Time in Zulu
Time i-si-khathi in Zulu.
People who love themselves like U.S. President Donald Trump like telling the world it is their time. I can imagine him speaking Zulu to Nancy Pelosi: “Isikhathi sam lesi.” This is my time.
Sunday Times in South Africa, New York Times, LA Times, The Japan Times etc. are newspapers. They have ‘times’ because before Twitter, they reported on current events and what was going to happen in the future. Death also. They printed obituaries.
There is no correct i-si-khathi (time). What’s the time on your watch? What does hers say? How about the big railway station clock? Bad example. Forget the railway station.
The clocks in your house including the stove and microwave do not have the same time. I have two sources of correct time: cellphone and bus time table. The rest are maybe maybe maybe.
Not with women. They are always reminded that i-si-khathi is not on their side. Some even avoid family gatherings because all the aunties and grandmothers will ask them about marriage. When? Because time is not on your side. Poor women.
Actresses freak out when they are on television to promote their latest project. When are you …..? Have you ever thought of having ….? What does that have to do with my current project, being the first female James Bond?
Time keeping can also sour relationships and pothole friendship. Some friends admit it: ‘You know me. I’m never on time.’ Is that something to be proud of? Speaking more than four languages like people in Sweden calls for a Twitter hashtag, not being late.
i-si-khathi. You pronounce the first part like e-mail, the second like sin, the third like cup and the last like tea.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
People who love themselves like U.S. President Donald Trump like telling the world it is their time. I can imagine him speaking Zulu to Nancy Pelosi: “Isikhathi sam lesi.” This is my time.
Sunday Times in South Africa, New York Times, LA Times, The Japan Times etc. are newspapers. They have ‘times’ because before Twitter, they reported on current events and what was going to happen in the future. Death also. They printed obituaries.
There is no correct i-si-khathi (time). What’s the time on your watch? What does hers say? How about the big railway station clock? Bad example. Forget the railway station.
The clocks in your house including the stove and microwave do not have the same time. I have two sources of correct time: cellphone and bus time table. The rest are maybe maybe maybe.
Not with women. They are always reminded that i-si-khathi is not on their side. Some even avoid family gatherings because all the aunties and grandmothers will ask them about marriage. When? Because time is not on your side. Poor women.
Actresses freak out when they are on television to promote their latest project. When are you …..? Have you ever thought of having ….? What does that have to do with my current project, being the first female James Bond?
Time keeping can also sour relationships and pothole friendship. Some friends admit it: ‘You know me. I’m never on time.’ Is that something to be proud of? Speaking more than four languages like people in Sweden calls for a Twitter hashtag, not being late.
i-si-khathi. You pronounce the first part like e-mail, the second like sin, the third like cup and the last like tea.
| ZULU | ENGLISH |
I-si-khathi sini?
I-s’khath’ sini? (Short version, normally used). | What is the time? What’s the time? |
| Sheshisa I-sikhathi siyahamba. | Hurry up, time is moving. |
| Boris, sizohamba ngasikhathi sini? | Boris, what time will we leave? |
| Isikhathi semvula. | It is time when it rains. |
| Isikhathi se-monsoon e-India. | It is monsoon time in India. |
| U-Frieda a-kasi gcini isikhathi. | Frieda is never on time. |
| Sekunesikhathi nginga samboni u Thobi. | I haven’t seen Thobi in a long time. |
| O-makoti abafiki ngesikhathi. | Brides are never on time. |
| Yinka, Olamide, nifike ngesikhathi e-airport. | Yinka, Olamide be on time at the airport. |
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