Tenses (inkathi)

Inkathi edlule
Present tense construction
 Formula:
Positive Form: ifomu elihle Negative Form: ifomu elibi
Agr+Verb +a Neg A+agr+Verb+i
Agr+(ya)Verb+a

Thina sifundela emakhaya. Thina asifundeli emakhaya.

Izitshudeni zifunda isiNgisi. Izitshudeni azifundi isiNgisi.
Note: The verb extender (-ya-) is only used in Positive Form!
Uthisha uyafundisa. Uthisha akafundisi.
Umndeni uyavakasha ehlobo. Umndeni awuvakashi ehlobo.
Present Tense
 Agreement + Verb
 After the verb, you can have an object.
 E. g. Sifunda isiZulu.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of time.
 E.g. Ngiyaphumula ngempelasonto.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of place.
 E. g. Ngifunda eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of manner.
 E. g. (Wena) Ushayela kahle.
  After the verb you can have nothing.
 E. g. Bayadlala.
 Note: When you have nothing or adverb of time right after the verb,
your verb will have (-ya-) after the agreement.
 Also, you can still have adverb of time after the verb, but no use of (-
ya-)
 E.g. Siqala ukufunda namhlanje. (Why this?)
 The difference here is, the time expression appears after
the verb.
Isikhathi Esidlule
Past Tense Construction
Formula:
Positive Form: Negative Form:
Agr+Verb+e Neg A+agr+Verb+anga
Agr+Verb+ile
Note:
Past tense has the equivalent of Present Tense marker when the verb is
followed by nothing or the time expression.
While Present tense uses –ya- to extend the verb after the agreement,
Past tense uses –ile in the same position as the regular maker –e, which is at
the end of the verb when it is a positive form. When it is in a negative form it is
marked by -anga

Past tense
 Agreement + Verb
 After the verb, you can have an object.
 E. g. Asifundanga isiZulu.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of time.
 E.g. Angiphumulanga ngempelasonto.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of place.
 E. g. Angifundanga eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of manner.
 E. g. (Wena) uphekile kahle.
  After the verb you can have nothing.
 E. g. Badlalile.
 Note: When the sentence is on o positive form the verb ends with (-ile),
when the sentence is on the negative form the verb starts with (A-) and
ends with (-anga)

Isikhathi Esizayo

Future Tense
 Inkathi ezayo noma inkathi esazofika.
 Nayo njengenkathi yamanje noma edlule inezakhi ezithile ezikhombisayo
ukuthi kukhulunywa ngento engakenzeko kodwa esazokwenze noma
esizokwenzeka.
 Kuyenzeka ukuthi kukhulunywe ngento esekude ukwenzeka noma
ezokwenzeka maduzane ngakhoke ulimi olusetshenziswayo
 Agreement + Marker/indicator + Verb
 After the verb, you can have an object.
 E. g. Ngizofunda isiZulu.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of time.
 E.g. Ngizophumula ngempelasonto.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of place.
 E. g. Ngiyofunda eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali.
 After the verb, you can have an adverb of manner.
 E. g. Ngizopheka kahle.
 After the verb you can have nothing.
 E. g. Bazodlala.
 Note: When the sentence is on o positive form the verb ends with a
verb, when the sentence is on the negative form the verb starts with
(A-) and ends with a verb.
Summary of Tenses
The use of (noun) agreement shows two things in a sentence; (1) The tense: but with
other aspects of the action word; and (2) also shows the reference (who are we
referring to: first/second/third person.
Isivumelwano sebizo/inhloko yomusho sivezela izinto ezimbili; (1) Inkathi ukuthi
isenzeko senzeka nini kodwa lokhu sikwenza sesibheka nezinye izingxenye
zesenzo/senzeko; (2) ukuthi ubani lo okukhulunywa ngaye.
We will see this when we do tenses and (personal) pronouns, and tenses with noun
classification in our next topic. Also know these are simple tenses.
Locative
Important Grammatical Structures in isiZulu for Beginners
Important Grammatical Structures in elementary isiZulu
 Locative Construction
 Pronouns of other nouns/things
 Possessives Pronouns

Locative Construction
 Locative Markers at the beginning of words

 E- marker as the common one:

Izib.: ekhaya, e-Mall/ ezitolo, egaraji, endlini, ekhishini, esikoleni, ebhasini,
emotweni, ekhampasini, emsebensini, njalo njalo
eThekwini, eMgungundlovu, eKapa, eGoli, eLondon, eMelika, njalo njalo.

