Last month one of our subscribers left a comment asking for English translations of a list of Zulu idioms. Below are both the isiZulu & English meanings of various Zulu idioms that are associated with nature or trees.
- Ukuthunga intebe: Ukwenza into engasoze yaphumelela; To do something that will never succeed
- Ukuzalelwa esithebeni: Ukuzalwa ngabazali abami kahle, ungasweli lutho; To be born into a rich family and hardly ever want for anything
- Ukuphind’ iminyane isibhuliwe: Angikwazi ukukhuluma udaba oselukhulunyiwe; To refuse to repeat what has been discussed already
- Ukudl’ imbuya ngothi: Ukuswela ukudla, umuntu ophila kalusizi; To be poverty stricken
- Ukuhlub’ dlubu ekhasini: Ukuchaza ingcaca ubeke izinto obala; To explain something that is very clear and obvious
- Uthinte ubhece esafinya: Ukuba hlwempu, uyisilambi; To be really poor
- Ukwanda ngomlomo njengebhenge: Ukukhuluma kakhulu kanti ukwenza kuyakwehlula; To have a lot to say, but take little action
- Ukushaya ngemfe iphindiwe: Ukuhlohla noma ukuyenga umuntu, noma ukumenza ezibukwayo; To deal with a person severely
- Ukuthukusela [umuntu] ugaba othuthwini: Ukufihlela umuntu iqiniso bese umvezela engasalindele; To hide the truth from someone and only reveal it when they have forgotten about it or least expect it
- Ukufihl’ induku emqubeni: Ukufihla isu noma into ozomangaza ngayo unqobe; To surprise
- Ukuthela muva njengembumba: Ukunganakwa noma ubeka iseluleko okumele silandelwe baze bazisole kamuva ukuthi ukuba bebekulalele ngabe ububi abuvelanga; Doing something without a positive outcome
- Ukukhamel’ ikhambi ekhanda: Ukuphatha ngesihluku nonya, ukufundisa umuntu isifundo angena kusilibala; To teach someone a lesson they will never forget
- Ukutheza olunenkume: Ukuzilandela inkathazo; To attract bad things to yourself
- Ukumuka ngendle njengamabele: Ukunyamalala, ukuhamba ungavalelisi; To disappear without a trace and not even say goodbye
- Ukuthezela entanjeni: Ukuzilinganisela noma ukwenza into engangamandla akho; To do what your strength can carry
- Ukushisela imbudle: Ukufaka umuntu enkathazweni; To make another person to worry
- Ukugaya izibozi: Ukuthukuthela kakhulu; To be very angry
- Ukuba nhlangazimuka nomoya: Ukungabikho kosizo, isimo esibucayi siyabhebhetheka; Things going from bad to worse
- Ukushiy’ induk’ ebandla: Ukuzala umntwana oyosala wena sewafa noma ukubeka iqhaza kokwenziwayo; Leaving a good mark behind for people to follow your good example
- Ukuncind’ uthi lomkhangala: Ukulandelwa amashwa; Being followed by bad luck everywhere you go
- Ukuthint’ ukhuni lombangandlala: Ukwenza into engenampumelelo, ukubuya ulambatha, ukuzifaka enkingeni; When you give advice to people and they don’t listen or pay attention to you until something bad happens, then they regret not listening
Image courtesy of www.thewritepractice.com.
please have some more Zulu idioms !!!plz
Lahlaba laphukela
Words that really hit hard or hurt badly
kusho ukuthini ukucela empuzini
Kusho ukubaleka
Run away
Ukubaleka.noma ukubonga ingozi bese uyasuka kulesosimo
Ukubaleka uzephule amathambo.
Cofa lapha ukuthola ulwazi: Izaga: Ingxenye Yesibili
no one responds dikonelo
kusho ukuthini ukucela empuzini
Siyabonga, Dikonela. uSoka Mthembu uthi:
Ukucela empunzini
Direct translation: To ask from the duiker / to imitate the duiker
Meaning: To run away (literally)
Duiker is used because it is / was one the fastest animals known to the Zulus therefore anyone running faster would be likened to it.
Past tense: Wacela empunzini
He ran away / he ran for his life
Sentence example:
IsiZulu: Wacela empunzini emva kokubona ibhubesi
English: He ran for his life after he saw the lion
It’s used for someone running away (literally) from someone or something.
To refer to the person who can run faster (like a Comrades Marathon runner) you could use this one;
Zulu : Ugijima wedlula isithunzi sakhe / He runs faster than his own shadow.
Hi guys!! What does it mean ukumba wembulele?
