Cool Things
TV Adverts Using African Languages
Here is an advert for the Isuzu bakkie. Notice the use of the Xhosa question: "Uya phi?" (Where are you going?) And the response: "Ndiya pha phezulu!" (I am going over there high up!"
If you are learning Xhosa, you might feel like "quite a White ou". NdingumLungu! (I am a White person!)
In this McDonald's advert, the little boy asks for the free seat even though "Kuyatshisa!" (It's hot!)
Using the beauty of Xhosa praise singing, FNB sells
itself as a truly African bank.
MTN uses a Xhosa lullaby: Thula sana (Be quiet, baby).
Zuzulicious! If you want a good laugh, check out this
Zuzulicious advert
that features NKANDLA!
A Great Nandos Advert
See what they did there?
It says "Respect your (mother) tongue" and "Give it a taste of our
delicious Peri-Peri, flame-grilled chicken. "
Well played Nando's people.
Xhosa Lyrics
Track 1: Igqirha le ndlela (MYRIAM MAKEBA. Album: COUNTRY GIRL)
Grammar: possessive with noun as base, identificative copulative, se- meaning 'already' followed by the perfect participial, use of the verb -thi to mean 'say'
Igqirha
lendlela nguqongqothwane The traditional healer of the
road is
the dung beetle
Igqirha lendlela
(kuthwa) nguqongqothwane The traditional healer of the
road (it is said) is the dung beetle
Seleqabele gqith' apha
bathi nguqongqothwane They have already passed
by here, they said it is the dung beetle
Seleqabele gqith' apha
bathi nguqongqothwane They already passed by
here they said it is the dung beetle
Track 2: Lakutshona ilanga (performed by UMOJA)
Grammar: temporal mood, locatives, Zulu Class 10, adverbial
formative nga- meaning 'about' contracted future tense, de followed by
the subjunctive mood, copulative of 2nd person singular - wena
Lakutshon' ilanga When the sun sets
Zakubuy'
izinkomo When the cows return
Ndakucinga ngawe
When I think about you
Lakutshon' ilanga x2
When the sun sets
phesheya kolwandle
over the sea
Ndakucinga ngawe
When I think about you
Lakutshon' ilanga
When the sun sets
Ndohamba ndikufunda
I will go and read you
ezindlini nasezitratweni
in the houses and the streets
Nguwe esibhedlela
it is you in hospital
entrongweni
in jail
ndide ndikufumane
until I find you
Lakutshon' ilanga
Zakubuy ' izinkomo
ndakucinga ngawe
lakutshon' ilanga
Ndohamba ndikufunda
I will go, reading you
ezindlini nasezitratweni
in the houses and the streets
Nguwe esibhedlela
etrongweni It is you in the hospital, in jail
ndide ndikufumane heyi
heyi heyi Until I find you
Lakutshon' ilanga
Zakubuy' izinkomo
Ndakucinga ngawe
Lakutshon' ilanga
Track 3: Jikel' emaweni (Traditional. Performed by UMOJA)
Grammar: Kha- to mean 'please' followed by the subjunctive mood, locatives, present tense, relative in the remote past tense, applied extension -ela, possessive with noun as base, stative verb)
Khawujikel'
emaweni ndiyahamba Please turn around at the cliffs I am
going
Khawujikel' emaweni
ndiyahamba mna Please turn around at the cliffs I
am going as for me
(CHORUS REPEAT ABOVE x 2)
(CHORUS CONTINUES WITH REST)
Ajik' amadoda, ajika
kwaba mnandi They turned the men, they turned, it
was nice
Ajik' amadoda, ajikel'
emgodini They turned the men, they turned at the
mine
Axhentsa amadoda
They danced the men
Axhentsa kwaba mnandi
They danced it was nice
Axhentsa la madoda
They danced these men
Axhentsel' uRhadebe
They danced for Rhadebe
Iintonga (ngqo sana
