Airport & Customs

1. Ngibawa uveze iphaspoti yakho.

   Please show your passport.

   Usage

   A standard request from immigration officers; worth recognizing

   Grammar Note

   Passport is iphaspoti, spelled differently from Zulu ipasipoti. Veza iphaspoti esebenzako means present a valid passport. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Yini umnqopho wokuvakatjha kwakho?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   A common immigration question; for tourism the answer is ukuvakatjha

   Grammar Note

   Umnqopho means purpose or aim. Ukuvakatjha means visiting, and also covers tourism. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Uzokuhlala amalanga amangaki?

   How many days will you stay?

   Usage

   An immigration question, asked in days rather than nights

   Grammar Note

   Amalanga amangaki means how many days. Ilanga means both sun and day. Hlala means live or stay. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Ngibawa uveze ithikithi lakho lesiphaphamtjhini.

   Please show your air ticket.

   Usage

   Heard at airline counters and immigration when your ticket is requested

   Grammar Note

   Isiphaphamtjhini means aeroplane. Ithikithi lesiphaphamtjhini is an air ticket. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Idoyelo leemphaphamtjhini likuphi?

   Where is the airport?

   Usage

   Used to ask the way to the airport

   Grammar Note

   The airport is idoyelo leemphaphamtjhini (landing place of aeroplanes), and the plural is amadoyelo. Idoyelo is class 5, so the agreement is li-. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Belinjani ikhambo lakho?

   How was your journey?

   Usage

   What a host asks a traveller who has just arrived

   Grammar Note

   Ikhambo means journey. Belinjani is the past form asking how it was. For a holiday, put iholideyi in place of ikhambo

7. Ube nekhambo elimnandi.

   Have a good trip.

   Usage

   A farewell to someone setting out; also used when seeing someone off at the gate

   Grammar Note

   Ube ne- ... is a wish form meaning may you have .... Ikhambo elimnandi is a pleasant journey, and elihle (good) can replace elimnandi

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