Xhosa Phrasebook
Pronunciation guide Phrase list
Vowels
Basics
a like a in hard
Hello Molo
e like e in red
Hello (to more than 1) Molweni
i like ee in seen
How are you? Kunjani?
o like a in all
Fine, thank you Ndiyaphila, enkosi
u like oo in moon
And how are you? Kunjani kuwe?
Consonants
What is your name? Ngubani igama lakho?
d, f, h, j, l, m, n Pronounced as in English
My name is ______ Igama lam ngu ______
s, sh, v, w, y, z Pronounced as in English
Nice to meet you Ndiyavuya ukukwazi
dl Similar in sound to hl (see below)
Please Ndicela ('Ndiyacela' )
g always like g in go
Thank you Enkosi or ('Ndiyabulela')
hl Place your tongue to the side of your
You're welcome ('wamkelekile')
mouth and expel the air (like Welsh ll
sound)
Yes Ewe
ts A hissing sound made by placing your
tongue just above your teeth and ejecting No Hayi
air.
Excuse me (getting attention) ('ndicela uxolo ) or ('uxolo )
tsh similar to dge in judge
Excuse me (begging pardon) Uxolo andivanga.
ty similar to dge in judge
I'm sorry Xolo ('ndixolele' )
r pronounced like "ch" in Reich
Goodbye Uhambe/Usale kakuhle.
I can't speak Xhosa Andisithethi isiXhosa
Common diphthongs
Do you speak English? Uyasithetha isingesi na?
Clicks
Is there someone here who ('Ukhona apha umntu othetha
c Place your tongue at the back of the teeth speaks English? isiNgesi' ?)
and suck in, like when expressing
annoyance. Good morning Molo
q Place your tongue on the roof of the Good evening ('Molo' )
mouth and suck in, like imitating a clock's
ticking.
Good night Ulale kakuhle
x Place your tongue on your upper right jaw
I don't understand Andiqondi
and pull it down, as if urging on a horse.
Page 1 of 9
, Xhosa Phrasebook
I don't know Andazi Duration
Where is the toilet? ('Iphi indlu yangasese' ?) in the morning kusasa
during the day emini
Problems
in the evening ngokuhlwa
My ... have been stolen I ... yam intshontshiwe. or ('I
... yam ibiwe' ) in the afternoon emvakwemini
I've lost my ... Ndilahlekelwe yi ... at night ebsuku
handbag isingxobo or ibhegi yesterday izolo
passport pasipoti ('incwadi today namhlanje
yokundwendwela' )
tomorrow ngomso
luggage mpahla
wallet spaji Days
Sunday Cawe
Numbers
Monday mvulo
0 unothi
Tuesday sibini
1 enye
Wednesday sithathu
2 zimbini
Thursday sine
3 zintathu
Friday sihlanu
4 zine
Saturday mgqibelo
5 zintlanu
6 zinthandathu Months
7 zisixhenxe January uMdumba (Janyuwari)
8 zisibhozo February uMthupha (Februwari)
9 zisithoba March ukwindla (Matshi)
10 lishumi April uThazimpunzi (Epril)
May uCanzibe (Meyi)
Time June uSilimela (Juni)
English expressions for telling the time are commonly used July uNtulikazi (Julayi)
by Xhosa speakers
August eyeKhala (Agasti)
Page 2 of 9
Pronunciation guide Phrase list
Vowels
Basics
a like a in hard
Hello Molo
e like e in red
Hello (to more than 1) Molweni
i like ee in seen
How are you? Kunjani?
o like a in all
Fine, thank you Ndiyaphila, enkosi
u like oo in moon
And how are you? Kunjani kuwe?
Consonants
What is your name? Ngubani igama lakho?
d, f, h, j, l, m, n Pronounced as in English
My name is ______ Igama lam ngu ______
s, sh, v, w, y, z Pronounced as in English
Nice to meet you Ndiyavuya ukukwazi
dl Similar in sound to hl (see below)
Please Ndicela ('Ndiyacela' )
g always like g in go
Thank you Enkosi or ('Ndiyabulela')
hl Place your tongue to the side of your
You're welcome ('wamkelekile')
mouth and expel the air (like Welsh ll
sound)
Yes Ewe
ts A hissing sound made by placing your
tongue just above your teeth and ejecting No Hayi
air.
Excuse me (getting attention) ('ndicela uxolo ) or ('uxolo )
tsh similar to dge in judge
Excuse me (begging pardon) Uxolo andivanga.
ty similar to dge in judge
I'm sorry Xolo ('ndixolele' )
r pronounced like "ch" in Reich
Goodbye Uhambe/Usale kakuhle.
I can't speak Xhosa Andisithethi isiXhosa
Common diphthongs
Do you speak English? Uyasithetha isingesi na?
Clicks
Is there someone here who ('Ukhona apha umntu othetha
c Place your tongue at the back of the teeth speaks English? isiNgesi' ?)
and suck in, like when expressing
annoyance. Good morning Molo
q Place your tongue on the roof of the Good evening ('Molo' )
mouth and suck in, like imitating a clock's
ticking.
Good night Ulale kakuhle
x Place your tongue on your upper right jaw
I don't understand Andiqondi
and pull it down, as if urging on a horse.
Page 1 of 9
, Xhosa Phrasebook
I don't know Andazi Duration
Where is the toilet? ('Iphi indlu yangasese' ?) in the morning kusasa
during the day emini
Problems
in the evening ngokuhlwa
My ... have been stolen I ... yam intshontshiwe. or ('I
... yam ibiwe' ) in the afternoon emvakwemini
I've lost my ... Ndilahlekelwe yi ... at night ebsuku
handbag isingxobo or ibhegi yesterday izolo
passport pasipoti ('incwadi today namhlanje
yokundwendwela' )
tomorrow ngomso
luggage mpahla
wallet spaji Days
Sunday Cawe
Numbers
Monday mvulo
0 unothi
Tuesday sibini
1 enye
Wednesday sithathu
2 zimbini
Thursday sine
3 zintathu
Friday sihlanu
4 zine
Saturday mgqibelo
5 zintlanu
6 zinthandathu Months
7 zisixhenxe January uMdumba (Janyuwari)
8 zisibhozo February uMthupha (Februwari)
9 zisithoba March ukwindla (Matshi)
10 lishumi April uThazimpunzi (Epril)
May uCanzibe (Meyi)
Time June uSilimela (Juni)
English expressions for telling the time are commonly used July uNtulikazi (Julayi)
by Xhosa speakers
August eyeKhala (Agasti)
Page 2 of 9
