Language/Xhosa/Vocabulary/Feelings-and-Emotions

Xhosa Vocabulary - Feelings and Emotions

Hi Xhosa learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore the vocabulary related to feelings and emotions. Understanding emotions is the key to effective communication, as emotions play a big part in how we relate to others.

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Drinks & Languages.

Basic Emotions

Xhosa has words for basic emotions that are universal across languages. Here are some of them:

Xhosa	Pronunciation	English
Mombe	/mɔm.bɛ/	Love
Inhliziyo ifile	/ɪn.hli.ˈzi.jo i.ˈfi.le/	Sadness
Ukoyika	/ɪ.k͡ʊ.ˈjí.kə/	Fear
Isithunzi	/i.si.ˈt(ʰ)un.zi/	Anger
Ukuzonda	/ʊ.ku.ˈʒɔn.da/	Hate
Ubuso obuhle	/u.bu.so o.bu.ɬe/	Happiness

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Ndiyamkela (**I welcome you**)
• Person 2: Ndiyamkela **Wenjenje** (**I welcome you too**)

(Person 1 is feeling happiness, and is greeting a friend they haven't seen in a while)

Expressing Feelings

Sometimes, we want to express how we are feeling, and Xhosa has words to help us do that. Here are some of them:

Xhosa	Pronunciation	English
Andifuni	/ɑn.dɪ.ˈfu.ni/	I don’t want to
Ndingaze ndanxibuza	/n.d̪ǐ.ŋà.zè ì.n.ɮí.ˈbu.ː.zà/	I don’t care
Ndifuna ukulima	/n.di.ˈfuː.na ù.kʊ.ˈli.ma/	I want to cry
Ndiyakufuna wena	/n.dǐ.ˈjʌ.ku.ˈfuː.na ù.ˈna/	I miss you

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Le nto yenzeke saphuma kwesibini. Ka mna ndifuna ukucinezelwa (**This happened again, for the second time. I want to be noticed**)
• Person 2: Hay ke! Wenza njani kodwa? (**Oh no! What did you do?**)

(Person 1 is feeling frustrated, and wants attention)

Cultural Information

Xhosa people often use figurative language or analogies that refer to things in nature or daily life when talking about emotions. Here are a few examples:

Xhosa	Pronunciation	English	Figurative Meaning
Ukungena ngesitendeni	/ʊ.ku.ˈŋe.na ŋe.si.ˈtʰɛn.di/	To be caught by the thorns	To be caught in trouble
Ukujik'indlela	/ʊ.ku.ˈdʒi.kǀin.dlela/	To take the side/road of the river	To behave in a certain way
Ukucinezelwa kwezinyembezi	/ʊ.kʊ.cɪ.nɛ.ˈzɛlwa kʷɛ.zi.ˈɲɛm.be.zi/	To be noticed by tears	To cry for attention

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Ndifuna ukungena ngesitendeni. (**I'm caught in trouble.**)
• Person 2: Owu jik'indlela othandayo. (**You took that road of choice.**)

(Person 1 is feeling guilty, and is trying to come clean with Person 2)

Advanced Vocabulary

Here are some advanced vocabulary that can be used to describe emotions:

Xhosa	Pronunciation	English
Ukuzimla	/ʊ.ku.ˈʒim.la/	To be compassionate
Ukukhohlisa	/ʊ.kʊ.kʰʊ.ˈɬi.sa/	To be suspicious
Ukuhlolwa	/ʊ.kʊ.ˈɬɔ.lwa/	To be doubted
Ukudinga	/ʊ.ku.ˈdi.ŋa/	To need
Ukwenza ucabanga	/ʊ.ˈkʷɛn.za u.t͡ʃa.ˈba.ŋa/	To contemplate

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Ndifuna ukuzimla. (**I want to be compassionate.**)
• Person 2: Ungangqina ukukhohlisa ngami. (**Don't be suspicious of me.**)

(Person 1 is feeling empathetic for a friend going through a hard time)

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have covered Xhosa vocabulary related to feelings and emotions. Remember, emotions are a big part of communication, and understanding them in another language is the key to effective communication. To improve your Xhosa Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• English to Xhosa Meaning of emotion - imvakalelo
• Translations from EMOTION to EMPLOY in Xhosa - bab.la
• English to Xhosa Meaning of feeling - imvakalelo

Finished this lesson? Check out these related lessons: Colors & Days of the week and time expressions.

Other Lessons

• Days of the Week
• Express Surprise
• Numbers
• Greetings
• Fruits and Vegetables
• How to say Good Bye?
• Main colors
• Weather
• Days of the week and time expressions