- The Verb (Isenzo)
Introduction
The verb is just as important as the noun. Often
everything else in a sentence may be left out but the verb and the
overall meaning of the sentence will remain absolutely clear. The Zulu
verb is able to be as simple as any English verb and often it will
surpass English verbs in descriptivity and clearness.
Lesson 2 (Isifundo 2)
The rules for a verb are mostly regular. The verb
has a number of tenses (including past, present and future)
and various other forms. We will begin with basic present tense.
Present tense
In Zulu, all regular verbs of present tense end
with an ‘a’. E.g.: funda - read, bona - see, sebenza - work.
Izibonelo (examples):
Umfana usebenza eGoli. The
boy works in Johannesburg.
Umfundi ufunda ibhuku. The
learner reads a book.
Ikati libona inyoni. The
cat sees the bird.
Future tense
To create a sentence in future tense, we add 'zo-'
before the verb.
Izibonelo (examples):
Abafundi bazofunda amabhuku. The
students will read the books.
Umama uzodla uju. Mother
will eat the honey.
Inja izoluma isela. The
dog will bite the thief.
Past tense
To create past tense, we change the final 'a' of
the verb onto 'e'.
Izibonelo (examples)
Ikati libambe igundane. The
cat caught the rat.
Umlimi ulime izinsimu. The
farmer cultivated the fields.
Abafana badle ibhola. The
boys played soccer.
Umfundo (reading)
Words to learn:
Abafana - boys
Umlimi - farmers
siza - to help
hamba - to go
lima - to farm
letha - to bring
phuza - to drink
sebenza - to work
ekhaya - towards home
futhi -also/too
kakhulu - strongly
Abafana bahamba ekhaya. Abafana babona
umlimi. Abafana bazosiza umlimi. Abafana bazolima futhi.
Abafana balethe amanzi. Abafana baphuze amanzi. Manje,
abafana basebenza kakhulu.
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