Bathing in Zulu

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Kids in rural areas must always have a bath before bed after playing soccer and cricket in dusty places, chasing animals and climbing trees. They also romp in local rivers and ride waves in the Caribbean. They lead a wonderful life.

There’s a kwaito/hip hop song that tells kids to have a bath so that they can be beautiful, ‘Sizogeza sibe bahle.’  It never fails to amuse me because my parents said the same thing. 

It is common for a child to declare, ‘Sengimuhle,’ meaning I am beautiful, after a bath.  Ukugeza is to have a bath or washing yourself.  ‘Geza’ is the same sound as ‘get’ in English.

ZULU
ENGLISH
Hamba uyogeza.
Go and have a bath/wash yourself.
Ngiyageza.
I’m having a take a bath/washing myself.
Geza amazinyo.
Brush your teeth.
Geza imoto.
Wash the car.
Bayageza.
They are having a bath.
Sizogeza.
We will have a bath.
Geza ingane.
Give the child a bath.
Nigezile?
Have you had a bath?
Nizo geza nini?
When will you have a bath?
Sizogeza manje.
We’ll have a bath right now.
Bayogeza emfuleni.
They’ve gone to the river to have a bath.

SAMPLE CONVERSATION

MOTHER:  Nigezile?

CHILDREN:  Yebo Ma sigezile.

MOTHER:  Nigeze nini? (When?)

CHILDREN: Sigeze ekuseni.  (We washed in the morning.)

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