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SOUTH AFRICANS

Sanibonani

SPEAK ZULU

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chart

Noun

The Zulu noundetermines the structure

of the rest of the sentence so itmakes sense to start here with our study of the Zulu language

Just asIn nature

every stem has its flower …..

In Zulu ….every noun stem has

a prefix

umfana

Prefix “um” with stem “fana”

a/the boy

notice howthe plural is made by changing the prefix

BUT ….Now….

Yiqiniso!

It is the truth!

abafana

Prefix “aba” with stem “fana”

the boys

notice how a particular singular

prefix always changes to the same plural prefix and

vice versa

BUT ….And….

umlimi

the farmer

Singular prefix

“um”changes to plural prefix

“aba”

abalimi

like this ….

the farmersa/the farmer

umlimi

abafazi

and this ….

the womena/the woman

umfazi

abantu

the peoplea/the person

umuntu

or this ….(this one is a little unusual)

the boy umfana a boy or

Which will it be ?

Definite … or indefinite?

BUT ….“a” & “the”

amadoda

the men The definite article –

“the” and the indefinite

article – “a” do not exist in

Zulu.Exact translationsor meanings are

determined by context.

amathuba

Lets try somenouns with a

different prefix.Like this …

the opportunitiesa/the opportunity

ithuba

amatafula

the tablesa/the table

itafula

and this ….

amaphoyisa

the policemena/the policeman

iphoyisa

or this ….

We can say thatwhen the noun has the

prefix “i” it will be singular and it will be replaced by the prefix

“ama” in the plural.

“i” prefix + stem “ama “ prefix + stem

Zulu Nouns havebeen placed into classes

based on their prefixes. With practice you will learn to recognise them easily.

Singular classes Plural classes

Zulu Nouns havebeen placed into classes

based on their prefixes. With practice you will learn to recognise them easily.

Singular classes Plural classes

You have already seen that a specific singular

prefix will take a specific plural

aba + noun stemum + noun stem

CLASS 1

umngane abanganefriend friends

“UM”CLASS 2“ABA”

umngane abangane

abafowethu brothers

umntwana abantwana the children

friends

umfowethu

friend

brother

a/the child

umSingular prefix

abaPlural prefix

Class 1

Class 2

The nouns in Class 1 all refer to a person and they have a plural in Class 2.

abafowethu

my brothers

CLASS 1 “UM”

CLASS 2 “ABA”

Can you predict how you would say “my brother”?

Tip: Replace the plural prefix with the singular prefix of the correct class

abafowethu

my brothers

CLASS 1 “UM”

CLASS 2 “ABA”

abafowethu – my brothers (plural prefix “aba”)

umfowethu – my brother (singular prefix “um”)

o + noun stemu + noun stem

ubaba obabamy father our fathers

CLASS 1a“U”

CLASS 2a“O”

ubaba obaba

omama our mothers

uthisha othisha the teachers

our fathers

umama

my father

my mother

the teacher

uSingular prefix

oPlural prefix

Class 1a

Class 2a

udokotela

CLASS 1a “U”

CLASS 2a “O”

Can you predict how you would say “the doctors”?

Tip: Replace the singular prefix with the plural prefix of the corresponding class

the doctor

udokotela

CLASS 1a “U”

CLASS 2a “O”

udokotela – the doctor (singular prefix “u”)

odokotela – (plural prefix “o”)

the doctor

imi + noun stemum + noun stem

umfula imifulariver rivers

CLASS 4“IMI”

CLASS 3“UM”

umlomo imilomo

imikhonto spears

umsebenzi imisebenzi types of work

mouths

umkhonto

mouth

spear

work

umSingular prefix

imiPlural prefix

Class 3

Class 4

If the prefix is “um” and it is NOT a personal noun the plural will be from Class 4

umshini

CLASS 3 “um”

CLASS 4 “imi”

Can you guess how you would say “the machines”?

Tip: Replace the singular prefix with the plural prefix of the corresponding class

the machine

umshini

CLASS 3 “um”

CLASS 4 “imi”

umshini – (singular prefix “um”)

Imishini – (plural prefix “imi”)

the machine

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Noun

Have you noticedthat classes 1 and 3

have the same singularprefix – “um”?

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chart

NounAll Class 1

nouns refer to persons;brother, boy, person,

while Class 3 nouns refer to impersonal things;

knife, mouth, machine

ama + noun stemi + noun stem

ikhaya amakhayahome homes

CLASS 5“i”

CLASS 6“AMA”

ikhaya amakhaya

amabhasi busses

ivila amavila lazy people

homes

ibhasi

home

bus

lazy person

iSingular prefix

amaPlural prefix

Class 5

Class 6

amandla

amanzi water

amafutha fat

Some examplesFrom Class 6

Where there is no singular

strength/power

amaPlural prefix

Class 6

amavila

CLASS 5 “I”

CLASS 6 “AMA”

Can you guess how you would say the lazy person”?

