Transportation

1. Ngicela ungiyise e-Johannesburg

   Ngi-ce-la u-ngi-yi-se e-Jo-han-nes-burg

   Please take me to Johannesburg

   Usage

   Used in a taxi or rideshare to tell the driver your destination

   Grammar Note

   Zulu locatives use "e-" or "ku-" prefixes. "e-" is used before city and place names.

2. Malini ukuya lapho?

   Ma-li-ni u-ku-ya la-pho?

   How much does it cost to get there?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the fare for a taxi or other transport

   Grammar Note

   "Malini" is the standard Zulu question for price, equivalent to "how much" in English.

3. Ngimela ibhasi eya e-Durban

   Ngi-me-la i-bha-si e-ya e-Dur-ban

   I am waiting for the bus to Durban

   Usage

   Used at a bus stop to say which bus you are waiting for

   Grammar Note

   "eya e-Durban" is a relative clause meaning "going to Durban". Relative clauses are a key Bantu feature.

4. Ngiyacela, ngikhiphe lapha

   Ngi-ya-ce-la, ngi-khi-phe la-pha

   Please, let me off here

   Usage

   Used in a bus or taxi to ask the driver to stop and let you off

   Grammar Note

   "ngikhiphe" means "let me off/out". A polite but direct request to stop in transport.

5. Indlela eya esikhumulweni sezindiza ikuphi?

   In-dle-la e-ya e-si-khu-mu-lwe-ni se-zin-di-za i-ku-phi?

   Where is the road to the airport?

   Usage

   Used to ask directions to the airport. Main SA airport is O.R. Tambo International.

   Grammar Note

   "isikhumulo sezindiza" is "airport" (izindiza = aeroplanes). The locative e- + -ni gives "esikhumulweni sezindiza" ("to/at the airport").

6. Ngicela ungimise lapha

   Ngi-ce-la u-ngi-mi-se la-pha

   Please stop here for me

   Usage

   Used in a taxi or bus to ask the driver to stop at your destination

   Grammar Note

   "ungimise" = u- (you) + -ngi- (object "me") + misa (stop) in the subjunctive (final -a becomes -e). The subjunctive follows "Ngicela".

7. Itekisi likuphi?

   I-te-ki-si li-ku-phi?

   Where is the taxi?

   Usage

   Used at airports or stations to ask where to find a taxi

   Grammar Note

   "itekisi" is a loanword from English "taxi", a class 5 noun. "likuphi" means "where is it", li- agreeing with itekisi + kuphi.

8. Uhambo luzothatha isikhathi esingakanani?

   U-ham-bo lu-zo-tha-tha i-si-kha-thi e-si-nga-ka-na-ni?

   How long will the journey take?

   Usage

   Used to ask travel duration for long-distance buses, trains, or trips

   Grammar Note

   "uhambo" is a u-class noun meaning "journey". Useful for long-distance coaches like Greyhound in South Africa

9. Ngicela ithikithi elilodwa eya e-Cape Town

   Ngi-ce-la i-thi-ki-thi e-li-lo-dwa e-ya e-Cape Town

   Please give me one ticket to Cape Town

   Usage

   Used to buy a ticket at a bus terminal or railway booking office

   Grammar Note

   "ithikithi" is borrowed from English "ticket". "elilodwa" means "one only" agreeing with the eli- class noun

10. Ingabe kukhona ukuqasha imoto lapha?

    In-ga-be ku-kho-na u-ku-qa-sha i-mo-to la-pha?

    Is there a car rental here?

    Usage

    Used at airports or hotels to ask about car rental services

    Grammar Note

    "imoto" is borrowed from Afrikaans "motor". South Africa's 11 official languages influence each other's vocabulary

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