← Uhambo Lwethu Lokufunda ISingisi
"When" is an adverb and a conjunction. It is always the same word: one spelling, one sound. It has two main jobs in English.
First, "when" asks a question about time: "When will you arrive?" "When does the bus leave?" Here isiZulu puts the question word nini at the end of the clause: Uzofika nini? Ibhasi lihamba nini?
Second, "when" joins two parts of a sentence and tells us the time of the action: "When I arrive, I will call you." "When she arrived, we were eating." Here isiZulu uses a conjunction, and the verb that follows it has its own form (the participial):
- uma (for the present, for habits and for the future): Uma ngifika ekhaya, sidla isidlo sakusihlwa (When we get home, we eat dinner) - lapho or nxa (for something that already happened): Lapho efika, sasidla (When she arrived, we were eating)
English does this work with one small word that never changes. In a question it comes first, and a helper word follows it: when + do / does / did / will + person + verb. Learn this order once and it fits every verb.
The great difficulty for isiZulu speakers is the order of the question. In isiZulu nini comes last; in English "when" comes first: "When will you arrive?", never "You will arrive when?" in normal speech. A second difficulty is the future. After "when" in a joined sentence, English uses the present: "I will call you when I arrive", never "when I will arrive".
What does "when" mean in isiZulu? In a question, nini. Joining two clauses: uma (present, future, habit) or lapho / nxa (past). The word uma also means "if", but English keeps "when" (it will happen) and "if" (it may happen) apart. "If" is the next lesson.
Key Takeaways:
- In a question, "when" comes first: "When does the bus leave?", not "The bus leaves when?" - After "when" in a question, use do, does, did or will before the person: "When did you arrive?", never "When you arrived?" - After "does", the verb has no -s: "When does she arrive?", never "When does she arrives?" - In a joined sentence about the future, use the present after "when": "Phone me when you arrive." - Inside another sentence, the order is not a question: "I do not know when he will arrive", never "when will he arrive".
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when /wen/ (in a question) · when /wən/ (in the middle of a sentence, said lightly)
The first sound is /w/, the same w as isiZulu wena. The letters "wh" are written, but for most speakers only /w/ is said: "when" begins like "went" and "wet".
The vowel /e/ is short, like isiZulu e in enye, but a little more open. Do not make it long (/weːn/).
"When" ends in a consonant. Stop at /n/ with the tongue behind the top teeth; do not add a vowel ("weni", "wena"). In isiZulu every word ends in a vowel, so this needs practice.
Do not confuse three words: "when" /wen/, "then" /ðen/ and "went" /went/. "Then" begins with the soft th (tongue between the teeth); "went" ends in /nt/ and is the past of "go".
In a question "when" is stressed: "WHEN will you arrive?" In a joined sentence it is light and runs into the next word: "phone me when you arrive" /ˈfəʊn mi wən ju əˈraɪv/.
Compare "who" /huː/, where the w is silent, with "when" /wen/, where the w is heard and the h is not.
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43.1 When Nini
43.2 When nini will -zo- you U- arrive -fika
43.3 When nini does - the - bus Ibhasi leave lihamba
43.4 When nini does - school Isikole begin siqala
43.5 When nini did - you Wa- arrive -fika
43.6 When nini will -zo- the - party Umcimbi be -ba
43.7 I Ang- do - not - know -azi (that) ukuthi he u- will -zo- arrive -fika when nini
43.8 Do - you U- know -yazi (that) ukuthi the - bus ibhasi leaves lihamba when nini
43.9 When nini did - the - war Impi begin yaqala
43.10 When Uma I ngi- am - tired -khathele I ngi- sleep -ya-lala
43.11 When Uma we si- get -fika home ekhaya we si- eat -dla dinner isidlo sakusihlwa
43.12 When Lapho she e- arrived -fika we Sasi- were - eating -dla
43.13 I Ngi- will -zo- phone -ku-shayela you - (a) phone ucingo when uma I ngi- arrive -fika
43.14 Phone -shayele me Ngi- (a) phone ucingo when uma you u- arrive -fika
43.15 I Ngangi- was - reading -funda when lapho he e- came -ngena in -
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43.1 When? Nini?
