Singing in Zulu

Singing is cula, in the Zulu language.  A song is iculo.

There is nothing painful like someone singing off key, and he is not aware that he has lost it. Some people can sing, others cannot. That's just the way it is. I'm gifted. I sing very well. How do you know? Because I say so, myself. 

People outside America do not understand why there are so many love songs about the summer, until they come here. Summer is a big deal. There’s a lot of singing in Canada on July 1 because it is Canada Day.  Americans sing a lot on Fourth of July, their national holiday.

The holidays are also days of revelation because you guys do not know the words of your national anthems, but you know the Twitter and Facebook anthems by heart.

Cu-la.  I cannot think of an English equivalent for the first part of this verb. It looks like cumin, but it would be a soft -c-.  Think of an old school clock going c-c-c-c. The second part is pronounced as in laugh.

ZULU	ENGLISH
Cula iculo le-sizwe lase-Canada.	Sing the Canadian national anthem.
Cula iculo le-sizwe lase-United States of America.	Sing the American national anthem.
Cula iculo le-sizwe lase-South Korea.	Sing the South Korean national anthem.
Ba-cula ngesi-Ngisi.	They sing in English.
Ba-cula ngesi-Hindi e-Bollywood.	Bollywood sings in Hindi.
Cula-ni zingane.	Kids sing.
Ngi-lalele umculo.	I’m listening to music.
U-baba u-cula kahle.	My father sings beautifully (has a good voice).
U-sisi u-cula kahle.	My sister sings beautifully (has a good voice).
I-ngane yami ithanda u-mculo.	My child likes music.
Ngi-culele Vladimir.	Sing for me Vladimir.
Ngi-culele Portia.	Sing for me Portia.
Ngi-culele Maeve.	Sing for me Maeve.
Ama-culo o-thando.	Love songs.
Ama-culo e-sonto.	Songs of praise.

Exercise:  Ask Joshua, Nandi, Ada, Sandy or any of your friends to sing for you.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.