Part 1 (This page)

The Noun

*This Lesson is divided into two parts.

Introduction

The noun, in Zulu, provides the steps to the most basic or the most complex statements. So, it is very important to know the ways of the noun to put together a sentence that can be understood. The way a Zulu noun is used is very different from English, Afrikaans or any European language. And although very unfamiliar, it is not too complicated. But don’t worry, the noun is simple to understand and even simpler to master.

Lesson 1

A noun consists of two things: a prefix and root. The prefix shows plural and how the root has been used. The root shows the thing that is being talked about. For example, the word ‘isilevu’ (beard) consists of the prefix ‘isi-‘ and the root ‘-levu’.

So that means that:

Noun = prefix + root

ubuntu = ubu + ntu
amandla = ama + dla
isiZulu = Isi + Zulu
ilikati = ili + kati
umfana = um + fana
umuntu = umu + ntu

Plural

Plural is expressed when the prefix of a noun changes. This is unusual at first because we are accustomed to the the last part of a noun changing. Often the plural form of prefix will look like its singular form. E.g.: isibaya (kraal) to izibaya (kraals). There are 15 different classes of prefixes in Zulu. They are grouped on a table usually singular and prefix form next to each other. I have colour-coded these groups of singular and plural. Note: There are some variants.

Please click on each class for more information.

Below the table are examples from each class- read them. And I suggest you memorise them.

Class	Prefix	Example
1	Um-/umu-	Umhambi -traveler
1a	u-	Umama - mother
2	aba-	Abahambi -travelers
2a	o-	Omama- mothers
3	um-	Umzalwo – birth
4	Imi-	Imizalwo -births
5	Ili-	Ikati - cat
6	ama-	Amakati - cats
7	isi-	Isitulo -chair
8	izi-	Izitulo - chairs
9	in-	Inja - dog
10	izin-	Izinja -dogs
11	ulu-	Ululwandle – ocean/sea
-	These are not used anymore, they are only found in Classical Zulu not in Modern Day Zulu.
-
14	uku-	Ukuzibulala – suicide
15	ubu-	Ubuhle – goodness/niceness

Imifundo

Please read the following sentences and take notice of the prefixes that are underlined.

Um-/umu-						And			Aba-/abe-
Class 1 and 2
Umfana	uyakhulu.		Umfana	uthanda		ibhola.		Umfana	ufuna	ukudlala	ibhola.
The boy	is big.		The boy	likes		soccer.		The boy	wants	To play	soccer.
Abafana	babona		umfana.	Abafana		bathanda		ibhola	futhi.
The boys		see	the boy.	The boys			like	soccer	too.
Abafana	bafuna		ukudlala	naye	umfana.
The boys		want	to play	with	the boy

U-				And		O-
Class 1a and 2a

USipho	udla	ukudla.	USipho	udla	obhontshisi.	USipho	uthanda	obhontshisi.
Sipho	eats	food.	Sipho	eats	beans.	Sipho	likes	beans.
Umama	udla	uju.	Umama	uthanda	obhontshisi	futhi.
Mother	eats	honey	Mother	likes	beans	too.
USipho	unika	umama	obhintshisi.
Sipho	gives	mother	beans.

Um-/umu-

And

Imi-

Class 3 and 4

Umdlalo

webhola

muhle.

Abafana

bathanda

imidlalo.

webhola.

The game

of soccer

is good.

Boys

like

games

of soccer.

Umhlobo

wabafana

ugulwile.

Umhlobo

udinga

umuthi.

The friend

of boys

is sick.

The friend

needs

medicine.

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Please read the following sentences and take notice of the prefixes that are underlined.

Um-/umu-

And

Aba-/abe-

U-

And

O-

Um-/umu-

And

Imi-