2. Kwa-, meaning the place of

Izib.: KwaZulu-Natali, KwaNongoma, KwaDukuza, KwaMashu,
kwagogo, kwamalume, kwamngani wami, kwadadewethu, kwababa,
kwamama, kwadokotela, kwathisha wami, njalo njalo.
kwaGovendor, kwaDlamini, kwaNaicker, kwaHlongwa, njalo njalo.
kwaSipho, kwaNerisha, kwaThandeka, kwaPriya, njalo njalo.

kwami & kwethu (mina & thina

kwakho & kwenu (wena & nina)
kwakhe & kwabo ( yena & bona)

3. Kwi- with only or mostly the technological items:

Izib: kwikhompuyutha, kwifoni, kwi-email, kwi-TV, kwirediyo,
kwi-screen, kwi-X-Ray, kwi-MIR, njalo njalo
4. Ku- with people, mostly Noun Class 1, (umu-/um-/u class of words), but
specifically meaning /to or from/:
Izib.: kugogo, kumama, kudokotela, kumngani wami, njalo njalo
5. O- with words under Noun Class 6 , the ulu- class of words:
Izib.: onyaweni, osukwini, olwandle, obisini, ogwadule,
 oThukela, oKhahlamba, njalo njalo.

Locative Markers at the end of words:

Words ending with a vowels /a/, add the (-eni)
 Izib.: ibhola – ebholeni
isikhwama – esikhwameni
udonga - odongeni

Words ending with a vowels /e & i/, add the (-ni)

 Izib.: ikhabethe – ekhabetheni
isikole – esikoleni
ikhekhe - ekhekheni

 Izib.: ibhasi – ebhasini

ikhishi - eskhishini
umsebenzi - emsebenzini

Words ending with a vowels /o/, add the (-weni)

 Izib.: imoto – emotweni
inkonzo – enkonweni
isondo - esondweni

Words ending with a vowels /u/, add the (-wini)

 Izib.: isisu – esiswini
usuku – osukwini
ubusuku - ebusukwini

Pronouns of other Nouns/things

 Singular Plural
1st Person: Mina Thina
2nd Person: Wena Nina
3rd Person: Yena (umfana) Bona (abafana

Pronouns Structure:
1. Agreement+ona
2. Then delete the vowel of an agreement to be left with the vowel of the
added (-ona)
3. If the agreement is only a vowel, like in the following Noun Classes:
u w-
a w-
i y-
Singular Plural
2. umuzi u…- wona imizi i… - yona
3. ibhasi li…- lona amabhasi a…- wona
4. isikole si…- sona izikole zi…- zona
5. inja i…- yona izinja zi…- zona
imbongolo i… - yona izimbongolo zi… - zona
6. usuku lu…- lona izinsuku zi…- zona
7. ubusuku bu…- bona
8. ukusebenza ku…- kona
Note:
If among the other Noun Classes, there are personal or human nouns, they will
all follow the rest of Pronoun Structure like with all other nouns, even if that is
a she or they as in person!
Possessives Pronouns
Personal Possessives:
Agr+ami Agr+ ethu
Izib.: isibongo sami abantwana bethu
uthisha wami isikole sethu
umndeni wami uthisha wethu
ubaba wami usuku lwethu

Agr+akho Agr+enu
Izib.: igama lakho umsebenzi wenu
isibongo sakho amagama enu
imoto yakho izingane zenu
ikati lakho abazali benu

Agr+akhe Agr+abo
Izib.: imoto yakhe amagama abo
umngani wakhe imali yabo
ukudla kwakhe indaba yabo
umyeni wakhe isikhathi sabo

