Disease in Zulu

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COVID-19 has created a state of panic all over the world. Is coronavirus an illness or a disease? I’m not sure because there’s a fine line between the two and both can either be cured or result in loss of life.
In Canada, you pop into a pharmacy and get a flu shot to fortify yourself 
against winter. It's free, provided by the government.
Both terms imply that individuals are not in premium health. For the purpose of this Zulu lesson, we’ll call COVID-19, a disease isifo. Many diseases are called izifo.

Mental illness: isifo sekhanda.
Cardiac disease: isifo senhliziyo.
Love disease: isifo sothando.

Most diseases are caused by how we live: food, drink and lack of exercise. Movies also encourage certain lifestyles, like smoking which used to be depicted as glamorous.

Love is definitely a disease, isifo because it causes one-sided expectations. The woman thinks that the love affair will lead to marriage while the man does not want to hear the -M- word. A hot vs cold situation. It becomes complicated when there are three kids involved.

I-si-fo. You say the first part like e-mail, the second like see and the third like forward.
I-zi-fo means many diseases. You say the first part like e-mail, the second like zeal and the third like forward.
ENGLISHZULU
Arthritis is killing me.Nga-fa isifo sa-mathambo.
Love disease is killing me.Nga-fa isifo so-thando.
Lung disease is a killer.Singa ku-bulala isifo sa-maphaphu.
What causes lung disease?Si-bangwa yini isifo sa-maphaphu?
That disease is caused by smoking.Le-so sifo sibangwa ukubhema.
Cancer is a known disease.I-cancer isifo e-sidala.
What kind of a disease is this?Sifo sini lesi?
This disease baffles doctors.Le-sifo si-hlula o-dokotela.
All diseases can be cured.Zonke izifo ziya lapheka.
No. Other diseases cannot be cured.Cha. Ezinye izifo azi-lapheki.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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