Tip: Replace the plural prefix with the singular prefix of the corresponding class

the lazy people

amavila

CLASS 5 “I”

CLASS 6 “AMA”

amavila – (plural prefix “ama”)

ivila – (singular prefix “I”)

the lazy people

izi + noun stemisi + noun stem

isikhathi izikhathitime times

CLASS 8“izi”

CLASS 7“isi”

isikole izikole

izikhathi times

isisebenzi izisebenzi servants

schools

isikhathi

school

time

servant

isiSingular prefix

iziPlural prefix

Class 7

Class 8

izitolo

CLASS 7 “ISI”

CLASS 8 “IZI”

Can you guess how you would say “the shop”?

Tip: Replace the plural prefix with the singular prefix of the corresponding class

The shops!

izitolo

CLASS 7 “ISI”

CLASS 8 “IZI”

izitolo – (plural prefix “izi”)

isitolo – (singular prefix “isi”)

The shops!

izin /izim + noun stemIn/im + noun stem

indlu izindluhut huts

imoto izimotocar cars

CLASS 9“in/im ”

CLASS 10“izin /izim ”

indlu izindlu

izimoto motor cars

indaba izindaba matters

huts

imoto

hut

motor car

matter

in/imSingular prefix

izin/izimPlural prefix

Class 9

Class 10

BUT ….An

Exception

indaba

matter Occasionally a class 9 will take a plural in class 6

indoda amadoda

amakhosi chiefs

men

inkosi

man

chief

in/imSingular prefix

amaPlural prefix

Class 9

Class 6

intombazana

CLASS 9 “IN/IM”

CLASS10 “IZIN/IZIM”

Can you guess how you would say “the girls”?

Tip: Replace the singular prefix with the plural prefix of the corresponding class

The girl!

intombazana

CLASS 9 “IN/IM”

CLASS10 “IZIN/IZIM”

intombazana – (singular prefix “in”)

izintombazana – (plural prefix “izin”)

The girl!

Class 11 nounsbegin with prefix

” u” which we also find in Class

2a.

Noun

However Class 11nouns are impersonal

ANDthey take the plural prefix

from Class 10

Noun

izin /izim + noun stemu + noun stem

ukhezo izinkezoufudu izimfudu

the spoons

the tortoises

the spoon

the tortoise

CLASS 11“U”

CLASS 10“izin /izim ”

ukhuni izinkuni

izinkezo spoons

ufudu izimfudu tortoises

pieces of firewood

ukhezo

firewood

spoon

tortoise

uSingular prefix

izin/izimPlural prefix

Class 11

Class 10

izinkuni

CLASS 11 “U”

CLASS 10 “IZIN/IZIM”

Can you guess how you would say “the firewood”?

Tip: Replace the plural prefix with the singular prefix of the corresponding class

The pieces of firewood!

izinkuni

CLASS 11 “U”

CLASS 10 “IZIN/IZIM”

izinkuni – (plural prefix “izin”)

ukhuni – (sigular prefix “u “)

The pieces of firewood!

Notice the “h” in the singular stem “khuni” is dropped in the plural to become plural stem

“kuni”

There are noClasses 12 and 13 in Zulu. These classes apply to other languages in the family of languages to which Zulu

belongs

BUT ….Note….

ubu + noun stem

ubusuku

the night!

CLASS 14 “UBU”

ubuntu

Class 14 nouns have no plural and are often known as neutral nouns

Spirit of humanity, human nature, values reflective of a culture

Ubuntu is a word you will often hear with

respect to the rainbow nation. It is difficult to

translate precisely, but has to do with

humanity putting aside their differences and

all getting along together. Nelson Mandela

has been a leading force in fostering the spirit

of “Ubuntu” in South Africa and abroad.

ubuntu

ubuhlungu

No pluralsfor Class 14

ubudoda

spirit of humanity, human nature, cultural values

manhood

pain

ubuSingular prefix

Class 14

uku + noun stem

ukudla

The food!

CLASS 15 “UKU”

ukudla

There are very few Class 15 nouns

the food

This is the last of our classes of noun prefixes

in the Zulu Language. With practice you will

become familiar with them and be able to

use them automatically. And from here we

can progress to simple sentences.

ukudla

Nouns in this class are very rare

the food

ukuSingular prefix

Class 15

ukudla food

So let’s look atthem again in a consolidated chart

NounIt is important to

memorise the noun classesboth singular and plural as the

VERB in a sentence must ALWAYS agree with the

noun class

� 1. um (personal nouns) � 2. aba

� 1a. u (personal nouns)

� 3. um (impersonal nouns)

� 5. i

� 7. isi

� 9. in/im

� 15. uku

� 14. ubu

� 11. u (takes plural in Class 10)

� 2a. o

� 4. imi

� 6. ama

� 8. izi

� 10. izin/izim

� 10.

Singular ClassesPlural classes

Prefixes

Prefixes

Noun

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7 isi

15 uku14 ubu

10 izin/izim11 u

10 izin/izim9 in/im

8 izi

6 ama5 i

4 imi3 um

2a o1a u

2 aba1 um

NOUNSSingular Prefix Class Plural Prefix Class

Such as this one ….

In the next sessionyou will learn how to make

the verb AGREE with the noun class and enjoy making simple

Zulu sentences

Noun

SifundaisiZulu!

We are studyingisiZulu!

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