Sweeping in Zulu

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Photo credit: online pic.

Sweeping is shanela in Zulu.  Fall leaves have pretty colours but they must be swept from the yard.  Mama said a girl should sweep the house before she goes to school or town.  Grandmother made brooms from dry grass. 

My novel Sweetness has a character that sells brooms at the market.  Vacuum cleaners are also brooms I suppose.  A broom is um-shanelo in Zulu.
Sha-ne-la.  The first part is pronounced as in shall, the second part as in nest and the last part as in lucky.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Shanela i-bala.
Sweep the yard.
Shanela i-garaji.
Sweep the garage.
U-Luis Arsenio u-ya-shanela.
Luis Arsenio is sweeping.
U-Jean Claude u-ya-shanela.
Jean Claude is sweeping.
U-Claudette u-ya-shanela.
Claudette is sweeping.
Vuka.  U-shanele.
Wake up and sweep.
Ba-shanela e-sontweni.
They are sweeping the church.
Ba-shanela umgwaqo.
They are sweeping the road.
Ngi-shanela ngom-shanelo.
I sweep with a broom.
U-baba u-mashanela.
Father is a sweeper.
Ngi-shanela a-ma-hlamvu.
I’m sweeping leaves.
Se-ni-shane-lile?
Have you finished sweeping?
Yebo, si-shane-lile.
Yes. We have finished sweeping.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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