Words

Explore and discover the Xhosa language, one root at a time!

aba

verb (directive)

Share; Split; Divide; …

bawa

verb (directive)

Crave; Covet; Desire t…

ntyontya

verb (directive)

Whistle

seza

verb (directive)

Cause or make to drink;…

wela

verb (instructive)

Cross; extend across or…

gawula

verb (instructive)

Cut or chop down a tree…

tema

verb (instructive)

Cut or chop down a tree…

nxila

verb (instructive)

Get or be drunk; Be int…

grangqa

root

Alcohol; Brandy (spirit…

tywala

root

Alcohol See also grang…

xoka

verb (directive)

Lie; Tell lies; Deceive

veza

verb (directive)

Cause to come out; Reve…

zuza

verb (directive)

Benefit; Gain; Attain; …

hleka

verb (instructive)

Laugh; Giggle

chiza

verb (instructive)

Trickle; Ooze; Administ…

idla

verb (instructive)

Eat; Consume; Ingest

nyuka

verb (instructive)

Go up or upward; Ascend…

nyula

verb (instructive)

Elect; Vote; Choose (so…

phumla

verb (instructive)

Rest; Refresh or reliev…

buna

verb (instructive)

Perish; Waste away; Wit…

xhela

verb (instructive)

Slaugher; Butcher

xuba

verb (instructive)

Mix; Mingle

xhola

verb (instructive)

Poke (with a sharp obje…

ngxola

verb (instructive)

Be loud; Be noisy; Blus…

xola

verb (instructive)

Be placid; Be at peace;…

chuba

verb

Pare; Peel; Remove a th…

chaza

verb

Explain (in detail); Co…

qaba

verb

Smear; Carefully apply …

suka

verb

Move

bamba

verb

Touch; Grip; Lay a fas…

funga

verb

Swear

mafungwashe

Eldest daughter

mkhuluwa

Older brother

mninawa

Younger brother

makazi

Maternal aunt; Mother&#…

kanina

Cousin were parents are…

mza

Cousin where parents ar…

mntakwethu

Cousin where parents ar…

bawokazi

Paternal uncle; Father&…

dade

Sister

dadobawo

Paternal aunt; Father&#…

nyana

Son

ntombi

Daughter; Maiden

zala

verb

Procreate; Reproduce; P…

ncinci

Small; Little

tatomncinci

Paternal uncle (younger…

bawo

Father 2. Reference to…

mama

Mother; A respectful fo…

lobola

verb

Offer recompense to a …

enza

verb

Do; Make; Produce In c…

gxwayiba

bound lexeme

Chaos; Dreariness; Deso…

singa

verb

Look fixedly; Advance; …

gxaka

Reduplicated form: ubug…

sebenza

verb

Work; Labour

vula

verb (directive)

Open

funda

verb

Study; Learn; Read

duda

verb (directive)

Dance

fuma

verb

Be damp

biza

verb

Call (as in requesting …

ima

verb

Stand; Stand up; Stop

iva

verb

Hear; Feel; Examine the…

ceba

verb

Plan; Organise; Map out…

mangala

verb

1. Sue; Institute legal…

bona

verb

See; Perceive; Understa…

galela

verb

Pour; Contribute to a s…

geza

verb

Be naughty; Joke

makhulu

Noun

Grandmother Note on ph…

yeza

noun

A medicine; A mixture, …

tata

noun

Father; A respectful fo…

cula

verb

Sing.

