← Uhambo Lwethu Lokufunda ISingisi
"Who" is a pronoun. It stands in the place of a person. English uses it in two different ways.
First, "who" asks a question about a person: "Who is that?" "Who wants tea?" Here isiZulu uses ubani (plural obani), usually in its copulative form ngubani: Ngubani lowo? Ngubani ofuna itiye?
Second, "who" joins two parts of a sentence and points back to a person already named: "the woman who sells bread", "a friend who speaks English". Here isiZulu has no separate word at all. It puts a relative concord on the front of the verb, and the concord changes with the noun class:
- umuntu ofundisayo (the person who teaches): o- for class 1 - abantu abafundisayo (the people who teach): aba- for class 2 - mina engifundisayo (I who teach): engi- for "I"
English does the same work with one small word that never changes: the person who teaches, the people who teach, I who teach. Learn "who" once, and it fits every person, singular or plural, man or woman, child or king.
English "who" has two relatives of its own:
- whom: the object form, used in careful or formal English ("Whom did you see?", "the man to whom I wrote"). In everyday speech most people say "who" here. - whose: "of whom", for owning ("Whose bag is this?" = Lesi sikhwama ngesikabani?)
What does "who" mean in isiZulu? In a question, ubani or ngubani (obani for more than one person). After a noun, "who" is the relative concord on the verb: o-, aba-, engi-, esi- and the rest.
Key Takeaways:
- "Who" asks about people only. For things, English asks "what": "What is this?" - The question word comes first in English: "Who did you see?", never "You saw who?" in normal speech (isiZulu: Ubone bani?). - After a noun, "who" joins the clause about a person: "the boy who won the race". - Do not add a second subject after relative "who": "the woman who sells bread", never "the woman who she sells bread". - "What is your name?" in English, never "Who is your name?", although isiZulu says Ngubani igama lakho?
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who /huː/ · whom /huːm/ · whose /huːz/ · who's (= who is) /huːz/
The spelling "wh" is misleading here. In "who", "whom" and "whose" the w is silent: say only /h/. Compare "what" /wɒt/, "where" /weə/, "when" /wen/, where the w is heard and the h is not.
The /h/ is the light h of isiZulu hamba: plain air through an open throat. Do not use the deeper, voiced hh of ihhashi; English /h/ is voiceless and short.
The vowel /uː/ is long, like isiZulu u held a little longer, with rounded lips: /huː/, not "hu-u" in two syllables and not "hwu".
"Who" ends in a vowel, so isiZulu speakers say it easily. Take care with "whom" and "whose", which end in a consonant: stop at /m/ and /z/; do not add a vowel ("whomu", "whoze").
"Whose" and "who's" sound exactly the same, /huːz/. Only the spelling and the grammar tell them apart: "Whose car is this?" (owner) but "Who's there?" (who is).
In a question "who" is stressed: "WHO called?" As a relative it is usually unstressed and runs into the verb: "the man who called" /ðə ˈmæn hu ˈkɔːld/.
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41.1 Who Ngubani is - that lowo
41.2 Who -bani are -ngu- you U-
41.3 Who Ngubani is - your wakho teacher uthisha
41.4 Who Obani are - those labo people bantu
41.5 Who Ngubani called -bize- me -ngi-
41.6 Who Ngubani wants o-funa tea itiye
41.7 Who Ngubani is o-se- at e- the - door mnyango
41.8 Who Ngubani wrote o-bhale this le letter ncwadi
41.9 The - woman owesifazane who o- sells thengisa bread isinkwa lives uhlala here lapha
41.10 I Ngi- have -na- a - friend mngane who o- speaks khuluma English isiNgisi
41.11 The - boy umfana who o- won wanqoba the - race umjaho is ungu- my -wethu brother mfo-
41.12 Who bani did - you u- see bone at e- the - market makethe
41.13 Who -bani are - you u- talking khuluma to no-
41.14 Whose -kabani bag isikhwama is ngesi- this lesi
41.15 The - teacher uthisha whom esi- we -si- met hlangane naye yesterday izolo comes uvela from e- Durban Thekwini
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41.1 Who is that? Ngubani lowo?
