Time & Dates

1. Yisikhathi sini manje?

   What time is it?

   Usage

   Asking what time it is

   Grammar Note

   "Yisi-" = copulative prefix agreeing with noun class

2. Iluphi usuku lweviki lwamuhla?

   What day of the week is it?

   Usage

   Asking the day of the week (Mon–Sun vocabulary)

   Grammar Note

   "Iluphi" = "which" question word for lu-class nouns

3. Namuhla / Kusasa / Izolo

   Today / Tomorrow / Yesterday

   Usage

   Basic time reference words

   Grammar Note

   These are temporal adverbs

4. Leli sonto / Isonto elizayo / Isonto eledlule

   This week / Next week / Last week

   Usage

   Week reference expressions

   Grammar Note

   "-dlule" = adjectival perfect "passed/last"

5. Ekuseni / Emini / Ntambama / Ebusuku

   In the morning / At noon / In the afternoon / At night

   Usage

   Times of day expressions

   Grammar Note

   "E-" = locative prefix used with time expressions

6. Usuku lwamuhla lusithini?

   What is today's date?

   Usage

   Asking today's date

   Grammar Note

   "-sithini" = interrogative "what is it"

7. Ivula / Ivala nini?

   At what time does it open / close?

   Usage

   Asking opening and closing times

   Grammar Note

   "nini" = temporal question word "when"

8. Kuzothatha isikhathi esingakanani ukufika?

   How long will it take to get there?

   Usage

   Asking travel time to a destination

   Grammar Note

   "esingakanani" = question "of how much duration"

9. Ake sihlangane ngo-3 ntambama.

   Let's meet at 3 pm.

   Usage

   Setting a meeting time

   Grammar Note

   "Ake si-" = hortative "let us"

10. Ngo-2:30 / ngo-4:45

    Half past two / Quarter to five

    Usage

    Expressing specific clock times

    Grammar Note

    "ngo-" is the prefix placed before a clock time (e.g. ngo-3 = "at 3 o'clock"); the times are written in figures

11. Ivuliwe ngempelasonto?

    Is it open on weekends?

    Usage

    Checking weekend opening hours

    Grammar Note

    "-vuliwe" = passive perfect "has been opened"

12. Sisendaweni yesikhathi esiphi?

    What time zone are we in?

    Usage

    Asking about the time zone

    Grammar Note

    "Sisendaweni" = si- (we) + -se (be at) + endaweni (in the zone/place). "esiphi" is "which", agreeing with isikhathi

13. Kusekusenesikhathi kakhulu / Sekuphele isikhathi.

    It's too early / too late.

    Usage

    Expressing too early or too late

    Grammar Note

    "Se-" = "already" completive prefix

14. Kuqala / Kuphela nini?

    When does it start / end?

    Usage

    Asking start and end times

    Grammar Note

    "Ku-" = subject prefix for impersonal/thing subjects

15. Izinsuku / amahora angaki kuya ku…?

    How many days / hours until…?

    Usage

    Asking remaining days or hours

    Grammar Note

    "-ngaki" = question word for quantity "how many"

16. Kusukela ngoMsombuluko kuya kuLwesihlanu

    From Monday to Friday

    Usage

    Expressing weekday range

    Grammar Note

    "Kusukela…kuya ku-" = "from…to" construction

17. Yinyanga ephi manje?

    What month is it?

    Usage

    Asking which month it currently is

    Grammar Note

    "Y-" = copula agreeing with inyanga noun class

18. Ngifuna ukubhuka ngomhlaka [usuku/isikhathi].

    I'd like to make an appointment for [date/time].

    Usage

    Making an appointment

    Grammar Note

    "ukubhuka" = loanword from English "to book"

19. uMsombuluko

    Monday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Monday.

20. uLwesibili

    Tuesday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Tuesday.

21. uLwesithathu

    Wednesday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Wednesday.

22. uLwesine

    Thursday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Thursday.

23. uLwesihlanu

    Friday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Friday.

24. uMgqibelo

    Saturday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Saturday.

25. iSonto

    Sunday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the day Sunday.

26. Namuhla

    Today

    Usage

    Use to point to or state today.

27. Kusasa

    Tomorrow

    Usage

    Use to point to or state tomorrow.

28. Izolo

    Yesterday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state yesterday.

29. Manje

    Now

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the present moment.

30. Ekuseni

    Morning

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the morning.

31. Emini

    Midday

    Usage

    Use to point to or state midday.

32. Ntambama

    Evening

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the evening.

33. Ebusuku

    Night

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the night.

34. Izinsuku zonke

    Every day

    Usage

    Use to state that something happens every day.

35. Leli sonto

    This week

    Usage

    Use to point to or state this week.

36. Isonto elizayo

    Next week

    Usage

    Use to point to or state next week.

37. Isonto eledlule

    Last week

    Usage

    Use to point to or state last week.

38. Impelasonto

    Weekend

    Usage

    Use to point to or state the weekend.

39. uMasingana

    January

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for January. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

40. uNhlolanja

    February

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for February. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

41. uNdasa

    March

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for March. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

42. uMbasa

    April

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for April. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

43. uNhlaba

    May

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for May. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

44. uNhlangulana

    June

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for June. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

45. uNtulikazi

    July

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for July. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

46. uNcwaba

    August

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for August. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

47. uMandulo

    September

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for September. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

48. uMfumfu

    October

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for October. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

49. uLwezi

    November

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for November. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

50. uZibandlela

    December

    Usage

    The official isiZulu name for December. The leading u- is a class 1a prefix and must not be dropped; South African signage often shows the English name alongside

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