vuvuzela

See also: Vuvuzela

English

A crowd blowing vuvuzelas.

Etymology

Borrowed from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /vuːvuːˈzɛlə/ or /vuːvuːˈzeɪlə/
• (US) /vuːvuːˈzeɪlə/

Noun

vuvuzela (plural vuvuzelas)

1. A trumpet-shaped horn, now usually plastic, that produces a loud buzzing sound.
   • 2006 July 15, Weekend Argus:

     When the Manchester United squad walked through the arrival gates at Durban International yesterday, most players heard a vuvuzela for the first time.

   • 2010 June 1, David Pickthall, “Are you ready to make some noise?”, in North-West Evening Mail, UK, retrieved 2 Aug. 2011:

     I’m talking, of course, about the vuvuzela. Essentially, a metre-long blowhorn, which you may struggle to get past a steward at an English football ground.

   • 2010 June 8, Jeré Longman, “A Bleating Soundtrack for Soccer”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     For some, the vuvuzelas herald the country’s piercing emergence from the forced racial hush of apartheid.

Synonyms

• (trumpet-shaped horn): stadium horn, stadium trumpet

Hypernyms

• (trumpet-shaped horn): noisemaker

Derived terms

• vuvuzelist

Translations

horn

• Afrikaans: vuvuzela
• Arabic: فُوفُوزِيلَا (fūfūzīlā)
• Armenian: վուվուզել (vuvuzel), վուվուզելա (vuvuzela)
• Catalan: vuvuzela f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 嗡嗡祖拉 (zh) (wēngwēngzǔlā)

• Czech: vuvuzela (cs) f
• Dutch: vuvuzela (nl) c
• Esperanto: vuvuzelo (eo)
• Faroese: vuvusela f
• Finnish: vuvuzela (fi)
• French: vuvuzela (fr) f
• German: Vuvuzela (de) f
• Greek: βουβουζέλα (el) f (vouvouzéla)
• Hebrew: בובוזלה (vuvuzela)
• Hungarian: vuvuzela (hu), darázskürt (hu)
• Italian: vuvuzela (it) f
• Japanese: ブブゼラ (bubuzera)
• Korean: 부부젤라 (bubujella)
• Macedonian: вуву́зела f (vuvúzela)
• Marathi: वुवुजेला m (vuvujelā)
• Polish: wuwuzela (pl) f
• Portuguese: vuvuzela (pt) f
• Russian: вувузе́ла (ru) f (vuvuzéla)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: вувузела f

  Roman: vuvuzela f

• Slovak: vuvuzela f
• Spanish: vuvuzela (es) f
• Swedish: vuvuzela (sv) c
• Thai: วูวูเซลา
• Turkish: vuvuzela
• Ukrainian: вувузела (vuvuzela)
• Yiddish: וווּוווּזעלאַ (vuvuzela)

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed shortly before the South African world cup from English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzeː.laː/, [vu.vuˈzeː.la(ː)]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: vu‧vu‧ze‧la

Noun

vuvuzela m (plural vuvuzela's, diminutive vuvuzelaatje n)

1. vuvuzela [from 2009]

Finnish

Etymology

From English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋuʋuze(ː)lɑ/, [ˈʋuʋuˌze̞(ː)lɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -elɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): vu‧vu‧ze‧la

