Hotel

1. Ngifuna ukubhalisa

   Ngi-fu-na u-ku-bhali-sa

   I want to check in

   Usage

   Used at a hotel reception to ask for check-in

   Grammar Note

   "ukubhalisa" derives from "register". Commonly used at hotels and guesthouses in South Africa.

2. Ukhiye wekamelo lami ukuphi?

   U-khi-ye we-ka-me-lo la-mi u-ku-phi?

   Where is my room key?

   Usage

   Used to ask for or locate your room key at the hotel

   Grammar Note

   "Ukhiye" (key) is Class 1a (plural "okhiye"), so subject concord u- combines with locative interrogative "kuphi" as "ukuphi". "Ikamelo lami" means "my room"

3. Isidlo sasekuseni siphakelwa nini?

   I-si-dlo sa-se-ku-se-ni si-pha-kel-wa ni-ni?

   What time is breakfast served?

   Usage

   Used to ask what time breakfast is served at the hotel

   Grammar Note

   "-Phakela" means to serve or distribute food; passive "-phakelwa" takes Class 7 subject concord si- for "isidlo", yielding "siphakelwa"

4. Ngifuna ukuphuma ehotela

   Ngi-fu-na u-ku-phu-ma e-ho-te-la

   I want to check out

   Usage

   Used when you are ready to check out of your hotel

   Grammar Note

   "ukuphuma" means "to exit/leave". "e-hotela" is the locative form of "ihotela" (hotel).

5. Ikamelo lami linomsindo omkhulu. Ngicela usizo.

   I-ka-me-lo la-mi li-no-msin-do om-khu-lu. Ngi-ce-la u-si-zo.

   My room is very noisy. Please help.

   Usage

   Used to report a problem with your hotel room to reception

   Grammar Note

   "Ikamelo" is Class 5 and takes subject concord li-; li- plus possessive connective na- gives "linomsindo" (it has noise / is noisy)

6. Ingabe ikhona i-wifi ekamelweni?

   In-ga-be i-kho-na i-wi-fi e-ka-mel-we-ni?

   Is there Wi-Fi in the room?

   Usage

   Used to ask if the hotel room has Wi-Fi access

   Grammar Note

   "Ekamelweni" is the locative of "ikamelo" (room), formed with locative prefix e- and suffix -ni

7. Akunamanzi ashisayo ekamelweni lami. Ngicela amanzi ashisayo.

   A-ku-na-ma-nzi a-shi-sa-yo e-ka-me-lwe-ni la-mi. Ngi-ce-la a-ma-nzi a-shi-sa-yo.

   My room has no hot water. Please bring hot water.

   Usage

   Used to report a lack of hot water to hotel reception

   Grammar Note

   Absence is expressed with "akuna-" plus the noun without its initial vowel; "amanzi ashisayo" therefore gives "akunamanzi ashisayo"

8. Ngicela usizo ngamabhegi ami

   Ngi-ce-la u-si-zo nga-ma-bhe-gi a-mi

   Please help me with my bags

   Usage

   Used to ask a hotel porter for assistance with luggage

   Grammar Note

   Plural "amabhegi" takes comitative/instrumental nga- and possessive "ami", giving "ngamabhegi ami" (with my bags)

9. Malini ubusuku obubodwa?

   Ma-li-ni u-bu-su-ku o-bu-bo-dwa?

   How much is one night?

   Usage

   Used at guesthouses and hotels to ask the price per night

   Grammar Note

   "Ubusuku" is Class 14; the exclusive numeral "-bodwa" agrees with it as "obubodwa" (one only)

10. Ngifuna ikamelo elikhulu elinemibhede emibili

    Ngi-fu-na i-ka-me-lo e-li-khu-lu e-li-ne-mi-bhe-de e-mi-bi-li

    I want a large room with two beds

    Usage

    Used when booking to specify a large or twin-bed hotel room

    Grammar Note

    The word for room is "ikamelo". Class 5 relative concord eli- combines with na- (having) and imibhede (beds); a+i coalesces to e, giving "elinemibhede"

11. Ithawula

    Towel

    Usage

    For asking when the room has none

12. Umcamelo

    Pillow

    Usage

    For an extra one; the plural is imicamelo

13. Ingubo yokulala

    Blanket

    Usage

    Literally "cloth for sleeping" — "ingubo" alone can also mean clothing, so keep the second word

14. Insipho

    Soap

    Usage

    At the room or a shop — the same word for hand and body soap

15. Ushampu

    Shampoo

    Usage

    Use it when you need to distinguish it from bar soap

16. Isixubho samazinyo

    Toothbrush

    Usage

    At a shop or the front desk when you have forgotten yours

17. Iphepha lasendlini yangasese

    Toilet paper

    Usage

    Literally "paper of the toilet" — needed where none is provided

18. Ngicela nihlanze ikamelo

    Please clean the room

    Usage

    For requesting housekeeping — show your room number with it

19. Ikamelo elithulile

    A quiet room

    Usage

    Say what you want at check-in — useful for avoiding a room on the road side

20. Umsindo

    Noise

    Usage

    Point at it to complain about noise next door or outside

21. Ugesi

    Electricity / power

    Usage

    Essential in South Africa, where loadshedding is routine — use it when asking about outage times

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