Food & Drinks

1. Ngicela ukubona imenyu

   Ngi-ce-la u-ku-bo-na i-me-nyu

   Please let me see the menu

   Usage

   Standard phrase used after being seated at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Ngicela + infinitive" is a polite request form. Zulu infinitives begin with "uku-".

2. Ngifuna ukudla inyama eyosiwe

   Ngi-fu-na u-ku-dla i-nya-ma e-yo-si-we

   I want to eat braai (barbecue meat)

   Usage

   Used when ordering braai, a South African staple enjoyed at weekend gatherings

   Grammar Note

   Behlangana ndawonye phezu kwenyama eyosiwe means "they gather together over grilled meat". Grilled meat is inyama eyosiwe. -Osa means roast/grill; its passive -oswa gives eyosiwe in a class 9 relative. Inyama yomlilo literally means "meat of the fire"; yomlilo is literal "of fire", as in flames, a campfire song or a fire station. The venue is ushisanyama (shisa "burn/grill" + nyama "meat").

3. Ngidinga uphuthu nenyama

   Ngi-di-nga u-phu-thu ne-nya-ma

   I need uphuthu (crumbly maize-meal staple) and meat

   Usage

   Ordering a traditional Zulu meal combination. Uphuthu is the South African staple

   Grammar Note

   "ne-" is Zulu's connective "and", attaching to the following noun. Uphuthu is similar to pap or ugali.

4. Angidli inyama — ngidla imifino nobhontshisi

   A-ngi-dli i-nya-ma — ngi-dla i-mi-fi-no no-bho-ntshi-si

   I don't eat meat — I eat vegetables and beans

   Usage

   Important phrase for communicating dietary restrictions. Useful for vegetarian travelers

   Grammar Note

   Zulu negation adds "a-" before the verb and changes the ending to "-i" (ngidla → angidli). Vegetables are "imifino", not "izithelo", which means fruit. The connective na- fuses with the following vowel: na- + ubhontshisi gives nobhontshisi

5. Ngiyabonga — ukudla kwakumnandi kakhulu

   Ngi-ya-bo-nga — u-ku-dla kwa-ku-mna-ndi ka-khu-lu

   Thank you — the food was very delicious

   Usage

   Used after a meal to compliment the food. Shows appreciation to the cook or host

   Grammar Note

   "mnandi" means "delicious/pleasant". The prefix "kwa-ku-" marks subject agreement and past tense.

6. Ngicela amanzi

   Ngi-ce-la a-ma-nzi

   Please give me water

   Usage

   Basic phrase for ordering water at a restaurant or during a meal

   Grammar Note

   "amanzi" is an ama-class noun meaning "water". Pair with "abandayo" (cold) for "cold water"

7. Nginokungezwani komzimba na-... Kukhona yini into engingakwazi ukuyidla?

   Ngi-no-ku-nge-zwa-ni ko-mzi-mba na-... Ku-kho-na yi-ni i-nto e-ngi-nga-kwa-zi u-ku-yi-dla?

   I am allergic to... Are there things I cannot eat?

   Usage

   Important phrase for informing restaurant staff about food allergies

   Grammar Note

   "Ukungezwani" on its own means discord, so for an allergy it must always be paired with "komzimba" (of the body). Link the allergen with "na-", which fuses with the following vowel (na- + amantongomane gives namantongomane; na- + ukudla gives nokudla). "Engingakwazi" is the negative relative of "Angikwazi ukudla..." (I cannot eat...)

