Learn Ndebele
Ndebele phrases, spoken by native speakers
139 everyday Ndebele phrases with audio, from greetings to getting around.
Lesson 1: Introducing Yourself
Lesson 2: Introducing Yourself to an Elder
Lesson 3: Politeness and Requests
Lesson 4: Understanding Each Other
- I don’t understandAngizwisisi
- SlowlyKancane
- Please speak slowlyUxolo khuluma kancane
- I don’t understand. Please speak slowlyAngizwisisi. Ngicela ukhulume kancane
- Do you speak EnglishUyakhuluma isiNgisi
- Do you speak NdebeleUyakhuluma isiNdebele na
- A littleKancane
- Please repeat thatNgicela uphinde
- I don’t understand. Please can you repeat that?Angizwisisi. Ngicela uphinde.
- Excuse me, fatherUxolo baba
- Excuse me, father. I don’t understand. Please can you repeat that?Uxolo baba. Angizwisisi. Ngicela uphinde?
Lesson 5: Family and Titles
- motherumama
- This is my fatherLo ngubaba
- This is my motherLo ngumama
- My name is Yanai. This is my motherIbizo laminginguYanai. Lo ngumama
- ParentsAbazali
- My name is Yanai. These are my parentsIbizo laminginguYanai. Laba ngabazali bami
- These are my parentsLaba ngabazali bami
- Older brother if you are a boyUmfowethu
- Older sister if you are a girlUdadewethu
- Younger Brotherumnawami
- Younger sisterumnawami
- younger siblingumnawami
- respectful title older brotherumnewethu
- respectuful title brotherUmnewethu
- respectuful title for sisterudadewethu
Lesson 6: Daily Routines
- I wake upNgiyavuka
- In the morningEkuseni
- I wake up in the morningNgiyavuka ekuseni
- I take a bathNgigeze
- I wake up. I take a bath.Ngigeze
- I get dressedNgigqoke
- I eatNgidle
- I eat at homeNgidlela endlini
- I go to schoolNgiye esikolo
- I wake up. I take a bath. I get dressed. I eat. I go to schoolNgiyavuka ngigeze, ngigqoke, ngidle, ngiye esikolo
- I come homeNgiphenduka endlini
- I play with my friendsNgiphenduka endlini, ngidlale labangane bami
- In the evening I eat with my familyNtambama ngidla lemuli yangakithi
- I go to sleepNgiyelala
- GoodnightLilale kuhle
- Goodnight Mom, Goodnight DadLilale kuhle mama, lilale kuhle baba
- Every morningNsuku zonke
- Every morning I wake up and take a bathNsuku zonke ngiyavuka ngigeze
- EveningNtambama
- I am going, MomSengihamba mama
- Go wellUhambe kuhle
Lesson 7: Numbers and counting(1-10)
- OneKunye
- TwoKubili
- ThreeKuthathu
- FourKune
- FiveKuhlanu
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Kunye, Kubili, Kuthathu, Kune, Kuhlanu
- SixYisithupha
- SevenYisikhombisa
- EightYisitshiyagalombili
- NineYisitshiyagalolunye
- TenYitshumi
- 1 to 10Kunye, Kubili, Kuthathu, Kune, Kuhlanu, Yisithupha, Yisikhombisa, Yisitshiyagalombili, Yisitshiyagalolunye, Yitshumi
- YearUmnyaka
- I would like two loaves of bread pleaseNgicela izinkwa ezimbili
Lesson 8: The Marketplace
- How much is this?Yimalini lokhu
- Excuse me, how much is thisSalibonani Yimalini lokhu
- MoneyImali
- I want to buyNgifuna ukuthenga
- I want to buy breadNgifuna ukuthenga isinkwa.
- I want to buy tomatoesNgifuna ukuthenga amagwili
- It is expensivekuyabiza.
- It is cheap not expensiveAkubizi
- Please can you reduce the priceNgicela lehlise intengo
- I have eight dollarsNgilamadola ayisitshiyagalombili
- I have five dollarsNgilamadola amahlanu
- I have ten dollarsNgilamadola alitshumi.
- Good! I will take itKulungile! Ngizathatha.
- Thank you very muchNgiyabonga kakhulu
- Good morning, MotherLivukile mama
- How much are the tomatoesYimalini amatamatisi
- It is expensive. Please reduce the priceKuyabiza. Ngicela lingehlisele intengo
- Good! I will take them. I want to buy the tomatoesKulungile ngizawathatha. Ngifuna ukuthenga amatamatisi.
- Thank you very much, MotherNgiyabonga kakhulu, mama
- Go well! (Goodbye)Hamba kuhle.
Lesson 9: Food and Drink
- Sadzaisitshwala
- MeatInyama
- VegetablesImibhida
- I am hungryNgilambile
- Iam HungryNgilambile
- I am thirstyNgiwomile
- Thank you motherNgiyabonga mama
- Please may I have sadza and meat?Ngicela isitshwala lenyama
- Thank you, Mother. I am full!Ngiyabonga mama, sengisuthi
- Yes, Mother. I am very hungry!Yebo mama. Ngilambe kakhulu
- This food is deliciousUkudla lokhu kumnandi
- Thank you, Mother I am full It was deliciousNgiyabonga mama. Sengisuthi, bekumndandi
Lesson 10: Review and Common Verbs
- To goukuya
- To comeukubuya
- To workemsebenzini
- To sleepukuyalala
- I am going homesengihamba ngekaya
- I am goingsengihamba ngekaya
- I am going to schoolsengihamba esikolo
- I am going to sleepsengihamba ukuyolala
- Father is comingubaba uyeza
- I am well/finengikhona/ ngiyaphila
- Thank you to an older womanngiyabonga gogo
- Please can you repeat that?Ngicela uphinde lokho.
- I wake up, I wash,I eatNgiyavuka,Ngigeze,Ngidle.
- How much is this? (money)Kubiza malini lokhu?
- I would like tomatoes, pleaseNgicela amatamatisi
- I am hungry. I want to eat.Ngilambile. Ngifuna ukudla.
- Thank you, I am now full!Ngiyabonga, sengisuthi!
- I am well, thank you, Mother.Ngiyaphila, ngiyabonga Mama.
- Mother, I am hungry. Please can I have some foodMama ngilambile. Ngicela ukudla.
- Thank you, Mother. It was delicious! I am now fullNgiyabonga Mama. Bekumnandi! Sengisuthi
- I am going to sleep nowsengisiyalala manje
- Goodnight momLilale kuhle Mama
Learn to speak Ndebele, not just read it
Yanai teaches you to speak with short audio lessons from native speakers, and checks your pronunciation as you go.