Other Possessives using other Noun Classes

Agr+a+the owner
Izibonelo:
Noun Class Singular Plural
1 umfana waMkhize abafana baMkhize
2 umuzi wabazali imizi yabazali
3 ikati lasisi amakati asisi
4 isitshudeni saHlongwa izitshudeni zaHlongwa
5 imoto yababa izimoto zababa
6 usuku lwamama izinsuku zamama
 7 ubuso baZama
8 ukudla kwabafundi
Grammatical Notes:
When making these possessives, do the following;
 Delete the vowel of the agreement
 If the agreement is /u-/, change that /u-/ to be /w/
 If the agreement is /i-/, change that /i-/ to be /y/
 If the agreement is /a-/, use only one /a/
 With Class 8 the /uku-/ class, change the /u-/ of the agreement to be /w/

Conjunctions, Comparisons, and other related Language Usage

The grammar of vowel /a/ to other nouns when used in language
structures/markers
• IsiZulu vowels:
a, e, i, o, u

However, there is NO noun in isiZulu that begins with vowel /e/!

When vowel /a/ used in word combination:

a+a=a
a+i=e
a+o&u=o

Conjunctions or connecting phrases

Connecting phrase /na-/:

 Remember the grammar of /a/ when preceding other vowels in words
• It is used when connection individual words.
• Izibonelo:
 Umama nobaba
 Ikati nenja
 Uthisha nabafundi
 Onesi nodokotela
• The tone here will tell if you mean singular or plural!

Connecting phrase /futhi/:

 It is used when connecting phrases or sentences.
 Izibonelo:
• Ngiyafunda futhi ngiyasebenza.
• Ngihlala eThekwini futhi nabazali bami.
• UDokotela Mkhize unguthisha futhi ungumzali.
• Umngani wami unomusa futhi uyephana.

• Ngiphuza itiye futhi ikhofi

• Ngithanda ukufunda futhi ukusebenza.
• Umngani wami unomusa futhi uneconsi.
• Here, you are not only connecting words as it looks, but you
are still connecting phrases, but the second one has the
similar verbs as in the first phrase in your sentence!

Other Common Conjunctions

Kodwa:
 Ngihlala nabazali bami, kodwa angithandi.
 Abangani bami nguZama noSizwe, kodwa ngithanda uSizwe kakhulu.
 Ngiyabathanda abazali bami, kodwa banomthetho.
 Sifunda sihleli emakhaya, kodwa kunzima.

Ngoba:
 Ngenza iziqu i-FP ngoba ngifuna ngithanda abantwana abancane.
  Ngifundisa othisha enyuveni ngoba ngithanda ubuthishela kakhulu.
 Izitshudeni zisebenza kanzima emakhaya ngoba zifuna ukuphumelela.
 Ngiyabathanda abazali bami ngoba nabo bayangithanda.

Noma:
 Njalo ekuseni ngiphuza ikhofi noma itiye.
 Ukudla kwami amaveji noma inyama.
 Uthanda mina noma yena?
 Uzophuza amanzi noma ijusi?

Ukuthi:
 Ngicabanga ukuthi ngihambe manje.
 Abazali bami bafuna ukuthi ngisebenze kanzima.
 Ucabanga ukuthi uzokwenzani manje?
 Inyuvesi yethu ifuna ukuthi siphume emares ngamaholide.

Ukuze:
 Ngizofunda ngokuzikhandla ukuze ngiphumelele.
 Ngithenge izingubo zasebusika ukuze ngifudumale.
 Udokotela uqophe izifundo zethu ukuze silalele noma nini.
 Ngizofika lapho ukuze sikhulume.

Comparisons

Fana na- (look like)

 Mina ngifana nomama wami.
 Abantu sebefana nezilwane manje.
 Ukungazi kufana nokungaboni.

Njenga- (like/similar to)

 Ngizosebenza kanzima njengabazali bami.
 Udadewethu mude njengobaba wethu.
 Umngani wami uthanda ukukhuluma njengomsakazi.
 Wena uthanda izindaba njengentatheli.

