Zulu

Zulu is the most widely spoken African language in South Africa. At the end of apartheid in 1994 it became one of South Africa's eleven official languages. Zulu, like all indigenous Southern African languages, was an oral language until the contact and interaction of the local population with missionaries from Europe who documented the language using the Latin alphabet.

Map of Zulu language speakers.
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Map of Zulu language speakers.

Basic stats

First language : 10 million

Second language : 16 million

Main Countries: South Africa, Lesotho

Alternate names: Isizulu, Zunda

ISO 639-3 Code: zul


Language Sample

Bonke abantu bazalwa bekhululekile belingana ngesithunzi nangamalungelo. Bahlanganiswe wumcabango nangunembeza futhi kufanele baphathane ngomoya wobunye.

(Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1)


Some proverbs in Zulu:

Isala kutshelwa sobona ngomopo
The wrong-headed fool who refuses counsel, will come to grief.

Akulanga lashona lingendaba.
No sun sets without its histories

Wakhahlelwa ihhashi esifubeni
He was kicked by a horse in the chest
(refering to one who gossips, and cannot keep a secret)

Product Availability

The following products are currently available in Zulu:

  • For Consumers

(Coming soon)

Sources

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