Appendix:Zulu Swadesh list
Presentation
- For further information, read the article: Swadesh list
The Swadesh word list, developed by the linguist Morris Swadesh, is used as a tool to study the evolution of languages. It contains a set of basic words which can be found in every language. Various versions have been created, in particular:
- a complete 207 words version, in which some of the words are not found in every environment (it contains for instance snake and snow)
- a reduced 100 words version.
This word list should not be considered as an elementary lexicon to communicate with speakers of a given language; for such a purpose, the numerous existing Wikitravel lexicons are more useful. Its only objective is to give a rough idea of the language, by showing its lexical and, when possible, phonetics basis.
List
The words preceded by a hyphen (-) are stems and are always used together with a prefix. Various prefixes may be used, depending in particular on the class of the noun.
| No. | English | Zulu isiZulu |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | ngi-, mina |
| 2 | you (singular) | u-, wena |
| 3 | he | u-, yena |
| 4 | we | si-, thina |
| 5 | you (plural) | ni-, nina |
| 6 | they | ba-, bona |
| 7 | this | lo, leli, lesi, le, lolu, lobu, lokhu |
| 8 | that | lowo, lelo, leso, leyo, lolo, lobo, lokho |
| 9 | here | lapha |
| 10 | there | lapho |
| 11 | who | ubani (interrogative) |
| 12 | what | -ni, yini (interrogative) |
| 13 | where | -phi (interrogative) |
| 14 | when | nini |
| 15 | how | kanjani, ngani |
| 16 | not | a-, akekho, abekho |
| 17 | all | -nke |
| 18 | many | -ningi |
| 19 | some | -nye |
| 20 | few | -mbalwa, -ncane |
| 21 | other | -nye |
| 22 | one | -dwa, -nye |
| 23 | two | -bili |
| 24 | three | -thathu |
| 25 | four | -ne |
| 26 | five | -hlanu |
| 27 | big | -khulu |
| 28 | long | -de |
| 29 | wide | -banzi |
| 30 | thick | -qinile, -gqinsi |
| 31 | heavy | -nzima |
| 32 | small | -ncane |
| 33 | short | -fuphi |
| 34 | narrow | -ncane, -msweswana |
| 35 | thin | -ondile |
| 36 | woman | umfazi |
| 37 | man (adult male) | indoda, umlisa |
| 38 | man (human being) | umuntu |
| 39 | child | umntwana |
| 40 | wife | umka-, inkosikazi |
| 41 | husband | umyeni, indoda |
| 42 | mother | umama |
| 43 | father | ubaba |
| 44 | animal | isilwane |
| 45 | fish | inhlanzi, ufishi |
| 46 | bird | inyoni |
| 47 | dog | inja |
| 48 | louse | intwala |
| 49 | snake | inyoka |
| 50 | worm | isibungu, umsundu |
| 51 | tree | isihlahla, umuthi |
| 52 | forest | ihlathi |
| 53 | stick | induku, uthi |
| 54 | fruit | isithelo |
| 55 | seed | inhlamvu, imbewu |
| 56 | leaf | ikhasi, iqabi |
| 57 | root | impande (of a plant), umsuka (cause, origin) |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | igxolo |
| 59 | flower | imbali |
| 60 | grass | utshani |
| 61 | rope | intambo |
| 62 | skin | isikhumba |
| 63 | meat | inyama |
| 64 | blood | igazi |
| 65 | bone | ithambo |
| 66 | fat (noun) | amafutha |
| 67 | egg | iqanda |
| 68 | horn | uphondo |
| 69 | tail | umsila |
| 70 | feather | uphaphe |
| 71 | hair | unwele |
| 72 | head | ikhanda |
| 73 | ear | indlebe |
| 74 | eye | iso, ihlo |
| 75 | nose | ikhala |
| 76 | mouth | umlomo |
| 77 | tooth | izinyo |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | ulimi |
| 79 | fingernail | uzipho |
| 80 | foot | unyawo |
| 81 | leg | umlenze |
| 82 | knee | idolo |
| 83 | hand | isandla |
| 84 | wing | iphiko |
| 85 | belly | isisu |
| 86 | guts | ithumbu |
| 87 | neck | intamo |
| 88 | back | umhlane |
| 89 | breast | ibele |
| 90 | heart | inhliziyo |
| 91 | liver | isibindi |
| 92 | to drink | -phuza |
| 93 | to eat | -dla |
| 94 | to bite | -luma |
| 95 | to suck | -munca, -ncela |
