Language/Zulu/Grammar/Negation

Zulu Grammar - Negation

Hi Zulu learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be looking at negation in Zulu.

Negation is a very important aspect of any language, as it allows us to indicate the absence or nonexistence of things, actions, or ideas. In Zulu, there are different ways to express negation, and in this lesson, we will learn how to do this using various grammatical structures and verbs.

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Gender, Adjectives, Past Tense & Prepositions.

Basic Negation with "A"

One of the most common ways to express negation in Zulu is by using the particle "a" at the beginning of the verb. This particle can be translated to English as "not". To use this form of negation, simply place "a" before the verb. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
a ngi funi	ah ngi fooni	I do not want	a zokwazi	ah zo-kwa-zi	he will not know	a banjwa	ah bahn-jwa	they are not cooked	a yenzi	ah yen-zee	it does not do

As we can see from the examples above, "a" comes before the verb in each of the sentences, and this changes the meaning of the sentence from positive to negative.

Negation with "Cha"

Another form of negation in Zulu is by using the particle "cha". "Cha" is a negative particle that can be used instead of "a" to indicate negation. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
cha ngi funi	cha ngi fooni	I do not want	cha zokwazi	cha zo-kwa-zi	he will not know	cha banjwa	cha bahn-jwa	they are not cooked	cha yenzi	cha yen-zee	it does not do

Although "cha" and "a" can be used interchangeably in many situations, there is a subtle difference between them. "Cha" tends to be more emphatic, and is therefore used when the speaker wants to strongly emphasize the negation.

Double Negation

In some cases, Zulu also allows for double negation. This means that a sentence can contain two negative elements. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
angifuni ukudla cha	ah-ngi-fu-ni u-kud-la cha	I do not want to eat anything	angeke ngihleli nje cha	ah-ge-ke ngi-hle-li nje cha	I cannot just sit here and do nothing

In both of these examples, we have used double negation. "cha" and "nje" are both negative particles, and they both work together to create a stronger sense of negation.

Negation with Ngi

In Zulu, there are several verbs that take the prefix "ngi" before them. This prefix indicates that the verb is in the first person singular. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
ngifuna	ngi-foonah	I want	ngiyazi	ngi-ya-zi	I know	ngiyaphi	ngi-ya-fee	where am I going?

To negate verbs with the "ngi" prefix, simply add "n" before the "gi" prefix. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
angifuni	ah-ngi-fu-ni	I do not want	angezi	ahn-ge-zi	I do not know	angephathelwa	ahn-ge-pa-thel-wa	I am not being attended to

Notice that we have added an "n" before the "gi" prefix in each of the negative examples above. This transformation changes the meaning of the verb from positive to negative.

Interrogative Negation

In Zulu, we can also express negation in interrogative sentences. This means that we can ask questions that are negatively framed. To do this, we use a special interrogative particle "nga" or "ngalapho". These particles can be placed at the beginning or at the end of the sentence. For example:

Zulu	Pronunciation	English
ungathini?	u-ngath-nee	What will you not do?	ngathathe lapho ngilambile?	ngath-a-the laf-o ngi-lam-bi-le	Will you take it where I have already been?

In both of these examples, we have used interrogative negation. The particle "nga" or "ngalapho" has been added to the sentence to create a negative question. This form of negation is often used to express doubt or disbelief.

Summary

Negation is a very important aspect of any language, and Zulu is no exception. In this lesson, we have looked at some of the different ways to express negation in Zulu. These include the use of particles such as "a", "cha", "n", and "nga".

To improve your Zulu Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Dialogue

• Person 1: ungathandi ukudla? (Don't you love eating?)
• Person 2: cha, angithandi ukudla. (No, I don't love eating)

• Person 1: ucabanga ukuthi uzobuya lapha ngesonto? (Do you think you'll come back here next week?)
• Person 2: nangu ke azobuya lapha ngaphandle kwa-Jozi. (No, he'll come back outside Jo'burg)

Sources

• Zulu grammar - Wikipedia
• Zulu Lesson 7 - Negation and Human Body

Other Lessons

• Adverbs of manner
• How to Use Be
• Verbs
• Questions
• Feminine
• Gender
• Give your Opinion
• Adjectives
• Plurals
• Adverbs of place