Being Scared in Zulu

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Halloween makeup is scary.  Afraid or scared, is saba in Zulu.  Ngi-saba umbani (I’m scared of thunder).  Halloween makeup scares you, iya-sabeka. 

Scared of chilies? That's why restaurants have a choice of medium or hot curry.

Nature made many races that live in different parts of the world.  All of them have ugly people, depending on their concept of beauty.  For example, standards of judging a beautiful person in Africa are different from China’s.  We can be very cruel and say someone is so ugly, he is scary.

Weddings are very stressful. The bride is scared that the groom might not show up. Grooms are also scared of being stood up at the altar.

Some people are scared of heights and will not go up Mount Kenya, Tour Eiffel, Statue of Liberty or scale the Great Wall of China.

Sa-ba.  The first part is pronounced as in something, the second part as in baba, the term used for father in most languages.

ZULU

ENGLISH

Mubi uyasabeka.

He is so ugly.  He is scary.

U-Jean Pierre u-saba i-nja.

Jean Pierre is scared of the dog.

U-Marie u-saba u-pelepele.

Marie is scared of chilies.

I-America i-saba i-Russia.

The U.S. is scared of Russia.

I-Russia i-saba i-America.

Russia is scared of America.


EXERCISE:  Ask your friend what he scares him:  U-sa-bani?

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang     

 

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