Animals

1. Inja

   Dog

   Usage

   Guard dogs are common; also the word you need if you were bitten

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinja".

2. Ikati

   Cat

   Usage

   A domestic cat

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun; the plural is "amakati".

3. Inyoni

   Bird

   Usage

   KwaZulu-Natal is rich in birdlife and has many birding lodges

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinyoni". Xhosa uses "intaka" instead.

4. Inhlanzi

   Fish

   Usage

   The same word for a live fish and for fish as food; useful on the Durban coast

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinhlanzi". Xhosa spells it "intlanzi".

5. Ihhashi

   Horse

   Usage

   For booking a riding tour; pony trekking in the Drakensberg is popular

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun; the plural is "amahhashi". Xhosa spells it "ihashe".

6. Inkomo

   Cow / cattle

   Usage

   Cattle sit at the centre of Zulu wealth and ritual; bridewealth ("ilobolo") is counted in head of cattle

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinkomo".

7. Ingulube

   Pig

   Usage

   Show this word to check for pork if you avoid it for religious reasons

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izingulube". Xhosa uses "ihagu" instead.

8. Inkukhu

   Chicken

   Usage

   Both the live bird and the meat; common on menus

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinkukhu".

9. Idada

   Duck

   Usage

   Seen on farms and park ponds

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun; the plural is "amadada".

10. Imbuzi

    Goat

    Usage

    Common rural livestock, also used in ceremonies honouring the ancestors

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izimbuzi". Xhosa uses "ibhokhwe" instead.

11. Imvu

    Sheep

    Usage

    Farmed widely on the inland highveld; mutton is common on menus

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izimvu". Xhosa uses "igusha" instead.

12. Indlovu

    Elephant

    Usage

    Seen in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Kruger; one of the Big Five

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izindlovu".

13. Indlulamithi

    Giraffe

    Usage

    Literally "the one that surpasses the trees"; use it to tell a guide what you hope to see

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; Xhosa spells it "indlulamthi".

14. Idube

    Zebra

    Usage

    Common on safari and in private reserves

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amadube". Xhosa uses "iqwarhashe" instead.

15. Ibhubesi

    Lion

    Usage

    One of the Big Five; this is the everyday Zulu word

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amabhubesi". "Ingonyama" also means lion but carries royal weight; "ibhubesi" is the everyday word.

16. Ingwe

    Leopard

    Usage

    The hardest of the Big Five to spot, and largely nocturnal; its skin is worn by royalty in Zulu regalia

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izingwe". In Xhosa "ihlosi" is the more common word.

17. Imvubu

    Hippopotamus

    Usage

    Abundant in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park; regarded as the most dangerous animal near water, so stay with your guide

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izimvubu".

18. Ubhejane

    Black rhinoceros

    Usage

    One of the Big Five. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is where white rhino conservation began; because of poaching, reserves often ask you not to post geotagged photos

    Grammar Note

    A class 1a (u-) noun; the white rhino is called "umkhombe".

19. Inyathi

    Buffalo

    Usage

    One of the Big Five; they move in herds

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinyathi".

20. Inkawu

    Monkey

    Usage

    Around Durban they raid balconies for food; never leave food visible

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinkawu".

21. Imfene

    Baboon

    Usage

    Troops line reserve roads; keep windows shut. Applied to a person it is an insult, so use it only for the animal

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izimfene".

22. Inyoka

    Snake

    Usage

    An emergency word when hiking; show it at a clinic if you were bitten

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinyoka".

23. Ingwenya

    Crocodile

    Usage

    Found in northern waters such as Lake St Lucia; mention it when asking whether water is safe to swim in

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izingwenya".

24. Ufudu

    Tortoise / turtle

    Usage

    The northern KwaZulu-Natal coast is a sea-turtle nesting site with night viewing tours

    Grammar Note

    A class 11 (u-) noun; the plural is "izimfudu". Xhosa spells it "ufudo".

25. Ixoxo

    Frog

    Usage

    You will hear them at night in the rainy season. The "x" is a lateral click

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amaxoxo". "Isele" is a synonym.

26. Intulo

    Gecko

    Usage

    A harmless wall-dweller at guesthouses that eats mosquitoes

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izintulo". A larger lizard is "isibankwa".

27. Isibankwa

    Lizard

    Usage

    Often sunning itself on rocks; a different word from "intulo", the gecko

    Grammar Note

    A class 7 (isi-) noun; the plural is "izibankwa".

28. Igundane

    Mouse / rat

    Usage

    Report one to reception with this word

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amagundane". Xhosa uses "impuku" instead.

29. Ilulwane

    Bat

    Usage

    They come out at dusk and are a talking point on cave tours

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amalulwane".

30. Umiyane

    Mosquito

    Usage

    Northern KwaZulu-Natal and the Kruger area are malarial; bring repellent and use a net

    Grammar Note

    A class 3 (um-) noun; the plural is "omiyane". Xhosa uses "ingcongconi" instead.

31. Iphela

    Cockroach

    Usage

    Report one at reception with this word

    Grammar Note

    A class 5 noun; the plural is "amaphela".

32. Intuthwane

    Ant

    Usage

    They arrive if food is left out

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izintuthwane". Xhosa uses "imbovane" instead.

33. Inyosi

    Bee

    Usage

    Needed if you have a bee allergy; honey is "uju"

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izinyosi".

34. Isicabucabu

    Spider

    Usage

    Nearly all are harmless; show this to a doctor if you were bitten

    Grammar Note

    A class 7 (isi-) noun; the plural is "izicabucabu". Xhosa uses "isigcawu" instead.

35. Ufezela

    Scorpion

    Usage

    When camping, shake out your shoes before putting them on; show this word at an emergency room if stung

    Grammar Note

    A class 1a (u-) noun; the plural is "ofezela".

36. Impukane

    Fly

    Usage

    They gather on food at stalls and markets — a common comment when eating outside

    Grammar Note

    A class 9 noun; the plural is "izimpukane".

37. Uvemvane

    Butterfly

    Usage

    The subtropical KwaZulu-Natal coast is especially rich in species

    Grammar Note

    A class 1a (u-) noun; the plural is "ovemvane". Xhosa uses "ibhabhathane" instead.

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