Compliments

1. Ukudla kumnandi khulu!

   The food is very delicious!

   Usage

   Used to compliment food; it makes cooks and hosts happy

   Grammar Note

   -mnandi means tasty or pleasant. Ukudla (food) is picked up by ku-, giving kumnandi. The same word is used when a trip or activity is enjoyable. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Indawo le ihle khulu!

   This place is very beautiful!

   Usage

   Praises beautiful scenery or places; shows appreciation to locals

   Grammar Note

   -hle means beautiful or good. It agrees with indawo (place, class 9) as ihle. Khulu means very. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Wenze kuhle!

   Well done!

   Usage

   Praises someone's effort or achievement

   Grammar Note

   Wenze is the perfect of enza (do), meaning you did. Kuhle means well

4. Wenze umsebenzi omuhle khulu.

   You did really good work.

   Usage

   Praises a guide or shop assistant for good work

   Grammar Note

   Umsebenzi omuhle means good work. Omuhle is the form of good that agrees with umsebenzi (class 3). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Unomusa khulu.

   You are very kind.

   Usage

   Praises someone's kindness after they have helped you

   Grammar Note

   Umusa means kindness, and u-na-musa (you have kindness) contracts to unomusa. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Ukhuluma isiNgisi kuhle.

   You speak English well.

   Usage

   Compliments someone's English; English is one of South Africa's official languages

   Grammar Note

   Language names begin with isi- (isiNgisi English, isiNdebele Southern Ndebele), with the capital on the stem. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Ngiyathokoza ngomusa wakho.

   Thank you for your kindness.

   Usage

   Thanks a host or helper for their kindness

   Grammar Note

   Thank you is ngiyathokoza, a different word from Zulu ngiyabonga. Ngo- means for or about and contracts with umusa (kindness) to ngomusa. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Ikhaya lakho lihle.

   Your home is lovely.

   Usage

   A polite compliment when you are invited into someone's home

   Grammar Note

   Ikhaya means home. It agrees with lakho (your) and lihle (beautiful) in class 5. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

9. Ufundisa kuhle.

   You teach very well.

   Usage

   Compliments a guide, teacher or anyone who explained something well

   Grammar Note

   Fundisa means teach. A teacher is utitjhere, a different word from Zulu uthisha. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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