The Zulu Alphabet

Q: What is the Zulu language?

Zulu (isiZulu, ISO 639-3: zu) is a Nguni Bantu language and the most widely spoken home language in South Africa , with approximately 12 million first-language speakers. It is one of eleven official languages of South Africa under the 1996 Constitution [3] . Zulu is spoken primarily in KwaZulu-Natal Province and across Gauteng . It is closely related to Xhosa, both being Nguni Bantu languages with click consonants. The name "Zulu" comes from izulu meaning "sky" or "heaven" in isiZulu

Q: What are the click consonants in Zulu?

Zulu has 12 click phonemes across three click types: c = dental click /ǀ/ (tongue tip on upper teeth); q = palatal click /ǃ/ (tongue body on hard palate); x = lateral click /ǁ/ (released from sides of tongue) [1] . Each click type has four variants: plain (c, q, x), aspirated (ch, qh, xh), voiced (gc, gq, gx), and nasal (nc, nq, nx), plus voiced nasals (ngc, ngq, ngx). The click system in Zulu is identical to Xhosa's in structure. Clicks entered Nguni Bantu through contact with Khoisan-speaking populations [3] .

Q: What does ubuntu mean?

Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu word meaning "humanity", "human-kindness", or "I am because we are" (umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu). It derives from umuntu (person) with the u- prefix of noun-class 14, forming an abstract noun meaning "the quality of being human" [1] . Ubuntu has entered global consciousness through: (1) Archbishop Desmond Tutu's use of it as a philosophical foundation for South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission; (2) its adoption as the name of the Ubuntu Linux operating system (Canonical, 2004); (3) its wider use in African political philosophy and management theory [2] .

Q: Is Zulu similar to Xhosa?

Zulu and Xhosa are the two most closely related Nguni Bantu languages, sharing approximately 80% core vocabulary. Both have the same three-click system (c, q, x with the same four variants), the same voiceless lateral fricative hl (/ɬ/), and a two-tone system [3] . Key differences: Zulu has unique lexicalised numerals (isikhombisa for 7, isishiyagalolunye for 9) that differ from Xhosa's; certain sound correspondences diverge; some vocabulary differs significantly. Despite high lexical similarity, native speakers of one language cannot fully understand the other without exposure [1] .

Q: Why does Zulu have unusual numerals for 7, 8, and 9?

Zulu numerals 7, 8, and 9 have been lexicalised with unique forms not found in most Bantu languages: isikhombisa (7 = "the pointer"), isishiyagalombili (8 = "leave two"), isishiyagalolunye (9 = "leave one"). The subtractive 8 and 9 (ten-minus-two, ten-minus-one) are particularly unusual [2] . By contrast, Tumbuka (Northern Malawi) counts additively from five: visanu na vitatu (8 = five+three), visanu na vinai (9 = five+four). Nguni languages innovated unique numeral vocabulary for 7–9, while most other Bantu branches retained additive or simple root forms [1] .

Q: What is the hl sound in Zulu?

The digraph hl in Zulu represents the voiceless lateral fricative /ɬ/ — a sound where air escapes around both sides of the tongue while the centre is blocked. It is similar to Welsh "ll" in Llewelyn and is also found in Xhosa and Swati — a distinctive Nguni Bantu feature [3] . Zulu words with hl: hlala (sit/stay), hlanganisa (join together), hleka (laugh). The numeral root -hlanu (five) contains this sound — shared with Xhosa -hlanu and contrasting with non-Nguni forms like Tumbuka visanu (which has a regular s, not hl) [1] .

Q: What is the ISO 639-3 code for Zulu?

The ISO 639-3 code for Zulu (isiZulu) is zu — the same as its ISO 639-1 two-letter code. Zulu is one of South Africa's eleven officially recognised languages and is the most widely spoken home language in the country per the South African national census [3] . The University of the Witwatersrand's School of Literature, Language and Media publishes Zulu linguistic research. PubMed Central holds health communication studies in isiZulu reflecting the language's importance for public health outreach in South Africa. The Journal of African Languages and Linguistics (JALL) regularly publishes Zulu phonological and grammatical research [2] .

