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English to Zulu translation

Type a sentence, get it in Zulu with a respelling that shows you which syllable to stress. Fifteen translations a day are free and you do not need an account to start.

Translate English to Zulu

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English to Zulu: the words people look up most

Hello

Sawubona

/sa-woo-BO-na/

Thank you

Ngiyabonga

/ngee-ya-BON-ga/

Goodbye

Hamba kahle

/HAM-ba KAH-shleh/

Yes

Yebo

/YEH-bo/

No

Cha

/chah/

Please

Ngicela

/ngee-CHEH-la/

How are you?

Unjani?

/oon-JA-nee/

I love you

Ngiyakuthanda

/ngee-ya-koo-TAN-da/

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English to Zulu: everyday phrases

Common phrases from the Zulu course, each with a respelling — capitals mark the stressed syllable.

  • Hello (to one person)Sawubona
    Hello (to one person)/sa-woo-BO-na/
  • Hello (to many)Sanibonani
    Hello (to many)/sa-nee-bo-NA-nee/
  • Thank youNgiyabonga
    Thank you/ngee-ya-BON-ga/
  • Goodbye (go well)Hamba kahle
    Goodbye (go well)/HAM-ba KAH-shleh/
  • YesYebo
    Yes/YEH-bo/
  • NoCha
    No/chah/
  • PleaseNgicela
    Please/ngee-CHEH-la/
  • SorryUxolo
    Sorry/oo-KLO-lo/
  • My name is AmaraIgama lami ngu-Amara
    My name is Amara/ee-GA-ma LA-mee ngoo a-MA-ra/
  • How are you?Unjani?
    How are you?/oon-JA-nee/
  • I am fineNgikhona
    I am fine/ngee-KHO-na/
  • WaterAmanzi
    Water/a-MAN-zee/
  • FoodUkudla
    Food/oo-KOOD-la/
  • FriendUmngane
    Friend/oom-NGA-neh/
  • HouseIndlu
    House/IND-loo/
  • MarketImakethe
    Market/ee-ma-KEH-teh/
  • How much?Malini?
    How much?/ma-LEE-nee/
  • I want waterNgifuna amanzi
    I want water/ngee-FOO-na a-MAN-zee/
  • I don't understandAngiqondi
    I don't understand/an-gee-KLON-dee/
  • Help meNgisize
    Help me/ngee-SEE-zeh/
  • OneKunye
    One/KOO-nyeh/
  • TwoKubili
    Two/koo-BEE-lee/
  • ThreeKuthathu
    Three/koo-TA-too/
  • FourKune
    Four/KOO-neh/
  • FiveKuhlanu
    Five/koo-SHLA-noo/
  • SixIsithupha
    Six/ee-see-TOO-pha/
  • TenIshumi
    Ten/ee-SHOO-mee/
  • How many?Zingaki?
    How many?/zeen-GA-kee/
  • MotherUmama
    Mother/oo-MA-ma/
  • FatherUbaba
    Father/oo-BA-ba/
  • My brotherUmfowethu
    My brother/oom-fo-WEH-too/
  • My sisterUdadewethu
    My sister/oo-da-deh-WEH-too/
  • ChildIngane
    Child/in-GA-neh/
  • FamilyUmndeni
    Family/oom-NDEH-nee/
  • WifeUmfazi
    Wife/oom-FA-zee/
  • HusbandUmyeni
    Husband/oom-YEH-nee/
  • TodayNamuhla
    Today/na-MOO-hla/
  • TomorrowKusasa
    Tomorrow/koo-SA-sa/
  • YesterdayIzolo
    Yesterday/ee-ZOH-loh/
  • NowManje
    Now/MAN-jeh/

What to know before you translate

About Zulu

South Africa, with speakers in Eswatini, Lesotho and Zimbabwe — around 12 million first-language speakers. Writing system: Latin alphabet, including the letters c, q and x for click sounds.

  • c, q and x spell three different clicks — cha (no) starts with a dental click, not a ch sound.
  • hl is a breathy side-of-the-tongue sound, so kuhlanu (five) is nothing like English hl.
  • Verbs carry the subject as a prefix: ngiyabonga is literally I-am-thanking.

How accurate is it?

Translations are produced by an AI model, so treat long or legal text as a draft and check it with a speaker. Short everyday sentences — greetings, directions, family talk — are where it is strongest, and the pronunciation guide is written for English readers. Lesson audio is AI pronunciation audio, not a recording of a native speaker.

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