Salibonani mngan'ami (Hello/ I see you my friend)
Today I would like to introduce you to the distinct language of chilapalapa, as used in some parts of Zimbabwe. Chilapalapa is a mixture of isiNdebele, English (isiNgisi) and some chiShona. It is not officially a language. There are some interesting words in Chilapalapa, and here are a few:
"come-come"= rain or izulu e.g. ucabanga ukuthi come-come lamhla?- you think it will rain today?
"sure"= good/ okay e.g. Unjani umngane? (How're you friend?)- Ye, sure sure
"faka"= to put e.g. Faka zonke- put it all (faka is actually isiNdebele too, and is pronounce 'farga')
"now-now"= in a little bit of time
"sure" or "sure-sure"=ok, I'm fine etc
"mdududu"=motorbike (think about the sound a motorbike makes- it is like du-du-du)
"imota"=motorcar
and even sometimes "iflying machina" for aeroplane
Ok, so let's now look at some useful isiNdebele words:
ucabangani?= you think what (u-cabanga-ni) or what do you think?
ukuthi= that e.g Ucabanga ukuthi...?- Do you think that...?
Ngizakuhamba/ sizakuhamba- I will go/ we will go
Nsukuzonke= everyday (nsuku-day, zonke- all/every)
Angikathali= I don't worry/ care (a...i makes a word negative) (ngi=I, kathala=worry/care)
Awukathali?= you don't mind/ care?
Uwenzani (or just wenzani)?= What are you doing? or What is he/she/it doing?
About food:
Amanzi= water
Ukudla= food
Nginatha amanzi/ uchago= I drink water/ milk
Ngidla amatamatisi/ inyama/ amabhida/ isinkwa/ isitshwala= I eat tomatoes/ meat/ vegetables/ bread/ pap or sadza
Ngiwomile= I'm thirsty
Ngilambile= I'm hungry
Ngidiniwe= I'm tired.
If you put "u" instead of "ngi" in the above phrases, you can change the meaning from e.g. ngi-diniwe (I am tired) to udiniwe (you/he/she is tired) which can even be a question e.g. ulambile? - Are you hungry?
Sure bangane, ngilambile khathesi (now), ngizakudla amabhida lesinkwa
Today I would like to introduce you to the distinct language of chilapalapa, as used in some parts of Zimbabwe. Chilapalapa is a mixture of isiNdebele, English (isiNgisi) and some chiShona. It is not officially a language. There are some interesting words in Chilapalapa, and here are a few:
"come-come"= rain or izulu e.g. ucabanga ukuthi come-come lamhla?- you think it will rain today?
"sure"= good/ okay e.g. Unjani umngane? (How're you friend?)- Ye, sure sure
"faka"= to put e.g. Faka zonke- put it all (faka is actually isiNdebele too, and is pronounce 'farga')
"now-now"= in a little bit of time
"sure" or "sure-sure"=ok, I'm fine etc
"mdududu"=motorbike (think about the sound a motorbike makes- it is like du-du-du)
"imota"=motorcar
and even sometimes "iflying machina" for aeroplane
Ok, so let's now look at some useful isiNdebele words:
ucabangani?= you think what (u-cabanga-ni) or what do you think?
ukuthi= that e.g Ucabanga ukuthi...?- Do you think that...?
Ngizakuhamba/ sizakuhamba- I will go/ we will go
Nsukuzonke= everyday (nsuku-day, zonke- all/every)
Angikathali= I don't worry/ care (a...i makes a word negative) (ngi=I, kathala=worry/care)
Awukathali?= you don't mind/ care?
Uwenzani (or just wenzani)?= What are you doing? or What is he/she/it doing?
About food:
Amanzi= water
Ukudla= food
Nginatha amanzi/ uchago= I drink water/ milk
Ngidla amatamatisi/ inyama/ amabhida/ isinkwa/ isitshwala= I eat tomatoes/ meat/ vegetables/ bread/ pap or sadza
Ngiwomile= I'm thirsty
Ngilambile= I'm hungry
Ngidiniwe= I'm tired.
If you put "u" instead of "ngi" in the above phrases, you can change the meaning from e.g. ngi-diniwe (I am tired) to udiniwe (you/he/she is tired) which can even be a question e.g. ulambile? - Are you hungry?
Sure bangane, ngilambile khathesi (now), ngizakudla amabhida lesinkwa
ngithanda isi ndebele khulu
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