Café & Drinks

1. Amanzi wokusela

   Drinking water

   Usage

   Use it to ask for water that is fit to drink or to check whether water is drinkable

   Grammar Note

   amanzi (water) is a plural-form noun. wokusela is the linking form wo- (of) + ukusela (drinking)

2. Ungangipha amanzi, ngiyabawa?

   Could you give me some water, please?

   Usage

   Politely ask for water in a shop or lodging

   Grammar Note

   ungangipha (could you give me) + amanzi (water) + ngiyabawa (please, literally I beg). Southern Ndebele says ngiyabawa for please and does not use the Zulu ngicela. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Ngifuna itiye.

   I would like some tea.

   Usage

   Ask for tea at a cafe or lodging

   Grammar Note

   ngifuna (I want) + itiye (tea, a loanword). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Ngifuna itiye netjhukela.

   I would like tea with sugar.

   Usage

   Order tea with sugar

   Grammar Note

   ne- (with) + itjhukela (sugar) contracts to netjhukela. The tj spelling is Southern Ndebele. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Ingabe utlhoga ibisi nanyana itjhukela?

   Do you need milk or sugar?

   Usage

   Ask or be asked whether milk or sugar is wanted in tea or coffee

   Grammar Note

   -tlhoga means to need, and or is nanyana (namkha also occurs). Milk appears as ibisi in this language. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Ngifuna ikofi.

   I would like some coffee.

   Usage

   Ask for coffee at a cafe or lodging

   Grammar Note

   ngifuna (I want) + ikofi (coffee, a loanword spelled ikofi here). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Ngifuna ibhiya.

   I would like a beer.

   Usage

   Order a beer at a bar or restaurant

   Grammar Note

   ngifuna (I want) + ibhiya (beer, a loanword). Utjwala can also mean alcohol, but ibhiya is the safe word when you mean beer. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Iwayini

   Wine

   Usage

   Say it while pointing at the menu to order wine

   Grammar Note

   iwayini is a loanword from English wine, with the noun prefix i-

9. Ngifuna ijuzi.

   I would like some juice.

   Usage

   Ask for a drink for a child or for someone who is not drinking alcohol

   Grammar Note

   ngifuna (I want) + ijuzi (juice, a loanword). The spelling with z is how this language writes the borrowing. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

10. Angiseli utjwala.

    I do not drink alcohol.

    Usage

    Decline when you are offered alcohol

    Grammar Note

    Negative present tense: ngiyasela (I drink) becomes angiseli (I do not drink) and the final -a changes to -i. Utjwala covers alcohol and beer in general. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

Browse all TravelPhrases languages