8. Ngicela i-akhawunti

   Ngi-ce-la i-a-kha-wu-nti

   Please bring the bill

   Usage

   Used at the end of a meal to ask a waiter for the bill

   Grammar Note

   "I-akhawunti" is borrowed from English "account" and is the set phrase for asking for the bill. Do not use "ikhadi" (card), which is the payment card, not the bill itself. Code-switching to English "bill" is also common

9. Ngifuna ujeqe namahewu

   Ngi-fu-na u-je-qe na-ma-he-wu

   I want ujeqe (steamed bread) and amahewu (fermented maize drink)

   Usage

   Used to order traditional Zulu foods from a market or home cook

   Grammar Note

   "Ujeqe" is the traditional steamed bread and "amahewu" is the fermented maize drink served alongside it. Warning: never use "uchatha / umchatha" as a drink name — "ukuchatha" means an enema, and saying it in a restaurant will not be understood as food. The connective na- fuses with the following vowel: na- + amahewu gives namahewu

10. Ingabe singagubha ngokudla ndawonye?

    In-ga-be si-nga-gu-bha ngo-ku-dla nda-wo-nye?

    Shall we celebrate by eating together?

    Usage

    A warm invitation to share a meal with friends or acquaintances

    Grammar Note

    The subject "we" takes si-; ni- means "you all". -Gubha means celebrate/solemnise. "Together" is ndawonye, as in behlangana ndawonye (they gather together). Kunye is the numeral "one" in Zulu; "together" is its Xhosa meaning. Okanye is Xhosa too. Sharing a meal is a significant act of bonding in Zulu culture.

11. Inyama

    Meat

    Usage

    The general word; the animal is named by what follows it

12. Inyama yengulube

    Pork

    Usage

    For checking whether a dish contains pork — also the word for a religious restriction

13. Inyama yenkomo

    Beef

    Usage

    Point at it to check what is in a dish — literally "meat of the cow"

14. Inyama yenkukhu

    Chicken

    Usage

    For ordering or checking a dish

15. Inyama yemvu

    Mutton

    Usage

    A common meat on South African menus

16. Inhlanzi

    Fish

    Usage

    For fish allergies and ordering; the plural is izinhlanzi

17. Iqanda

    Egg

    Usage

    For egg allergies; the plural is amaqanda

18. Ubisi

    Milk

    Usage

    For dairy allergy or lactose intolerance — distinct from "amasi", the soured milk

19. Amantongomane

    Groundnuts / peanuts

    Usage

    Essential for a peanut allergy — it hides in snacks and sauces

20. Ukolweni

    Wheat

    Usage

    Point at it when you need to avoid gluten

21. Isinkwa

    Bread

    Usage

    At breakfast or a shop — also useful when checking for wheat

22. Irayisi

    Rice

    Usage

    Covers both cooked rice and raw grain

23. Ummbila

    Maize / corn

    Usage

    The staple grain of South Africa — ground into the meal that becomes uphuthu

24. Izambane

    Potato

    Usage

    For checking side dishes; the plural is amazambane

25. Ubhontshisi

    Beans

    Usage

    The basis of stews and of umngqusho, samp cooked with beans

26. Imifino

    Leafy greens

    Usage

    The word to use when you are looking for a meat-free option

27. Izithelo

    Fruit

    Usage

    At markets and at breakfast; the singular is isithelo

28. Usawoti

    Salt

    Usage

    For asking for more or less salt — point at it if you are on a low-salt diet

29. Ushukela

    Sugar

    Usage

    For checking whether sugar goes into a drink — essential if you are diabetic

30. Uwoyela

    Cooking oil

    Usage

    Point at it when you want less oil

31. Upelepele

    Chilli / pepper

    Usage

    Covers both chilli heat and pepper — every conversation about heat turns on it

32. U-anyanisi

    Onion

    Usage

    Point at it to have onion left out

33. Ugaliki

    Garlic

    Usage

    For markets and for checking ingredients

34. Ujinja

    Ginger

    Usage

    In markets and in drinks

35. Uju

    Honey

    Usage

    At markets and at breakfast, or as an alternative sweetener

36. Ushizi

    Cheese

    Usage

    For checking when you avoid dairy

37. Ibhotela

    Butter

    Usage

    For checking when you avoid dairy — usually served with bread

38. Isobho

    Soup

    Usage

    Covers soups and gravies — useful for asking whether meat stock is in it

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