Nganga- (like/same as)

 Ugogo wami ungangomkhulu wami.
 Indlu yami ingangeyakho.
 Umsebenzi wesikole manje ungangentaba.
 Umfowethu usekhulile kakhulu, usengangami manje.

Kuna- (than)
 Udadewethu muhle kunami.
 Imoto yami ingcono kunebhayisikili.
 Ibhasi lihamba kancane kunemoto.
 Ubaba upheka kangcono kunomama.

Other Language Usage

The use of (nga-):
 As in the mode of transportation:
• Ngihamba ngemoto ukuya esikoleni.
• Abafundi bafika ekhampasini ngamabhasi.
• Izimpasha eziphuma phesheya zifika ngomkhumbi.
• Ngizohamba ngendiza ukuya eGoli.
• Ngithanda ukuhamba ngesithuthuthu.

 When used to demonstrate a tool or an instrument used for something:

• Ngipheka ngebhodwe elikhulu.
• Abafundi bafunda ngamakhomuyutha manje.
• Abantu baxhumana ngezinkundla zokuxhumana kakhulu.
• Ngiyaziqhenya ngoba ngithenga ngemali yami.
• Sizonqoba ukhuvethe ngokubambisana.

Pronouns (isibizwana)
There are three types (izinhlobo) of pronouns (isabizwana):
 Esoqobo (reference)
 Esokubala (count)
 Esokukhomba (demonstratives)

Noun classification
 pronoun is a substitute word for a noun in a sentence or communication
context (hence noun is a naming word (igama lento ebonakalayo
nengabonakali)
 N.B. In isiZulu we use meaning of the nouns (words that share common
characterestics), prefixes (iziqalo zamabizo), singular & plural forms (ubunye
nobuningi).
 Therefore, the formulae (criteria) that determines the pronouns of nouns in
each class remains the same with the criteria used to classify nouns.

Personal Pronouns
Isabizwana soqobo

 Isabizwana soqobo (reference pronoun) are used to refer to the actual name
of something. In a sentence it can be used with the noun, also they can take
the place of the noun (substitute noun).
 Before we go into deep, isiZulu grammar stipulates that in one word vowelsdo
not follow each other (A; E; I; O; U) In these alphabets, there are natural
(onkamisa bemvelo) vowels and resultant (onkamisa bokuvela) alphabets
 A, I, & U are natural alphabets; E & O are resultant vowels.
 We refer this to grammar (ukulumbana/ukuhlangana konkamisa) of A.

 Grammar of A
 A+A=A
 A+I=E
 A+U = O
 Rule: unkamisa A kumele ube ngasekuqaleni konkamisa. If alphabet A its I or
U, unkamisa I changes to Y while unkamisa U changes to W (you will see
more of these when we are doing verbs that starts with a consonant)

Isabizwana sakheka kanjani?

 Sisebenzisa isivumelwano sebizo (noun agreement) nesiqu sesabizwana
soqobo.
 Isiqu sesabizwana soqobou u-ona
 Bese kuhlangana onkamisa besivumelwano
 Uma kwenziwa isabizwana soqobo nakhu okunye okumele ukunake:
 Isivumelwana sebizo singunkamisa kuphela
 I-uyangwaqaziswa abe u-Y, noma abe u-W
 U-U uyangwaqaziswa abe u-W

Noun Classification and Agreement System

Noun Class 1 (Personal Nouns)

 Umu-/um- u- Aba-
ba-
  Umuntu (Yena) usebenza engadini. Abantu (Bona)
basebenza engadini.
 U+ona
 U-oyi noun agreement uyashintsha abe uY, bese u o wesiqu sesisabizwana
siyashintsha sibe u-E.

 Ebuningini Ba+ona; seqa unkamisa A osesivumelwaneni kube u Bona.

 Noun Class 1 (a) or Sub-class of Noun Class 1

 U- u-
O- ba-
 Umama (yena) uyapheka. Omama (bona)
bayapheka.
 Ubaba (yena) usebenza kanzima. Obaba (bona)
basebenza kanzima.
 Ugogo ubhaka amakhekhe. Ogogo babhaka
amakhekhe.
 Umalume usebenza esitolo. Omalume basebenza
esitolo.

