The Prefix for the Negative

Salibonani bangane (nice to see you friends).

If you are just starting your journey to learn and have fun with isiNdebele, please look at the first posts at the bottom of this page (scroll down) and work your way to this, the newest post.

Kulungile, lamhla, let us look at some grammar.

Manje, we can all make sentences like this by now, angithi?

1. Ngiyahamba (Ngi-ya-hamba) - I am going
2. Ngifuna itiye eletshukela - I want tea with sugar
3. Umama ulabantwana - Mother has children
4. Ngilemali - I have money

Right, well, now we can add the prefix for the negative "a-", so that we say ukuthi:

• Angihambi (a-ngi-hambi) - I do not go
• Angifuni - I do not want
• Angila (a-ngi-la) - I do not have

For example, angilemali (I don't have money). Remember, as shown above, with the negative prefix "a-", oftens comes the ending "-i". For example, it is not angihamba, but angihambi, and it is not angikhuluma, but angikhulumi.

For more formal lessons, see the lessons tab. Have fun bakithi.