vuma

verb

Agree; Concede; Admit; …

thuma

verb

Send (someone on an err…

ondla

verb

Feed; Give strength or …

khama

verb

Wring

susa

verb

Remove; Take away

gxotha

verb

Expel; Banish; Exile; E…

faka

verb

Put inside; Insert; Pla…

tshiza

verb

Spray; Sprinkle

tshayela

verb

Sweep

xela

verb

Tell; Tell on someone; …

khwaza

verb

Shout; Speak loudly; Ye…

sika

verb

Cut

hlasela

verb

Attack

khaba

verb

Kick

luma

verb

Bite; Have a bite

hlaba

verb

Stab; Pierce

hlukuhla

verb

Shake (an object, e.g. …

tsweba

verb

Pinch

nyumbaza

verb

Tickle or titillate

qaphela

verb

Take note; notice; Tak…

cinga

verb

Think; Engage in though…

qonda

verb

Understand; conceive

phazama

verb

Make an error or mistak…

khumbula

verb

Remember; Recollect

libala

verb

Forget

khanyela

verb

Deny an accusation

sela

verb

Drink (a liquid); Consu…

hlafuna

verb

Chew

itya

verb

Eat; Consume; Ingest

ginya

verb

Swallow

funa

verb

Look for; Desire; Searc…

phicotha

verb

Thoroughly examine; Scr…

joja

verb

Smell; Sniff

hlola

verb

Look thoroughly at; Exa…

basa

verb

Light, start or make a …

bhala

verb

Write

sila

verb

Brew

songa

verb

Fold; Entwine

nyhuka

verb

Ascend; Go up; Climb; R…

iza

verb

Approach; Come here/clo…

betha

verb

Beat; Strike; Hit

iya

verb

Go; Proceed

vela

verb

Come out; Appear; Revea…

bhaca

verb

Migrate

sala

verb

Remain; Stay behind

ngena

verb

Enter; Go in; Come in

fika

verb

Arrive; Get (to a place…

hlala

verb

1. Sit down; Stay; Rema…

gxigxiza

verb

Rain persistently;

fefa

verb

Drizzle; Rain lightly

khwitsha

verb

Drizzle

vuthuza

verb

Blow (of wind)

thiya

verb

Hate; Be hateful toward…

dana

verb

Be disappointed; Be sad

khweleta

verb

Be jealous; Act jealous…

khathala

verb

Care; Be concerned; Sho…

qumba

verb

Be angry; Be cross; Be …

dumba

verb

Swell

suza

verb

Fart

zamla

verb

Yawn

bila

verb

Sweat; Perspire 2. Boi…

ncwina

verb

Groan; Moan

rhona

verb

Snore

bhodla

verb

Belch; Burp

gabha

verb

vomit

gama

noun

Name 2. Word

thi

bound morpheme

Tree

qhela

verb

Get used (to something …

thoba

verb

Reduce; Lower; Move dow…

othuka

verb

Be taken aback; Be star…

thimla

verb

Sneeze

khohlela

verb

Cough

xuma

verb

Support; Patronise

xhuma

verb

Jump.

dada

verb

Swim

aluphala

verb

Grow old. Age

bhitya

verb

Be thin / lean; Lose we…

tyeba

verb

Be rich / wealthy. 2. …

khuthala

verb

Be diligent; be hard-wo…

thula

verb

Be quiet; Be silent

phakama

verb

Stand up; Get up; Be co…

godola

verb

Be cold

lamba

verb

Be hungry; Starve

busa

verb

Govern; Rule

dala

verb

Create; produce; give r…

zula

verb

Wander The reduplicate…

zuma

verb

Ambush

zama

verb

Try; Attempt; Make an e…

feba

verb

Indulge in promiscuity

themba

verb

Trust; Be hopeful; Rely…

khala

verb

Wail; Cry

lila

verb

Cry; wail; weep

phila

verb

Live; Be well; Get well

phendula

verb

Answer; Respond

thwala

verb

Carry; Bear; Sustain

bumba

verb (directive)

Mold; Mould; Create; Fa…

thanda

verb

Love; Show care or affe…

dlala

verb

Play; Partake in a spor…

thenga

verb

Buy; Purchase; Procure

cela

verb

Request; Ask [for somet…

buza

verb

Ask a question

vimba

verb

Refuse or deny someone …

ipha

verb

Give [a gift]; Hand som…

nhika

verb

Give; Hand something to…

tyelela

verb

Visit someone or a plac…

qhula

verb

Joke; Say something in …

jama

verb

Stare; look at somethin…

jonga

verb

Look; Gaze

ngqina

verb

Provide evidence; Testi…

ngcamla

verb

Taste [something]

bhaka

verb

Bake

zoba

verb

Draw; Create an art

xova

verb

Knead

qingqa

verb

Mold; Carve

khupha

verb

Take out; Extract; Extr…

sula

verb

Wipe

xhoma

verb

Hang 2. Brag; Boast

tyálá

verb

Plant; Sow; Invest

beka

verb

Put; Place 2. Respect …

hleba

verb

Whisper; Gossip

ncokola

verb

Chat; Converse (informa…

ikha

verb

Scoop; Pick up; Elevat…

iba

verb

Steal

fumana

verb

Get; Obtain; Receive; A…

qoka

verb

Select; Choose [based o…

vala

verb

Close; Adjourn; Conclud…

tyala

verb

Owe; Be indebted

oja

verb

Roast; Flamegrill; Braa…

phula

verb

Break; Damage; Shatter;…

pheka

verb

Cook 2. Conceive, devi…

jika

verb

Turn; Turn back. Change…

tshona

verb

Sink; Descend; Step dow…

buya

verb

Come back; Return

phuma

verb

Get out; Go out; Exit;…

vuya

verb

Be happy; Be joyful; Be…

hamba

verb

Walk; Go; Go away; Trav…

gula

verb

Be ill; Be sick

bika

verb

Report; Deliver news o…

goba

verb

Bend; change the shape …

thetha

verb

Speak; Talk; Engage in …