School & Education

1. Isikolo esiseduze sikuphi?

   Where is the nearest school?

   Usage

   Ask where the nearest school is

   Grammar Note

   isikolo (school, class 7) + esiseduze (nearby) + si-ku-phi (where is it). Esiseduze is the modifier form for nearby. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Ngifuna ukufunda isiNdebele.

   I want to learn Southern Ndebele.

   Usage

   Tell local people that you want to learn this language

   Grammar Note

   ngifuna (I want) + ukufunda (to learn) + isiNdebele (the Ndebele language). Language names take isi- followed by a capitalized stem. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Ilayibhrari ikuphi?

   Where is the library?

   Usage

   Ask where the library is

   Grammar Note

   ilayibhrari (library, a class 9 loanword) + i-ku-phi (where is it). Loanwords are spelled to match the sound. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Iyunivesithi ikuphi?

   Where is the university?

   Usage

   Ask where a university is

   Grammar Note

   iyunivesithi (university, a class 9 loanword) + i-ku-phi (where is it). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Ngingumfundi.

   I am a student.

   Usage

   Say that you are a student when introducing yourself

   Grammar Note

   ngi-ngu-mfundi (I am a student): ngi- (I) + ngu- (to be) + umfundi (student, one who learns) contracted. It does not distinguish gender. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Utitjhere ukuphi?

   Where is the teacher?

   Usage

   Look for a teacher at a school

   Grammar Note

   utitjhere (teacher, a class 1 loanword) + u-ku-phi (where is he or she). The teacher is utitjhere here, unlike Zulu uthisha. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Isifundo sizokuthoma nini?

   When does the lesson start?

   Usage

   Ask when a lesson or course starts

   Grammar Note

   isifundo (lesson, class 7) + si-zoku-thoma (will begin) + nini (when). Isifundo is built on ukufunda (to learn). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Iimbhadelo zesikolo ziyimalini?

   How much are the school fees?

   Usage

   Ask what a school or course costs

   Grammar Note

   iimbhadelo (fees, plural of imbhadelo) + zesikolo (of the school) + zi-yi-malini (how much are they). How much is asked with the form yimalini. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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