41.2 Who are you? Ungubani?
41.3 Who is your teacher? Ngubani uthisha wakho?
41.4 Who are those people? Obani labo bantu?
41.5 Who called me? Ngubani ongibizile?
41.6 Who wants tea? Ngubani ofuna itiye?
41.7 Who is at the door? Ngubani osemnyango?
41.8 Who wrote this letter? Ngubani obhale le ncwadi?
41.9 The woman who sells bread lives here. Owesifazane othengisa isinkwa uhlala lapha.
41.10 I have a friend who speaks English. Nginomngane okhuluma isiNgisi.
41.11 The boy who won the race is my brother. Umfana owanqoba umjaho ungumfowethu.
41.12 Who did you see at the market? Ubone bani emakethe?
41.13 Who are you talking to? Ukhuluma nobani?
41.14 Whose bag is this? Lesi sikhwama ngesikabani?
41.15 The teacher whom we met yesterday comes from Durban. Uthisha esihlangane naye izolo uvela eThekwini.
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41.1 Who is that?
41.2 Who are you?
41.3 Who is your teacher?
41.4 Who are those people?
41.5 Who called me?
41.6 Who wants tea?
41.7 Who is at the door?
41.8 Who wrote this letter?
41.9 The woman who sells bread lives here.
41.10 I have a friend who speaks English.
41.11 The boy who won the race is my brother.
41.12 Who did you see at the market?
41.13 Who are you talking to?
41.14 Whose bag is this?
41.15 The teacher whom we met yesterday comes from Durban.
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Nansi imithetho yegama elithi "who" esiNgisini:
Ukusetshenziswa kokuqala: umbuzo
- "Who" libuza ngomuntu: "Who is that?" (Ngubani lowo?) - "Who" lihlala ekuqaleni komusho: "Who did you see?" (Ubone bani?). EsiZulwini "bani" lingaba ekugcineni, kodwa esiNgisini "who" liza kuqala. - Uma "who" kungumenzi, asisebenzisi u-"do": "Who wants tea?", hhayi "Who does want tea?" - Uma "who" kungumenziwa, sisebenzisa u-"do/did": "Who did you see?" - Isenzo esilandela "who" sisebunyeni: "Who wants…", "Who is…", hhayi "Who want…"
Ukusetshenziswa kwesibili: isihlanganisi
- EsiZulwini isivumelwano sobudlelwano (o-, aba-, engi-, esi-…) sinamathela esenzweni: umuntu ofundisayo, abantu abafundisayo. - EsiNgisini kunegama elilodwa elingaguquki: "the person who teaches", "the people who teach". - "Who" lilandela igama lomuntu ngqo: "the boy who won the race" (umfana owanqoba umjaho).
Izinhlobo ezintathu:
- who (umenzi): "Who called me?" (Ngubani ongibizile?) - whom (okwenziwayo, ngolimi oluhloniphekile): "the teacher whom we met" (uthisha esihlangane naye) - whose (ubunikazi): "Whose bag is this?" (Lesi sikhwama ngesikabani?)
"Who" nezinto:
- "Who" ngelabantu kuphela. Ezintweni sithi "which" noma "that": "the book that I read", hhayi "the book who I read".
Amaphutha avamile:
- "Who is your name?" Lokhu akulungile. Sithi "What is your name?" nakuba isiZulu sithi "Ngubani igama lakho?" - "Who you are?" Sithi "Who are you?" - "The woman who she sells bread." Ungaphindi isabizwana: "The woman who sells bread." - "The man which came." Sithi "The man who came." - "Whose" (kabani) no-"who's" (who is) bazwakala ngokufanayo kodwa abafani: "Whose car is this?" / "Who's there?"