| 96 | to spit | -phimisa |
| 97 | to vomit | -phalaza |
| 98 | to blow | -vunguza |
| 99 | to breathe | -phefumula |
| 100 | to laugh | -hleka |
| 101 | to see | -bona |
| 102 | to hear | -zwa |
| 103 | to know | -azi |
| 104 | to think | -cabanga |
| 105 | to smell | -zwa |
| 106 | to fear | -esaba, -saba |
| 107 | to sleep | -lala |
| 108 | to live | -phila |
| 109 | to die | -fa |
| 110 | to kill | -bulala, -fisa |
| 111 | to fight | -lwa |
| 112 | to hunt | -zingela |
| 113 | to hit | -shaya |
| 114 | to cut | -sika, -nquma |
| 115 | to split | -dabula |
| 116 | to stab | -gwaza |
| 117 | to scratch | -klwebha |
| 118 | to dig | -mba |
| 119 | to swim | -bhukuda |
| 120 | to fly | -ndiza |
| 121 | to walk | -hamba |
| 122 | to come | -za |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | -lala (lie down, sleep), -cambalala (be lying down) |
| 124 | to sit | -hlala (sit down), -hleli, -hlezi (be sitting, be seated) |
| 125 | to stand | -sukuma (stand up), -ma (be standing) |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | -jika, -guquka, -phenduka |
| 127 | to fall | -wa |
| 128 | to give | -nika, -nikeza, -pha |
| 129 | to hold | -phatha, -bamba |
| 130 | to squeeze | -cindezela |
| 131 | to rub | -hlikihla |
| 132 | to wash | -geza, -hlamba |
| 133 | to wipe | -sula |
| 134 | to pull | -donsa |
| 135 | to push | -sunduza |
| 136 | to throw | -phosa |
| 137 | to tie | -bopha |
| 138 | to sew | -thunga |
| 139 | to count | -bala |
| 140 | to say | -thi |
| 141 | to sing | -cula, -hlabelela, -huba |
| 142 | to play | -dlala |
| 143 | to float | -ntaza |
| 144 | to flow | -gobhoza |
| 145 | to freeze | -nquma (solidify), -qanda (be freezing cold) |
| 146 | to swell | -vuvukala |
| 147 | sun | ilanga |
| 148 | moon | inyanga |
| 149 | star | imbasa, inkanyezi |
| 150 | water | amanzi |
| 151 | rain | imvula |
| 152 | river | umfula |
| 153 | lake | ichibi |
| 154 | sea | ulwandle |
| 155 | salt | itswayi, usawoti |
| 156 | stone | itshe |
| 157 | sand | isihlabathi |
| 158 | dust | uthuli |
| 159 | earth | umhlaba |
| 160 | cloud | ifu |
| 161 | fog | inkungu |
| 162 | sky | izulu |
| 163 | wind | umoya |
| 164 | snow | iqhwa |
| 165 | ice | iqhwa |
| 166 | smoke | intuthu |
| 167 | fire | umlilo |
| 168 | ash | umlotha |
| 169 | to burn | -sha |
| 170 | road | umgwaqo, umgwaqana |
| 171 | mountain | intaba |
| 172 | red | -bomvu |
| 173 | green | -luhlaza |
| 174 | yellow | -liphuzi, -ncombo |
| 175 | white | -mhlophe |
| 176 | black | -mnyama |
| 177 | night | ubusuku |
| 178 | day | ilanga, umuhla, usuku |
| 179 | year | unyaka |
| 180 | warm | -fudumele |
| 181 | cold | -makhaza |
| 182 | full | -gcwele |
| 183 | new | -sha |
| 184 | old | -dala |
| 185 | good | -hle |
| 186 | bad | -bi |
| 187 | rotten | -bolile (decayed), -bi (bad) |
| 188 | dirty | -ngcolile |
| 189 | straight | -qondile |
| 190 | round | -yindilinga (circular), -yimbulunga (spherical) |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | -bukhali |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | -buthuntu |
| 193 | smooth | -bushelezi (not rough), -mnandi (comfortable) |
| 194 | wet | -manzi, -nethile |
| 195 | dry | -omile |
| 196 | correct | -lungile |
| 197 | near | eduze |
| 198 | far | kude |
| 199 | right | kwesokudla |
| 200 | left | kwesokunxele |
| 201 | at | e-, o-, ku- (in space), nga- (in time) |
| 202 | in | e-, o-, ku- (in space), nga- (in time) |
| 203 | with | na-, kanye na- (together with), nga- (by means of) |
| 204 | and | na-, futhi |
| 205 | if | uma |
| 206 | because | ngoba, njengoba, njengokuba |
| 207 | name | igama |
Bibliography
- Les langages de l'humanité (Michel Malherbe), Robert Laffont, Paris 1995 - ISBN 2-221-05947-6