ngqo!) zamakhwenkwe The sticks (straight babe,
straight!) of the boys
(khawungene, khawungene)
(Please go in, please go in)
Ziyajikela emilanjeni
iya ho ha They are turning around at the rivers
(Qaqambisa ntombi uqale
ngeqaqa lokuqala ndiqonde) (Make shine girl,
and start with the first polecat so I can understand)
ubab' upheth'iintonga
zamakhwenkwe Dad is holding the boys' sticks
Track 4: Sondela (RINGO. Album: SONDELANI)
Grammar: copulative of possessive pronouns, object concords, identificative copulative locative to indicate "here is", possessives with possessive stem, quantitative pronoun, commands]
Yeyam ndedwa,
yeyam She is mine only, she is mine
Oh ndiyayithanda le
ntombi Oh I love this girl
Sondela, s'thandwa,
sondela Come closer, beloved, come closer
Nal' uthando lwam
[lugcine lonke] Here is my love [keep it all]
thath' uthando lwam
Take my love
lube calwanye
It must be one side (i.e. let us both feel this love)
Yeyam ndedwa, yeyam
She is mine only, she is mine
Oh ndiyayithanda le
ntombi Oh I love this girl
Amehlo ayo ayandibulala
Her eyes are killing me
Oh ndiyayithanda le
ntombi Oh I love this girl
Sondela, sondela
s'thandwa, sondela Come closer, come closer beloved,
come closer
nalu thando lwam
[lugcine lonke]
thath' uthando lwam
lube calwanye
Track 5: Ixesha. (LIRA. Album: FEEL GOOD]
Grammar: Contracted negative command with object concord, Se-+ perfect participial, -ela extension, recent past continous tense with a stative
Hey! Hey!
Hey-Hey!
Samborera. [x 8]
S'ukundimoshel' ixesha
[x4] Don't waste my time. [Literally: Don't
waste for me time]
Ndiyahamba, mna
I am going, as for me
Hayi, s'ukundinqanda
No, don't prevent me
Ndiyahamba mna
I am going
Hayi, s'ukundinqanda
No, don't prevent me
Ndiyahamba, mna
I am going, as for me
Hayi, s'ukundinqanda
Ndiyahamba mna
Hayi, s'ukundinqanda
Sendivile, bendidikiwe,
sendivile I
have already heard, I had had enough, I have already heard
Sendivile, bendidikiwe,
sendivile
Sendivile, bendidikiwe,
sendivile
Sendivile, bendidikiwe,
sendivile
S'ukundimoshel' ixesha
(ixesha, ixesha) [x 3]
S'ukundimoshel' ixesha ,
s'ukundivalel' indlela Don't waste my time,
don't close off the way for me
S'ukundimoshela wena, yhu, sendidikiwe
Ndiyahamba mna, hayi
s'ukundinqanda
Ndiyahamba mna, hayi
s'ukundinqanda
Ndiyahamba mna, hayi
s'ukundinqanda
Ndiyahamba mna, hayi
s'ukundinqanda
Sendivile, bendidikiwe,
sendivile [x 4]
Wowu, wowu, wo-hey, (x3)
Wowu, wowu ixesha,
ixesha Wowu, wowu time, time
Wowu, wowu ixesha, ixesha
Track 6: Hapo Zamani (MIRIAM MAKEBA)
Grammar: object concord first person -ndi-, participial mood identificative copulative - noun and associative copulative negative -ngena-, kungenxa ya-; positive command, future tense
Nindibona
ndilinxila nje kungenxa yamabhulu
You see me
I am a drunk because of the Afrikaners
Nindibona ndingenakhaya
nje kungenxa yabelungu
You see me I do not have a home because of the whites
Nindibona ndizula nje
kungenxa yabelungu
You see me I am a hobo because of the whites
Baleka bhulu
Run white Afrikaner
Sizobuya
We'll come back
Sizobuy' ekhaya
We'll come back home
Track 7: Zipho Phezulu (FRESHLYGROUND. Album: JIKA JIKA)
Grammar: perfect tense short form, locative, past subjunctive, positive command, associative -na-, adverb, locative demonstrative copulative, locative position
Ndiye kugqirha
I went to the doctor
Ndathi "khangela intloko
yam! And said "Look into my head!