 Negation
 Umama akapheki. Omama
abapheki.

Noun Class that behaves like Noun Class 1 (a) but with food items and other
borrowed items

 Ushukela (wona) unandisa ukudla. Oshukela (bona) banandisa

ukudla.
 Ushizi (wona) umnandi. Oshizi (bona) bamnandi.
 Ukhiye (wona) uvula endlini. Okhiye (bona) bavula endlini.

 Negation
 Ushukela awunandisi ukudla. Oshukula abanandisi ukudla.

Noun Class 2 (Non-personal Nouns

 Umu-/um- u- Imi-
i-
 Umuzi (wona) ubiza kakhulu. Imizi (yona) ibiza kakhulu.
 Umuthi (wona) uyababa. Imithi (yona) iyababa.

 Negation
 Umuzi awubizi kakhulu. Imizi ayibizi kakhulu.

Noun Class 3

 Ili-/i- li- Ama-

a-
 Ilizwe (lona) liyanotha. Amazwe (wona) ayanotha.
  Ilisu (lona) liphela ngokushesha. Amasu (wona) aphela
ngokushesha

 Negation
 Ilizwe alinothi. Amazwe
awanothi.
 Ikati alidlali nenja. Amakati awadlali
nenja.

Noun Class 4

 Isi- si-
Izi- zi-
 Isitshudeni (sona) sifunda enyuvesi. Izitshudeni (zona) zifunda
enyuvesi.
 Isigebengu (sona) siyantshontsha. Izigebengu (zona)
ziyantshontsha.
 Negation
 Isitshudeni asifundi enyuvesi. Izitshudeni azifundi
enyuvesi.

Noun Class 5

 In-/im- i- Izin-/izim-
zi-
 Inja (yona) idlala nekati Izinja (zona) zidlala nekati.
 Ingane (yona) iyakhala. Izingane (zona) ziyakhala.
 Indlu iyanetha. Izindlu ziyanetha.

 Im- (b/p/v/f) Izim- (b/v/v/f)

 Imbuzi idla izitshalo. Izimbuzi zidla izitshalo.
 Impunga ibhema inqawe. Izimpunga zibhemba ugwayi.
 Imvu ihlala nezimbuzi. Izimvu zihlala nezimbuzi.
 Imfene idlala nenkawu. Izimfene zidlala nenkawu.

 Examples of In- Class Personal Nouns but having their Plural as Ama-

 In- i-
Ama- a-
 Intombazane (yona) iyafunda. Amantombazane (wona) ayafunda.
 Indoda (yona) iyabhaka. Amadoda (wona) ayabhaka.
 Negation:
 Intombazane ayifundi. Amantombazane
awafundi.

Noun Class 6
 Ulu-/u- lu-
Izi-/izin-/izim- Zi-
  Uluthi (lona) luwa esihlahleni. Izinti (zona) ziwa
esihlahleni.
 Uthuli (lona) lungcolisa indlu. Izintuli (zona) zingcolisa
indlu.
 Udonga luyawa. Izindonga
ziyawa.

 Ubambo luyaphuka. Izimbambo

ziyaphuka.
 Uphawu lukhombisa indlela. Izimpawu zikhombisa
indlela.
 Ufudu luhamba kancane. Izimfudu zihamba
kancane.
 Negation:
 Uphawu alukhombisi indlela. Izimpawu azikhombisi
indlela.

Noun Class 7 & Noun Class 8

 Ubu- bu-
Uku- ku-
 Ubuso (bona) buyaluma. Ukudla (khona)
kuyabiza.
 Ubusika (bona) buyabanda. Ukufa (khona)
kuyethusa.
 Ubudala buyahlupha. Ukushisa
kufika ehlobo.
 Ubuhlungu buyakhathaza. Ukufundisa
kuyathandeka.

 Negation:
Negation:
 Ubuso abulumi. Ukudla
akubizi.
 Utshani abukhuli kahle.