Language/Zulu/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi Zulu learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in Zulu language. An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Gender, Adverbs of place, Describing Nouns & Conditional Mood.
Types of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
In Zulu, there are two types of adjectives: descriptive and qualitative.
Descriptive Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Descriptive adjectives describe or modify the noun. In Zulu language, descriptive adjectives are placed before the noun they describe.
Here are some examples:
Zulu | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ubuhle | u-ɓuhle | beauty |
omuhle | o-muɦle | beautiful |
inkondlo | in-kondlo | poem |
enkulu | en-kulu | big |
iqhawe | i-ɬawe | brave |
empofu | em-poɸu | thin |
Here is a dialogue to demonstrate the use of descriptive adjectives:
- Person 1: Umfana omuhle yathi kuthiwa uthanda ukudlala ingoma. (The beautiful boy is said to love to play music.)
- Person 2: Uxolo, anginalutho ngokuba lokhu kuyangifunza. (Alright, I have nothing to say about this as I am learning from it.)
Qualitative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Qualitative adjectives express the quality or condition of the noun. These adjectives do not describe the physical appearance of the noun but rather provide some quality or attribute about it. In Zulu, qualitative adjectives are placed after the noun they describe.
Here are some examples:
Zulu | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
inkulumo enhle | in-kulumo e-nhle | good advice |
imbadada emnandi | im-ba-da-da em-na-ndi | delicious food |
isibongo esisha | isi-bo-ngo e-si-ʃa | new name |
umlando ohamba phambili | um-lan-do o-ɦa-mba phi-li | progressive history |
ibutho elide | i-ɓu-ɬo e-ɬi-de | winning team |
Here is a dialogue to demonstrate the use of qualitative adjectives:
- Person 1: Ngizokwethula imvelaphi yendoda emncane yakhona. (I will summarize the biography of that little man.)
- Person 2: Ngiyabonga kakhulu, ngigcwele kakhulu ukthi awavele ebusuku. (Thank you very much, and congratulations to him for arriving at night.)
Placement of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
As mentioned before, the placement of adjectives depends on the type of adjective used. In Zulu language, descriptive adjectives come before the noun they describe while qualitative adjectives come after the noun.
Here is an example to show the difference:
- igolide elide || i-goli-de e-ɬi-de || winning gold (qualitative)
- igolide elikhulu || i-goli-de e-ɬi-kulu || big gold (descriptive)
Comparison of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
In Zulu language, comparison of adjectives is done by adding prefixes or suffixes to the root word. There are two forms of comparison: comparative and superlative.
Comparative Form[edit | edit source]
The comparative form is used to compare two nouns or pronouns. The comparative form is formed by adding the prefix "nga-" to the adjective. For example:
Zulu | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ukhulu | u-ɬu-lu | big |
ngakho | ŋa-ɓo | therefore |
ungakhulumi ngcono ngalento | u-ŋa-ɬu-mi ŋco-no ŋa-le-nto | You are not speaking better about this subject |
Here is a dialogue to demonstrate the comparative form:
- Person 1: Kukhona odla isinkwa ngcono kulabo abadla amanqina. (There are those who eat chicken better than those who eat grapes.)
- Person 2: Noma kanjalo kuyokusiza ukuqhathanisa kanye abathandi bezinkwa. (Even so, it will help you compare chicken lovers.)
Superlative Form[edit | edit source]
The superlative form is used to compare three or more nouns or pronouns. The superlative form is formed by adding the prefix "kwa-" to the adjective. For example:
Zulu | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
ukhulu | u-ɬu-lu | big |
kwakho | kwa-ɓo | therefore |
kwaso sonke | kwa-so so-nke | all the best |
Here is a dialogue to demonstrate the superlative form:
- Person 1: Umuntu ungakhulumi ngcono kulomuntu nomuntu oyisikhulu kakhulu. (A person who doesn't speak better than this person and this very big person.)
- Person 2: Kwaso sonke, ngiyabonga. (All the best, thank you.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we have learned about adjectives in the Zulu language. Remember that there are two types of adjectives: descriptive and qualitative. Descriptive adjectives come before the noun while qualitative adjectives come after the noun. The comparison of adjectives is done by adding prefixes or suffixes to the root word for comparative and superlative forms.
To improve your Zulu Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ 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. 😎
Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Pronouns, Adverbs of manner, Personal Pronouns & How to Use Be.
Videos[edit | edit source]
Adjective '-hle' Beautiful / Good - How to speak isiZulu. Learn Zulu ...[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Plurals
- Plural
- Conditional Mood
- Adverbs of frequency
- Gender
- Adverbs of place
- How to Use Have
- Negation
- Give your Opinion
Sources[edit | edit source]