Zulu Language at a Glance

Zulu (isiZulu, ISO 639-3: zu) is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa, with approximately 12 million first-language speakers. It is one of eleven official languages under the 1996 Constitution and is primarily spoken in KwaZulu-Natal Province and across Gauteng (the Johannesburg-Pretoria region) ^[3]
Zulu has three series of click consonants: dental c (/ǀ/), palatal q (/ǃ/), and lateral x (/ǁ/), each with four variants (plain, aspirated, voiced, nasal) — giving 12 click phonemes in total. Clicks entered Zulu through contact with Khoisan-speaking peoples during the southward Bantu migration ^[1]
Zulu is closely related to Xhosa — both are Nguni Bantu languages with the same three-click system and the voiceless lateral fricative hl (/ɬ/). They share approximately 80% core vocabulary but are not mutually intelligible. The Nguni branch also includes Swati and Ndebele ^[3]
The word ubuntu (humanity/human-kindness) is a Nguni Bantu concept central to both Zulu and Xhosa culture. It derives from umuntu (person) with the u- prefix: "the quality of being human". Ubuntu is now globally recognised as an ethical philosophy and as the name of a major Linux distribution ^[1]
Zulu has unique lexicalised numerals: isithupha (6, literally "the thumb"), isikhombisa (7, "the pointer"), and the subtractive forms isishiyagalombili (8, "leave two") and isishiyagalolunye (9, "leave one"). This pattern — unlike additive Tumbuka and subtractive Zulu — shows how Bantu languages developed different numeral strategies from the same roots ^[2]
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg has one of Africa's leading African Languages departments, with a long tradition of Zulu linguistic scholarship. Wits publishes grammars, dictionaries, and comparative Nguni studies, and the university is a major centre for IsiZulu language documentation and teaching ^[3]

Zulu Click Consonants (Three Series)

Zulu shares the Nguni three-click system with Xhosa: dental c (/ǀ/), palatal q (/ǃ/), lateral x (/ǁ/), each with four variants (plain, aspirated with -h, voiced with g-, nasal with n-) giving 12 click phonemes. The orthographic system is identical to Xhosa's. Clicks are core vocabulary phonemes — Zulu words like qala (begin), xosha (chase), and hlala (sit) all begin with click or lateral fricative consonants ^[1].

Zulu Click Consonants (Three Series):

[ǀ]

[ǀʰ]

[ᶢǀ]

[ᵑǀ]

ngc

[ᵑᶢǀ]

[ǃ]

[ǃʰ]

[ᶢǃ]

[ᵑǃ]

ngq

[ᵑᶢǃ]

[ǁ]

[ǁʰ]

[ᶢǁ]

[ᵑǁ]

ngx

[ᵑᶢǁ]

[ǀ]

Dental click /ǀ/ — tongue tip against upper teeth, pulled away sharply; a "tsk" sound; Zulu: cela (ask/request), casha (hide)

[ǀʰ]

Aspirated dental click /ǀʰ/ — dental click with puff of air; in Zulu, ch always means this aspirated click, never the English /tʃ/ sound

[ᶢǀ]

Voiced dental click /ᶢǀ/ — dental click with simultaneous voicing; the g- prefix signals voicing in Zulu click notation

[ᵑǀ]

Nasal dental click /ᵑǀ/ — dental click with nasal airflow; Zulu: ncela (suck), ncwadi (book)

ngc

[ᵑᶢǀ]

Voiced nasal dental click /ᵑᶢǀ/ — the most complex dental click variant, combining nasalization and voicing

[ǃ]

Palatal click /ǃ/ — tongue body pulled sharply from the hard palate; a louder pop than the dental click; Zulu: qala (begin/start), qeda (finish)

[ǃʰ]

Aspirated palatal click /ǃʰ/ — palatal click with puff of air

[ᶢǃ]

Voiced palatal click /ᶢǃ/ — palatal click with voicing

[ᵑǃ]

Nasal palatal click /ᵑǃ/ — palatal click with nasal airflow; Zulu: nqaba (fortress), nquzu (grinding stone)

ngq

[ᵑᶢǃ]