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Ukubuza "who" ngenhlonipho:
- EsiZulwini kuvamile ukubuza "Ngubani igama lakho?" noma "Ngubani isibongo sakho?" Isibongo sibaluleke kakhulu emasikweni amaZulu. - EsiNgisini umbuzo othi "Who are you?" ungazwakala unganahlonipho uma ubuza umuntu ongamazi. Kungcono ukubuza ukuthi "May I ask your name?" noma "What is your name?" - Ocingweni abaNgisi bathi "Who's calling, please?" noma "Who is speaking?"
Ezisho zesiNgisi:
- "Who knows?" kusho ukuthi akekho owaziyo ngempela. - "Who's who" kusho abantu abaziwayo nababalulekile emphakathini.
Ulimi olusemthethweni nolwansuku zonke:
- Embhalweni osemthethweni, njengasezincwadini nasebhayibhelini, kuvela "whom": "To whom it may concern." - Ekukhulumeni kwansuku zonke abantu bathi "who": "Who are you talking to?"
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But Nina-ke whom ngubani say thi ye ni- that - I ngi- am -ngu- (Matthew 16:15, King James Version)
Thou Wena art u- the - Christ nguKristu, the - Son iNdodana of ka- the - living ophilayo God Nkulunkulu (Matthew 16:16, King James Version)
"He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:15–16, KJV)
"Wathi kubo: "Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na?" USimoni Petru waphendula wathi: "Wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo."" (NgokukaMathewu 16:15–16, IBhayibheli Elingcwele, 1959)
Kule ndima uJesu ubuza abafundi bakhe umbuzo omkhulu: "But whom say ye that I am?" Umbuzo uqala nge-"whom" ngoba, ohlelweni lwesiNgisi sakudala, "whom" yilokho okushiwoyo ("ye say … whom"). Impendulo kaPetru ithi "the living God"; isiZulu sithi "uNkulunkulu ophilayo", esebenzisa isivumelwano sobudlelwano o-, lapho isiNgisi sisebenzisa isichasiso "living".
- "Whom" yisimo sika-"who" esiwumenziwa. Namuhla abantu bavame ukuthi "Who do you say I am?" - "Say ye" yisiNgisi sakudala; namuhla: "do you say". - "Thou art" yisiNgisi sakudala; namuhla: "You are". - IsiZulu "ngingubani" (ngi- + ngu- + bani) sihlanganisa "I am" no-"who" egameni elilodwa; isiNgisi sidinga amagama amathathu: "who … I am".
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41.16 Thandi Thandi, who ngubani is - the - woman owesifazane near oseduze the ne- window fasitela
41.17 That Lowo is ngu- Mrs - Dlamini Nkk. Dlamini, the - manager umphathi
41.18 And Futhi who ngubani is - the - man indoda who e- is - speaking khuluma with na- her ye
41.19 He Ngu- is - Bongani Bongani, who o- works sebenza in e- the - office hhovisi
41.20 Who Ngubani takes o-thatha the - letters izincwadi
41.21 Bongani NguBongani. He Ngu- is ye the - one - who o- takes -thatha-yo them -zi-
41.22 Who Obani are - the - people abantu who aba- are - laughing hleka outside ngaphandle
41.23 They Nga- are - the - drivers bashayeli who aba- come vela from e- Durban Thekwini
41.24 Whose -kabani is nge- the - red ebomvu car imoto
41.25 It Nge- is - Mrs - Dlamini's kaNkk. Dlamini
41.26 And -ke you Wena, who ngu- are u- you -bani, Thandi Thandi
41.27 I Yi- am -mi the - one - who engi- will -zo- teach -fundisa you -ku- the - work umsebenzi
41.28 Who Ngubani told -tshele you -ku- that lokho
41.29 Mrs UNkk. Dlamini Dlamini, who o- hired -qashe you -ku- yesterday izolo
41.30 Now Manje I sengi- know -yazi who ngubani my wami teacher uthisha is -
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41.16 Thandi, who is the woman near the window? Thandi, ngubani owesifazane oseduze nefasitela?
