Making Fire in Zulu

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Basa is to make a fire in a wood burning stove or outdoors.  North Americans love barbecues in the summer, where they grill meat, poultry, fish and corn.
Ba-sa. The first part of the verb is pronounced as in bath but with a soft ‘b’, the second part as in sabotage.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Clunis, basa.
Clunis, make a fire.
Thoko, basa.
Thoko, make a fire.
Stefanus, basa.
Stefanus, make a fire.
Ku-basiwe.
A fire was made.
Ku-basiwe.
There’s everything (usually a party that is well-stocked with food and drink).
Basa nge-zinkuni.
Make a fire with wood.
Basa ngama-lahle.
Make a fire with coal.
Basa.  Kuma-khaza.
Make a fire.  It is cold.
Basa.  Ngifuna uku-pheka.
Make a fire.  I want to cook.
Ba-sela ngaphandle.
Make a fire outside the house.
Ba-sela imali yakho. 
Debt, when someone owes you money, you fan the fire to get it back.  Basela imali yakho.

Nonqaba waka Msimang is the author of Sweetness, a South African novel.
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