Voiced nasal palatal click /ᵑᶢǃ/ — combines nasalization and voicing with the palatal click

[ǁ]

Lateral click /ǁ/ — tongue released from both sides simultaneously; like the horse-urging click; Zulu: xosha (chase away), xabana (quarrel)

[ǁʰ]

Aspirated lateral click /ǁʰ/ — lateral click with puff of air; Zulu: xhosa in Zulu text also uses this (note the word Xhosa itself contains this aspirated lateral click)

[ᶢǁ]

Voiced lateral click /ᶢǁ/ — lateral click with vocal cord vibration

[ᵑǁ]

Nasal lateral click /ᵑǁ/ — lateral click with nasal airflow; Zulu: nxamalala (lie face-up)

ngx

[ᵑᶢǁ]

Voiced nasal lateral click /ᵑᶢǁ/ — combines nasalization and voicing with the lateral click

Zulu Vowels:

[a]

[e]

[i]

[o]

[u]

Zulu Non-Click Consonants:

[b]

[d]

[ɮ]

[f]

[ɡ]

[h]

[ɬ]

[dʒ]

[k]

[kʰ]

[l]

[m]

[ᵐb]

[n]

[ⁿd]

[ᵑɡ]

[ⁿdʒ]

[ɲ]

[p]

[pʰ]

[r]

[s]

[ʃ]

[t]

[tʰ]

[v]

[w]

[j]

[z]

[b]

Voiced bilabial stop /b/ — B as in "bat"

[d]

Voiced alveolar stop /d/ — D as in "dog"; Zulu: duma (thunder/be famous)

[ɮ]

Voiced lateral fricative /ɮ/ — the voiced counterpart of hl; a distinctive Nguni consonant; Zulu: dlala (play), dladla (pigeon)

[f]

Voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ — F as in "fun"; Zulu: funa (want/look for), fika (arrive)

[ɡ]

Voiced velar stop /ɡ/ — G as in "go"; also prefix for voiced clicks in Zulu notation

[h]

Voiceless glottal fricative /h/ — H as in "house"

[ɬ]

Voiceless lateral fricative /ɬ/ — like Welsh "ll" in "Llewelyn"; air escapes around sides of tongue; Zulu: hlala (sit/stay), hlanganisa (join together); the numeral -hlanu (five) contains this sound

[dʒ]

Voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ — J as in "jam"; Zulu: jabulisa (make happy)

[k]

Voiceless velar stop /k/ — K as in "kite"

[kʰ]

Aspirated voiceless velar stop /kʰ/ — K with a puff of air; Zulu: khaya (home/house), khuluma (speak/talk)

[l]

Alveolar lateral approximant /l/ — L as in "lamp"; Zulu: lalela (listen), langa (sun)

[m]

Bilabial nasal /m/ — M as in "mother"; Zulu: muntu (person in some forms), mama (mother)

[ᵐb]

Prenasalized voiced bilabial stop /ᵐb/ — a single phoneme; Zulu: mbiza (pot)

[n]

Alveolar nasal /n/ — N as in "night"; Zulu: ngilala (I sleep), ngilanda (I follow)

[ⁿd]

Prenasalized voiced alveolar stop /ⁿd/ — a single phoneme; Zulu: ndoda (man), ndlela (way/path)

[ᵑɡ]

Prenasalized voiced velar stop /ᵑɡ/ — a single phoneme; also used as prefix before clicks to signal nasalization

[ⁿdʒ]

Prenasalized voiced palato-alveolar affricate /ⁿdʒ/ — a single phoneme

[ɲ]

Palatal nasal /ɲ/ — NY as in "canyon"; a single phoneme; Zulu: nyawo (foot), nyama (meat/flesh)

[p]

Voiceless bilabial stop /p/ — P as in "pin"; Zulu: phakathi (inside) with aspirated ph

[pʰ]

Aspirated voiceless bilabial stop /pʰ/ — P with puff of air; Zulu: phela (finish), phuma (come out), phanda (search)

[r]

