Author: Bongiwe Mntambo
As a beginner looking to learn Ndebele, you must grow your vocabulary.
My Advice: Learn at least 5 new Ndebele words everyday and you will soon be speaking. The more words you know, the higher your confidence to speak and express yourself.
I have prepared 16 words for you today. These are common items you find around the house. Let’s divide them into two categories:
- General items
- Kitchen items
Let’s find out how many of these words you will you remember by the end of the lesson.
Ndebele Vocabulary: General Indoor Items
I believe isitulo and umbheda are easy to remember since they are close to their English names—stool and bed.
If you speak Shona, you will find that some words sound very similar in Ndebele and Shona. Examples are:
chikwama isikhwama
pombi impompi
tafura itafula
Examples of Simple Sentences
To help you remember these new words, let’s use them in simple sentences. Here are three examples of Ndebele phrases you’ll often hear:
- Singaphi isikhwama sami? Where is my bag?
- Vala umnyango Close the door.
- Izolo ngithenge itafula entsha Yesterday I bought a new table.
Ndebele Vocabulary: Kitchen Items
Whether you’re in the kitchen cooking, hanging out, or just passing by, you will need to know the following words in Ndebele to talk to other people.
Examples of Simple Sentences
Read these sentences out loud to practice using your new Ndebele words:
- Ngicela inkomitsho yetiye May I have a cup of tea.
- Imbiza leyo ngekabani? Whose pot is that?
- Mina ngidla ngefolokhwe I eat with a fork.
Using English Words in Ndebele Conversations
Some items around the house don’t have Ndebele names, so we use their English names in Ndebele speech. Examples include:
- Fridge i-fridge
- Sofa i-sofa
- Sink i-sink
- TV i-TV
- Oven i-oven
How To Pronounce These Ndebele Words
Many beginners need guidance in pronouncing Ndebele words. If that’s you, then I have you covered. Watch and learn as I teach you how to pronounce today’s vocabulary:
How to Learn Ndebele Fast
As we come to the end of the lesson, how many words can you remember?
You may need to write down all the words in a notebook. This helps you practice writing isiNdebele while making it easier for you to remember what you’re learning.
If you want to learn the language quickly, I invite you to check out this sample lesson from the Ndebele Accelerated Course.
I created this online course after noticing that many beginners are somewhat shy to start speaking. They’re afraid to make mistakes and look dumb or feel awkward. The accelerated course helps you get past that phase.
Here’s how it works:
- First, you watch the video lessons by yourself. In each lesson, I ask you to repeat certain words and phrases after me.
- Next, you practice your writing and speaking in assignments.
- Lastly, you join a class with other learners. Here you can practice your Ndebele in a relaxed atmosphere and create social networks with other excited learners.
Get in touch with me if you would like to take this course and take your Ndebele learning to the next level.
