Zulu 11 - Sing

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Cula
Cula is sing in Zulu.  English doesn’t have an equivalent ‘c’ sound.  It is like someone looking at a terrible situation and shakes his head, “c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-“.  French does not help either because, CE LA VIE, sounds like an ‘s’.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Cula.
Sing.
Uyacula. Ujabulile.
She is singing.  She is happy.
Cula kakhulu.
Sing loud.
Cula kancane.
Sing softly.
Bacula kahle.
They sing well.
Bacula kabi.
They sing badly.
Akakwazi ukucula.
He/she cannot sing.
Culani iculo 25. (many people)
Sing Hymn 25.
Culani i-opera. (many people)
Sing opera.
Iculo.
A song.
Amaculo.
Songs.
Umculi u-Ntando.
Ntando, the singer.
Umculi u-Jill Scott.
Jill Scott, the singer.
Uzoculani?
What are you going to sing?
Ngizocula umbaqanga.
I will sing mbaqanga.

SAMPLE CONVERSATION

YOU:  Uzoculani?

ME:  Ngizocula  i-jazz.

YOU:  Ucula kahle.

ME:  Ngiyabonga.

Nonqaba waka Msimang is the author of Sweetness the novel.



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