Zulu · Grammar

Zulu Grammar and Verbs

Core Zulu noun class prefixes, verb conjugation patterns, and agglutinative word structure. Front: the Zulu word or phrase. Back: English meaning.

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Noun class 1 (um-/umu-)

Singular class for people, for example umuntu (person)

Noun class 2 (aba-)

Plural of class 1, for people, for example abantu (people)

Noun class 1a (u-)

Singular class for names and kinship terms, for example ubaba (father)

Noun class 2a (o-)

Plural of class 1a, for example obaba (fathers)

Noun class 3 (um-/umu-)

Singular class for plants and some objects, for example umuthi (tree)

Noun class 4 (imi-)

Plural of class 3, for example imithi (trees)

Noun class 5 (i-/ili-)

Singular class for many natural things and objects, for example ilanga (sun)

Noun class 6 (ama-)

Plural of class 5, for example amalanga (days)

Noun class 7 (isi-)

Singular class for objects and languages, for example isihlalo (chair)

Noun class 8 (izi-)

Plural of class 7, for example izihlalo (chairs)

Noun class 9 (in-/im-)

Singular class for many animals and borrowed words, for example inja (dog)

Noun class 10 (izin-/izim-)

Plural of class 9, for example izinja (dogs)

Noun class 11 (u(lu)-)

Singular class often for long thin things, for example uthi (stick)

Noun class 14 (ubu-)

Class for abstract nouns, for example ubuhle (beauty)

Noun class 15 (uku-)

Infinitive class for verbs used as nouns, for example ukudla (food, eating)

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