Noun

vuvuzela

1. vuvuzela

Declension

Inflection of vuvuzela (Kotus type 13/katiska, no gradation)
nominative		vuvuzela	vuvuzelat
genitive		vuvuzelan	vuvuzeloiden vuvuzeloitten vuvuzelojen
partitive		vuvuzelaa	vuvuzeloita vuvuzeloja
illative		vuvuzelaan	vuvuzeloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		vuvuzela	vuvuzelat
accusative	nom.	vuvuzela	vuvuzelat
	gen.	vuvuzelan
genitive		vuvuzelan	vuvuzeloiden vuvuzeloitten vuvuzelojen vuvuzelain rare
partitive		vuvuzelaa	vuvuzeloita vuvuzeloja
inessive		vuvuzelassa	vuvuzeloissa
elative		vuvuzelasta	vuvuzeloista
illative		vuvuzelaan	vuvuzeloihin
adessive		vuvuzelalla	vuvuzeloilla
ablative		vuvuzelalta	vuvuzeloilta
allative		vuvuzelalle	vuvuzeloille
essive		vuvuzelana	vuvuzeloina
translative		vuvuzelaksi	vuvuzeloiksi
abessive		vuvuzelatta	vuvuzeloitta
instructive		—	vuvuzeloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of vuvuzela (Kotus type 13/katiska, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative vuvuzelani vuvuzelani accusative nom. vuvuzelani vuvuzelani gen. vuvuzelani genitive vuvuzelani vuvuzeloideni vuvuzeloitteni vuvuzelojeni vuvuzelaini rare partitive vuvuzelaani vuvuzeloitani vuvuzelojani inessive vuvuzelassani vuvuzeloissani elative vuvuzelastani vuvuzeloistani illative vuvuzelaani vuvuzeloihini adessive vuvuzelallani vuvuzeloillani ablative vuvuzelaltani vuvuzeloiltani allative vuvuzelalleni vuvuzeloilleni essive vuvuzelanani vuvuzeloinani translative vuvuzelakseni vuvuzeloikseni abessive vuvuzelattani vuvuzeloittani instructive — — comitative — vuvuzeloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative vuvuzelasi vuvuzelasi accusative nom. vuvuzelasi vuvuzelasi gen. vuvuzelasi genitive vuvuzelasi vuvuzeloidesi vuvuzeloittesi vuvuzelojesi vuvuzelaisi rare partitive vuvuzelaasi vuvuzeloitasi vuvuzelojasi inessive vuvuzelassasi vuvuzeloissasi elative vuvuzelastasi vuvuzeloistasi illative vuvuzelaasi vuvuzeloihisi adessive vuvuzelallasi vuvuzeloillasi ablative vuvuzelaltasi vuvuzeloiltasi allative vuvuzelallesi vuvuzeloillesi essive vuvuzelanasi vuvuzeloinasi translative vuvuzelaksesi vuvuzeloiksesi abessive vuvuzelattasi vuvuzeloittasi instructive — — comitative — vuvuzeloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative vuvuzelamme vuvuzelamme accusative nom. vuvuzelamme vuvuzelamme gen. vuvuzelamme genitive vuvuzelamme vuvuzeloidemme vuvuzeloittemme vuvuzelojemme vuvuzelaimme rare partitive vuvuzelaamme vuvuzeloitamme vuvuzelojamme inessive vuvuzelassamme vuvuzeloissamme elative vuvuzelastamme vuvuzeloistamme illative vuvuzelaamme vuvuzeloihimme adessive vuvuzelallamme vuvuzeloillamme ablative vuvuzelaltamme vuvuzeloiltamme allative vuvuzelallemme vuvuzeloillemme essive vuvuzelanamme vuvuzeloinamme translative vuvuzelaksemme vuvuzeloiksemme abessive vuvuzelattamme vuvuzeloittamme instructive — — comitative — vuvuzeloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative vuvuzelanne vuvuzelanne accusative nom. vuvuzelanne vuvuzelanne gen. vuvuzelanne genitive vuvuzelanne vuvuzeloidenne vuvuzeloittenne vuvuzelojenne vuvuzelainne rare partitive vuvuzelaanne vuvuzeloitanne vuvuzelojanne inessive vuvuzelassanne vuvuzeloissanne elative vuvuzelastanne vuvuzeloistanne illative vuvuzelaanne vuvuzeloihinne adessive vuvuzelallanne vuvuzeloillanne ablative vuvuzelaltanne vuvuzeloiltanne allative vuvuzelallenne vuvuzeloillenne essive vuvuzelananne vuvuzeloinanne translative vuvuzelaksenne vuvuzeloiksenne abessive vuvuzelattanne vuvuzeloittanne instructive — — comitative — vuvuzeloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative vuvuzelansa vuvuzelansa accusative nom. vuvuzelansa vuvuzelansa gen. vuvuzelansa genitive vuvuzelansa vuvuzeloidensa vuvuzeloittensa vuvuzelojensa vuvuzelainsa rare partitive vuvuzelaansa vuvuzeloitaan vuvuzelojaan vuvuzeloitansa vuvuzelojansa inessive vuvuzelassaan vuvuzelassansa vuvuzeloissaan vuvuzeloissansa elative vuvuzelastaan vuvuzelastansa vuvuzeloistaan vuvuzeloistansa illative vuvuzelaansa vuvuzeloihinsa adessive vuvuzelallaan vuvuzelallansa vuvuzeloillaan vuvuzeloillansa ablative vuvuzelaltaan vuvuzelaltansa vuvuzeloiltaan vuvuzeloiltansa allative vuvuzelalleen vuvuzelallensa vuvuzeloilleen vuvuzeloillensa essive vuvuzelanaan vuvuzelanansa vuvuzeloinaan vuvuzeloinansa translative vuvuzelakseen vuvuzelaksensa vuvuzeloikseen vuvuzeloiksensa abessive vuvuzelattaan vuvuzelattansa vuvuzeloittaan vuvuzeloittansa instructive — — comitative — vuvuzeloineen vuvuzeloinensa

