Markets & Souvenirs

1. Ixabiso lalo malini?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Asking price at a market

   Grammar Note

   "malini" = question word for price/amount

2. Ngingaxoxisana ngexabiso?

   Can I negotiate the price?

   Usage

   Attempting to bargain

   Grammar Note

   "Nginga-" = potential prefix meaning "I can"

3. Ngizokhokhela izinkulungwane ezinhlanu.

   I'll offer five thousand.

   Usage

   Proposing a lower price during bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "Ngizo-" = future tense prefix

4. Ngingathola isaphulelo?

   Can I get a discount?

   Usage

   Requesting a discount

   Grammar Note

   "Ngingathola" = "I can get"

5. Lena yenziwe ngesandla noma lapha ekhaya?

   Is this handmade or locally made?

   Usage

   Checking origin of craft item

   Grammar Note

   "nge-" = instrumental preposition "with/by"

6. Lena yenziwe ngani?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about material composition

   Grammar Note

   "ngani" = "with what/by what" question form

7. Ningabhula lena njengesipho?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Requesting gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   "Ninga-" = polite potential "can you"

8. Imakethe yobusuku ikuphi?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking for night market location

   Grammar Note

   "-kuphi" = locative question word "where"

9. Ngingathola irisidi?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt

   Grammar Note

   "irisidi" is a loanword from English "receipt"

10. Imakethe ivula ivale nini?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Checking market hours

    Grammar Note

    "nini" = "when" in time questions

11. Ngikhangela nje, ngiyabonga.

    I'm just looking, thank you.

    Usage

    Polite response to vendor approach

    Grammar Note

    "nje" = adverb meaning "just/only"

12. Niyamukela inkokhelo ngekhadi?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Checking if card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    "Niyamukela" = "you (pl.) accept"

13. Ngiyakuthenga lokhu njengesipho senkumbulo.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir.

    Usage

    Stating souvenir purchase intent

    Grammar Note

    "njenge-" = prepositional "as/like"

14. Lokhu kungathunyelwa emazweni omhlaba?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Asking about international shipping

    Grammar Note

    "kunga-" = potential form "can be"

15. Yini into yakho engcono kakhulu noma entsha kakhulu?

    What's your best or freshest item?

    Usage

    Asking for best or freshest product

    Grammar Note

    "kakhulu" = "very/most" intensifier

16. Ixabiso lingaxoxiswana?

    Is this price negotiable?

    Usage

    Asking if price is negotiable

    Grammar Note

    "-xoxiswana" = reciprocal form "discuss together"

17. Unazo ezinye izinombolo?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Looking for a different size

    Grammar Note

    "Unaz-" = "you have" possessive form

18. Lokhu kubize kakhulu.

    This is too expensive.

    Usage

    Expressing item is too expensive

    Grammar Note

    "kakhulu" = intensifier "very/too much"

19. Imakethe

    Market

    Usage

    Point at it when asking where the market is

20. Isikhwama

    Bag

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for a bag — carrier bags are charged for in South Africa

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