Ndinamaphupha, ndiphupha
kak'bi gqirha wam I have dreams, I dream badly
my doctor
Khangela nantsi
intliziyo yam Look here is my heart
Ndinamaphupha, ndiphupha
kak'bi" I have dreams, I dream badly"
Hela hela sithandwa sam!
Hela hela my love!
NgumaDlamini uphambi
kwakho It is MaDlamini in front of you
NguJama s'Jadu, Fakade,
Ngxowonoboya! It is Jama s'Jadu, Fakade,
Ngxowonoboya!
Hela hela sithandwa sam!
I have terrible dreams...
Look into my heart;
Hela hela my love!
MaDlamini stands before you
Jama s'Jadu, Fakade,
Ngxowonoboya!
Hela hela my love!)
Track 8: Nomvula (After the Rain) (FRESHLYGROUND. Album: NOMVULA)
Grammar: Locative Copulative demonstrative, adjective, remote past tense, passive, applied extension with passive, participial mood with adjective, 1st person plural with adjective, present subjunctive after Zange, temporal mood, locative, position, adjective, locative, participial, perfect tense long form with OC, causative extension with passive, identificative copulative
Sondela, mhlobo
wam
Nali ibali elide; apho
kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo...
Ndakhuliswa nguyise wam,
owaswelekelwa esemtsha
NguDarly wakhe, umama
wam uEdith Nomvula Thomas Mahola
Sasibathathu kumama wam,
ndingowesbini ke mna; umafungwashe katata
Ubhut' Doc Nceba Mahola
Zang' alile uyise wam
mhla kwakufihlwa umzimba wesithandwa seminyaka
eDon Bosco Kwazakhele, 4
rooms, with a dining-room table eBhayi
Zange balile nabathathu
ecamb' kwengcwaba lakhe
Zandl' ezincinci zalahl'
uthuth' eluthuthweni singasazi nesizathu
Tyhini na bethuna
usishiyil' uSis' Nono! Usishiyil' uSis' Nono!
Hayini! Azange sayibona
intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda
Dlamini! Abazange
bayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda.
Sondela, mhlobo wam
Nali ibali elide; apho
kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo...
Track 9: Zithande (FRESHLYGROUND. Album: NOMVULA)
Abo Mjongeni
bavaya nge Mercedes
Mna noCarolina
siyakorobha
Asikhalazi! Sityisa aboo
mamisa
Mna noCarolina
siyasebenza
Bagqithile nabooMatiba
Ngoku bekusithiwa
uzasisindisa
Kanti walile naye uThat
Umbeke
Phofu mna noCarolina
besimbona...
Nabomadam basithathela
phantsi, bathethela phezulu
Siyababona
Nama-owu ethu
awas'khathalelanga, asphathel' ingculaza
Siyababona
Bagqithile nabooMahatma,
ngoku bekusithiwa uzasisindisa
Kanti walile naye uMa
Mariya, phofu mna noCarolina
Siyamxolela...
Bamb' isandla sam,
sibhabhe emafini
Mna noCarolina siyanicela
Yekan' ukuzicingela,
mamela umaDlamini
Mna noCarolina,
siyanimema
Bagqithile
nabooVerwoerd, ngoku bekusithiwa uzasihlukumeza
Kanti walile nay' uPik
Botha, phofu mna noCarolina
Besimbona ..........
Read More
Track 10: Khayelitsha
Thina ke Bawo
sinesiphiwo esivela
ezulwini
We Father we have a gift that comes from heaven
thina ke Bawo,
We Father,
thina aph' emhlabeni
sinesiphiwo esivela ezulwini
We here on earth we have a gift that comes from heaven
Siphiwa ngumtwana uYesu
mh mh
We are given by the child Jesus
Thina ke Bawo
sinesiphiwo esivela ezulwini
We Father we have a gift that comes from heaven
Thina ke Bawo
We Father
Thina aph 'emhlabeni
sinesiphiwo esivela ezulwini
We Father we have a gift that comes from heaven
siphiwa ngubawo wethu mh
mh
We are given it by our father
[No video available]