Further reading

• “vuvuzela”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-04

French

Alternative forms

• vouvouzela

Etymology

Borrowed from English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vu.vu.ze.la/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

vuvuzela f (plural vuvuzelas)

1. vuvuzela

Further reading

• “vuvuzela”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Hungarian

Etymology

From English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈvuvuzɛlɒ]
• Hyphenation: vu‧vu‧ze‧la
• Rhymes: -lɒ

Noun

vuvuzela (plural vuvuzelák)

1. vuvuzela

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	vuvuzela	vuvuzelák
accusative	vuvuzelát	vuvuzelákat
dative	vuvuzelának	vuvuzeláknak
instrumental	vuvuzelával	vuvuzelákkal
causal-final	vuvuzeláért	vuvuzelákért
translative	vuvuzelává	vuvuzelákká
terminative	vuvuzeláig	vuvuzelákig
essive-formal	vuvuzelaként	vuvuzelákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	vuvuzelában	vuvuzelákban
superessive	vuvuzelán	vuvuzelákon
adessive	vuvuzelánál	vuvuzeláknál
illative	vuvuzelába	vuvuzelákba
sublative	vuvuzelára	vuvuzelákra
allative	vuvuzelához	vuvuzelákhoz
elative	vuvuzelából	vuvuzelákból
delative	vuvuzeláról	vuvuzelákról
ablative	vuvuzelától	vuvuzeláktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	vuvuzeláé	vuvuzeláké
non-attributive possessive - plural	vuvuzeláéi	vuvuzelákéi

Possessive forms of vuvuzela
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	vuvuzelám	vuvuzeláim
2nd person sing.	vuvuzelád	vuvuzeláid
3rd person sing.	vuvuzelája	vuvuzelái
1st person plural	vuvuzelánk	vuvuzeláink
2nd person plural	vuvuzelátok	vuvuzeláitok
3rd person plural	vuvuzelájuk	vuvuzeláik

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Noun

vuvuzela f (invariable)

1. vuvuzela

Portuguese

Etymology

From English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzɛ.lɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzɛ.lɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzɛ.la/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzɛ.lɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /vu.vuˈzɛ.lɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /bu.buˈzɛ.lɐ/ [bu.βuˈzɛ.lɐ]

• Rhymes: -ɛlɐ
• Hyphenation: vu‧vu‧ze‧la

Noun

vuvuzela f (plural vuvuzelas)

1. vuvuzela

Further reading

• “vuvuzela”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “vuvuzela”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from English vuvuzela, from Zulu to make a vu vu noise, from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋuʋuzêla/

Noun

vuvuzȅla f (Cyrillic spelling вувузе̏ла)

1. vuvuzela

Slovak

Etymology

Borrowed from English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋu.ʋu.ze.ɫa/

Noun

vuvuzela f (genitive singular vuvuzely, nominative plural vuvuzely, declension pattern of žena)

1. vuvuzela

Declension

Declension of vuvuzela

	singular	plural
nominative	vuvuzela	vuvuzely
genitive	vuvuzely	vuvuziel
dative	vuvuzele	vuvuzelám
accusative	vuvuzelu	vuvuzely
locative	vuvuzele	vuvuzelách
instrumental	vuvuzelou	vuvuzelami

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /bubuˈθela/ [bu.β̞uˈθe.la]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /bubuˈsela/ [bu.β̞uˈse.la]
• Rhymes: -ela
• Syllabification: vu‧vu‧ze‧la

Noun

vuvuzela f (plural vuvuzelas)

1. vuvuzela

Swahili

Etymology

From Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

vuvuzela class IX (plural vuvuzela class X)

1. vuvuzela (a trumpet-shaped horn, now usually plastic, that produces a loud buzzing sound)

Swedish

Etymology

From English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Noun

vuvuzela c

1. vuvuzela

Declension

Declension of vuvuzela

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	vuvuzela	vuvuzelas
	definite	vuvuzelan	vuvuzelans
plural	indefinite	vuvuzelor	vuvuzelors
	definite	vuvuzelorna	vuvuzelornas

Turkish

Etymology

From English vuvuzela, from Zulu vuvuzela (“to make a vu vu noise”), from the /vuː/ sound the horns make.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [vuvuˈzɛɫɑ]

Noun

vuvuzela (definite accusative vuvuzelayı, plural vuvuzelalar)

1. vuvuzela

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	vuvuzela
Definite accusative	vuvuzelayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	vuvuzela	vuvuzelalar
Definite accusative	vuvuzelayı	vuvuzelaları
Dative	vuvuzelaya	vuvuzelalara
Locative	vuvuzelada	vuvuzelalarda
Ablative	vuvuzeladan	vuvuzelalardan
Genitive	vuvuzelanın	vuvuzelaların