Some Animals in isiNdebele

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.

Lamhla, let us look at some names of animals (inyamazana) in siNdebele. Some words you may have encountered already. Also, note that we have lessons out here:

Ok, here are some animals that come to mind. Check this list for how many you know, and then test yourself below. Good luck and let us know what your score was or if you think of any other words:

1. isibaya
2. ubabhemi
3. ibhiza
4. bhonga
5. imbuzi
6. uchago
7. ichibi
8. idada
9. udaka
10. isidleke
11. indlovu
12. indwangu
13. elusa
14. ufudu
15. umfula
16. iganga
17. ingulube
18. igundwane
19. igwala
20. ingwe
21. isihlahla
22. umhlambi
23. ihlamvu
24. inhlanyelo
25. inhlanzi
26. umuhlwa
27. ubuhlungu
28. inja
29. inkabi
30. inkawu
31. ukhokho
32. inkomo
33. inkukhu
34. inkume
35. inkunzi
36. umlindi
37. luma
38. isilwane
39. umangoye
40. nona
41. unwabu
42. amanzi
43. phapha
44. impukane
45. iqaqa
46. umsila
47. intanga
48. ithole
49. isithutha
50. isitshebo
51. inwele
52. ixoxo
53. inyamazana
54. inyathi
55. inyoka
56. inyoni
57. zimuka
58. zingela

1. A bit of a trick but this is "a kraal/ holding pen for animals"
2. donkey
3. horse
4. Another trick, it's a "roar/ bellow"
5. goat (don't be so hard on yourself, manje, you're not that bad)
6. yet another trick, this is "milk", but it can come from animals
7. a pond, body of water
8. a duck
9. mud, which ducks might walk on
10. a "nest", perhaps for ducks
11. elephant (back to animals now)
12. a name for a "baboon"
13. a "herd"
14. tortoise
15. a river, kanti, pet tortoises don't swim, qaphela!
16. bushveld, open country
17. pig, not you though
18. rat, do you smell one?
19. a "coward", trick question again
20. leopard
21. a tree. Did you think it was only animals?
22. a "herd or flock" of animals (or people maybe too)
23. a leaf, fallen from isihlahla above
24. a seed. It seems the tree comes before the seed, funny hey?
25. fish
26. termites (white ants)
27. pain. These ants bite
28. dog
29. an ox
30. monkey, yes you are silly
31. ancestor, a good word
32. cow/ cattle
33. chicken
34. scorpion
35. bull, just a bull
36. a burrow/ hole animals use
37. bite, what the animal might do if you go into their burrow
38. lion. Run!
39. cat, don't need to run
40. be fat (especially animals being fat)
41. chameleon, otherwise known as a hamba bijana
42. water, another place you might find the idada
43. fly. A trick, this is "to fly". Ukuphapha
44. a fly, this one
45. skunk, uyanuka?
46. a tail (of the skunk even)
47. another trick, these are "pumpkin (or squash) seeds"
48. a calf
49. another trick, I couldn't resist. This is an "idiotic person"
50. relish accompanying the starch in a meal to spice it up
51. hair
52. a frog. Remember your soft click sound for the X
53. animals
54. buffalo
55. snake
56. bird
57. be fat, but only used for people this time
58. to hunt, animals or people

If you scored more than 30, you should be sending me an email with information/ links to share or that you would like us to post on NorthernNdebele: northernndebeleblog@gmail.com. Amhlophe, mngan'ami. If not, see the lessons tab or for some vocabulary, check the vocab tab. Have fun bakithi, we look forward to hearing from you. Thanks to those who spot spelling mistakes etc, if you want to help out further, please ask/ answer questions on the Community Questions tab or contact us on northernndebeleblog@gmail.com.