Alveolar trill or flap /r/ or /ɾ/ — relatively rare in native Zulu vocabulary; often marks loanwords

[s]

Voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ — S as in "sun"; Zulu: siza (help), sala (stay/remain)

[ʃ]

Voiceless postalveolar fricative /ʃ/ — SH as in "ship"; Zulu: shaya (hit/play music), shona (set/sink/drown)

[t]

Voiceless alveolar stop /t/ — T as in "top"; Zulu: thanda (love) with aspirated th

[tʰ]

Aspirated voiceless alveolar stop /tʰ/ — T with puff of air; NOT the English TH; Zulu: thanda (love), thatha (take), thumela (send)

[v]

Voiced labiodental fricative /v/ — V as in "very"; Zulu: vula (open), veza (show)

[w]

Labio-velar approximant /w/ — W as in "water"

[j]

Palatal approximant /j/ — Y as in "yes"; Zulu: yebo (yes), yini (what is it?)

[z]

Voiced alveolar fricative /z/ — Z as in "zoo"; Zulu: zulu (sky/heaven — the source of the nation's name), zona (they/them)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[1]

One in Zulu — -nye (root; kunye = it is one; inye/enye with noun-class agreement); cognate with Xhosa -nye

[2]

Two in Zulu — -bili (root; kubili = it is two; imbili with some noun classes); shared with Xhosa; compare Swahili mbili

[3]

Three in Zulu — -thathu (root; kuthathu = it is three); the -thathu form shared with Xhosa contrasts with Tumbuka vitatu — showing the regular Nguni t-/th- correspondence

[4]

Four in Zulu — -ne (root; kune = it is four; the form -nne appears in some contexts); shared with Xhosa; compare Swahili -nne

[5]

Five in Zulu — -hlanu (root; kuhlanu = it is five; the hl is the voiceless lateral fricative /ɬ/); shared with Xhosa -hlanu; the lateral fricative distinguishes Nguni from non-Nguni Bantu five-roots

[6]

Six in Zulu — isithupha (six; from -thupha meaning "thumb" — counting on fingers; a lexicalised word, not additive "five plus one")

[7]

Seven in Zulu — isikhombisa (seven; from -khomba = "point/show" — "the pointer" — another lexicalised form unique to Zulu/Nguni among Bantu)

[8]

Eight in Zulu — isishiyagalombili (eight; literally "leave two" — ten minus two in a subtractive pattern, contrasting with additive Tumbuka "five and three")

[9]

Nine in Zulu — isishiyagalolunye (nine; literally "leave one" — ten minus one; a subtractive numeral unique to Nguni Bantu)

[10]

Ten in Zulu — ishumi (ten; i- is a noun-class 5 prefix; -shumi is the Nguni reflex of the pan-Bantu *-kumi root; cognate with Xhosa ishumi, Tumbuka khumi, Swahili kumi — all from the same Proto-Bantu root)

[a]

[b]

[ǀ]

[d]

[e]

[f]

[ɡ]

[h]

[i]

[dʒ]

[k]

[l]

[m]

[n]

[o]

[p]

[ǃ]

[r]

[s]

[t]

[u]

[v]

[w]

[ǁ]

[j]

[z]

Expand All Collapse All

What is the Zulu language?

What are the click consonants in Zulu?

What does ubuntu mean?

Is Zulu similar to Xhosa?

Why does Zulu have unusual numerals for 7, 8, and 9?

What is the hl sound in Zulu?

What is the ISO 639-3 code for Zulu?

References:

[1] De Gruyter — Journal of African Languages and Linguistics (JALL). "IsiZulu Phonology, Grammar and Click Consonants". Retrieved from De Gruyter — Journal of African Languages and Linguistics (JALL)
[2] PubMed Central (PMC), National Library of Medicine. "IsiZulu Language Research — Computational and Applied Linguistics". Retrieved from PubMed Central — IsiZulu Language Research
[3] University of the Witwatersrand, School of Literature, Language and Media. "IsiZulu Language Studies at Wits". Retrieved from University of the Witwatersrand — IsiZulu Studies