41.17 That is Mrs Dlamini, the manager. Lowo nguNkk. Dlamini, umphathi.
41.18 And who is the man who is speaking with her? Futhi ngubani indoda ekhuluma naye?
41.19 He is Bongani, who works in the office. NguBongani, osebenza ehhovisi.
41.20 Who takes the letters? Ngubani othatha izincwadi?
41.21 Bongani. He is the one who takes them. NguBongani. Nguye ozithathayo.
41.22 Who are the people who are laughing outside? Obani abantu abahleka ngaphandle?
41.23 They are the drivers who come from Durban. Ngabashayeli abavela eThekwini.
41.24 Whose is the red car? Imoto ebomvu ngekabani?
41.25 It is Mrs Dlamini's. NgekaNkk. Dlamini.
41.26 And you, who are you, Thandi? Wena-ke, ungubani, Thandi?
41.27 I am the one who will teach you the work! Yimi engizokufundisa umsebenzi!
41.28 Who told you that? Ngubani okutshele lokho?
41.29 Mrs Dlamini, who hired you yesterday. UNkk. Dlamini, okuqashe izolo.
41.30 Now I know who my teacher is! Manje sengiyazi ukuthi uthisha wami ngubani!
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41.16 Thandi, who is the woman near the window?
41.17 That is Mrs Dlamini, the manager.
41.18 And who is the man who is speaking with her?
41.19 He is Bongani, who works in the office.
41.20 Who takes the letters?
41.21 Bongani. He is the one who takes them.
41.22 Who are the people who are laughing outside?
41.23 They are the drivers who come from Durban.
41.24 Whose is the red car?
41.25 It is Mrs Dlamini's.
41.26 And you, who are you, Thandi?
41.27 I am the one who will teach you the work!
41.28 Who told you that?
41.29 Mrs Dlamini, who hired you yesterday.
41.30 Now I know who my teacher is!
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Kule ngxoxo "who" lisetshenziswe ngezindlela ezintathu:
Umbuzo:
- "Who is the woman near the window?" (Ngubani owesifazane oseduze nefasitela?) - "Who takes the letters?" (Ngubani othatha izincwadi?) Lapha "who" ngumenzi, ngakho akukho "do". - "Who are the people…?" Sithi "Who are…?" uma sibuza ngabantu abaningi, kodwa "Who is…?" uma kungumuntu oyedwa.
Isihlanganisi:
- "the man who is speaking with her" (indoda ekhuluma naye) - "the drivers who come from Durban" (abashayeli abavela eThekwini) - "Mrs Dlamini, who hired you yesterday" (uNkk. Dlamini, okuqashe izolo). Lapha kukhona ukhefana ngaphambi kwe-"who" ngoba sesiyamazi lo muntu.
"The one who":
- "He is the one who takes them" (Nguye ozithathayo) - "I am the one who will teach you" (Yimi engizokufundisa). IsiZulu sithi "Yimi engi-", isiNgisi sithi "I am the one who…"
Umbuzo ofihlekile:
- "Now I know who my teacher is." Emva kwe-"I know", umusho awuphenduki ube ngumbuzo: "who my teacher is", hhayi "who is my teacher".
"Whose":
- "Whose is the red car?" / "It is Mrs Dlamini's." Ubunikazi esiNgisini buboniswa ngo-'s: "Mrs Dlamini's" (kaNkk. Dlamini).
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- "Who", "whom" and "whose" begin with a silent w: /huː/, /huːm/, /huːz/. - "Whose" (owner) and "who's" (who is) sound the same. Write the apostrophe only in "who's". - In a question, "who" is stressed and the voice falls at the end: "WHO called me?" In a relative clause it is light: "the man who called". - A question with "who" ends with a question mark, even when it is short: "Who?" - Put a comma before "who" when the person is already known and the clause only adds information: "Mrs Dlamini, who hired you yesterday". No comma when the clause tells us which person: "the woman who sells bread". - Names and titles take capitals: Mrs Dlamini, Thandi, Durban (eThekwini in isiZulu, with a capital after the locative e-).
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