire | umlilo |
| ash | umlotha |
| to burn | -sha |
| road | umgwaqo, umgwaqana |
| mountain | intaba |
| red | -bomvu |
| green | -luhlaza |
| yellow | -liphuzi, -ncombo |
| white | -mhlophe |
| black | -mnyama |
| night | ubusuku |
| day | ilanga, umuhla, usuku |
| year | unyaka |
| warm | -fudumele |
| cold | -makhaza |
| full | -gcwele |
| new | -sha |
| old | -dala |
| good | -hle |
| bad | -bi |
| rotten | -bolile (decayed), -bi (bad) |
| dirty | -ngcolile |
| straight | -qondile |
| round | -yindilinga (circular), -yimbulunga (spherical) |
| sharp (as a knife) | -bukhali |
| dull (as a knife) | -buthuntu |
| smooth | -bushelezi (not rough), -mnandi (comfortable) |
| wet | -manzi, -nethile |
| dry | -omile |
| correct | -lungile |
| near | eduze |
| far | kude |
| right | kwesokudla |