Sawubona Olwethu! Siyabonga ngombuzo wakho, sisacele abasibhalelayo ukuthi bazame ukuwuphendula.
Ukubaleka kakhulu.
Kuyafana nokucela empunzini kumbe ukuthi nyawo rami ngibelethe kumbe ukuthi galore ephuka
Yebo kunjalo kuthiwa “Galo yephuka.”
Sawubona. I’m currently in matric, taking isiZulu as my FAL. We are required to use idioms in our creative writing, so if you have any more idioms please could you share them with me. Ngiyabonga
Sawubona, Justin. You may find this article helpful in discovering more isiZulu idioms, with English translations: https://www.ulwaziprogramme.org/2017/02/a-language-rich-in-colour/. If you have any in particular you’d like to know the meaning of, you’re welcome to post them and we will try to find out for you. All the best!
Please help me.
Yazithela ?
Zalala ?
Phela nesikhathi sase sidliwe yinja ?
Sekukhala imbungezi ?
Itshe selome inhlama ?
Zawuhlaba zawulawula-ke ?
Yazithela?
This means ‘pounced / descended upon / come across – like by surprise’ (e.g. Bengizihambela ngazithela emgodini wenyoka) OR this may mean a very unexpected response. (e.g. Ubethi uyashela wazithela entombini yekholwa yavela yamshumayeza!)
Zalala?
Ungachaza kabanzi ukuthi usho ukuthini lapha, Khanyisile?
Phela nesikhathi sase sidliwe yinja?
Time was running out/no longer enough, maybe because the programme kicked off late or other speakers spoke more than their allocated time (e.g. Ukuze kuqedwe izinkulumo kungakabi sebusuku abanye abakwazanga ukukhuluma ngoba isikhathi sasesidliwe yinja).
Sekukhala imbungezi?
They have all left, no one left, nothing left (e.g. Amaphoyisa ezwa ukuthi izigebengu zicashile khona kodwa bafica sekukhala ibhungezi.)
Itshe selome inhlama?
Kusho ukuthi abasabonwa nangalukhalo – they are gone (as if that is discovered as a surprise). This one is the same as “sekukhala ibhungezi” above. note the spelling not ‘imbungezi’ but ‘ibhungezi’ (which is the name of an insect that make a noise when flying around) (e.g. Bafica itshe selome inhlama umakoti esebalekile emzini wabuyela kwabakubo!)
Zawuhlaba zawulawula-ke?
Ukuwuhlaba uwulawule means to announce, tell others, to pass on the message. (e.g. Amabhubesi abalekile, sicela niwuhlabe niwulawule – to warn others / to say you saw it to assist with the search)
Sawubona. Please could you translate the following idioms for me:
1) Liya kozilahla kunina
2) -khihla esikaNandi
Sawubona Justin,
1) Liya kozilahla kunina – Refers to ‘ilanga’ (the sun) when it disappears in the horizon, meaning the sun is setting. It is used to indicate time of day, that it was in the afternoon during the time when the sun sets.
2) -khihla esikaNandi – To cry uncontrollably (in dramatic and hysterical fashion). Queen Nandi was the mother of King Shaka, the story goes that this is because that is what people were expected to be doing, to show they were sad about the death of Shaka’s mother. If they did not visibly show their uncontrollable anguish, they were summarily killed – so we are told.
sizohlangana esikhaleni sikantombela
Wow… this is informative. Thank you to all who have asked and answered. Soka Mthembu I’ve seen your blog and it’s great. Siyabonga!
Hello, I am looking for a zulu quote about respecting women.
Hi, the most well-known quote is, “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo”, which means “If you strike a woman, you strike a rock”, therefore women should be respected. It was a rallying cry used around the time of the Women’s March of 1956. These days it’s generally used for campaigns against abuse of women, advocating respect of women etc. I don’t know if that fits your context? Generally older proverbs or idioms about women often allude to marriage so may not be relevant. If you can be a bit more specific we can ask our other users if they know of any relevant quotes.
Ulwazi Programme
ukuba kude emuva ube kude phambili
Hi there
I am trying to find some inspirational Zulu or Xhosa phrases.
Just short phrase, like: “Move that Mountain” or “Just Believe”.
Is there a webpage you know of?
Thank you.
Brett
Hii ce ningiph I mininingwane yalama gama
Ukwaliwa amabele
Ukwanda ukufa
Ukubamba inkunzi
Udle ukudla kwamudla
Intendele iwe endleleni
Inhlanzi ishelwe amanzi
Cel ningicenda nge sizulu sala mag ukuth achazana
Bheka lapha impendulo https://iafrika.org/category/izisho-izaga/
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