43.2 When will you arrive? Uzofika nini?
43.3 When does the bus leave? Ibhasi lihamba nini?
43.4 When does school begin? Isikole siqala nini?
43.5 When did you arrive? Wafika nini?
43.6 When will the party be? Umcimbi uzoba nini?
43.7 I do not know when he will arrive. Angazi ukuthi uzofika nini.
43.8 Do you know when the bus leaves? Uyazi ukuthi ibhasi lihamba nini?
43.9 When did the war begin? Impi yaqala nini?
43.10 When I am tired, I sleep. Uma ngikhathele, ngiyalala.
43.11 When we get home, we eat dinner. Uma sifika ekhaya, sidla isidlo sakusihlwa.
43.12 When she arrived, we were eating. Lapho efika, sasidla.
43.13 I will phone you when I arrive. Ngizokushayela ucingo uma ngifika.
43.14 Phone me when you arrive. Ngishayele ucingo uma ufika.
43.15 I was reading when he came in. Ngangifunda lapho engena.
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43.1 When?
43.2 When will you arrive?
43.3 When does the bus leave?
43.4 When does school begin?
43.5 When did you arrive?
43.6 When will the party be?
43.7 I do not know when he will arrive.
43.8 Do you know when the bus leaves?
43.9 When did the war begin?
43.10 When I am tired, I sleep.
43.11 When we get home, we eat dinner.
43.12 When she arrived, we were eating.
43.13 I will phone you when I arrive.
43.14 Phone me when you arrive.
43.15 I was reading when he came in.
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Nansi imithetho yegama elithi "when" esiNgisini:
Ukusetshenziswa kokuqala: umbuzo
- "When" libuza ngesikhathi: "When will you arrive?" (Uzofika nini?) - EsiZulwini "nini" lihlala ekugcineni komusho; esiNgisini "when" liza kuqala: "When does the bus leave?" (Ibhasi lihamba nini?) - Emva kuka-"when" kulandela isenzo esisizayo ("do", "does", "did", "will"), bese kulandela umuntu noma into: "When did you arrive?" (Wafika nini?), hhayi "When you arrived?" - Emva kuka-"does" isenzo asiphethi nge-s: "When does she arrive?", hhayi "When does she arrives?"
Umbuzo ofihlekile (ngaphakathi komunye umusho):
- "I do not know when he will arrive" (Angazi ukuthi uzofika nini). Lapha umusho awuphenduki ube ngumbuzo: "when he will arrive", hhayi "when will he arrive". - "Do you know when the bus leaves?" (Uyazi ukuthi ibhasi lihamba nini?) Emva kuka-"when" akukho "does": "when the bus leaves".
Ukusetshenziswa kwesibili: isihlanganisi
- EsiZulwini kusetshenziswa "uma" (esikhathini samanje, esizayo nasemikhubeni) no-"lapho" noma "nxa" (esikhathini esedlule); isenzo silandela esimweni sokubambisana: uma ngifika, lapho efika. - EsiNgisini kunegama elilodwa kuphela, elingaguquki: "when". - Esikhathini esizayo, emva kuka-"when" sisebenzisa isikhathi samanje: "I will phone you when I arrive" (Ngizokushayela ucingo uma ngifika), hhayi "when I will arrive". - Esikhathini esedlule: "When she arrived, we were eating" (Lapho efika, sasidla). Emva kuka-"when" kuza "arrived" (isenzo esiphelile), kanti "were eating" isenzo esiqhubekayo. - Uma umusho ka-"when" uqala, sibeka ikhefana ngemva kwawo: "When we get home, we eat dinner." Uma ulandela, ayikho ikhefana: "I was reading when he came in."
"When" no-"if":
- IsiZulu "uma" lisho kokubili "when" no-"if". EsiNgisini "when" kusho ukuthi into iyakwenzeka noma kuyenzeka njalo; "if" kusho ukuthi kungenzeka noma kungenzeki. "If" siyalifunda esifundweni esilandelayo.
Amaphutha avamile:
- "When you will arrive?" Sithi "When will you arrive?" - "When arrives the bus?" Sithi "When does the bus arrive?" - "I will phone you when I will arrive." Sithi "when I arrive." - "I do not know when does he arrive." Sithi "when he arrives." - "When" no-"then" no-"went" azifani: "when" /wen/ (nini), "then" /ðen/ (bese), "went" /went/ (isikhathi esedlule sika-"go").
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Ukuhlela isikhathi:
- AbaNgisi bathi "When shall we meet?" lapho behlela ukuhlangana. Impendulo ivame ukuba isikhathi esithile: "At three o'clock" (ngehora lesithathu). - "When do you start?" kungumbuzo ovamile lapho umuntu etholile umsebenzi omusha. - Ngokuvamile "When?" yodwa, ngezwi eliphakeme, kusho ukuthi umuntu uyamangala noma akakholwa: "I am leaving." "When?"
Ezisho zesiNgisi:
- "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" kusho ukulandela amasiko endawo oyivakashele. - "Say when" yisisho esisetshenziswa lapho umuntu ethela omunye isiphuzo: kusho ukuthi "ngitshele uma sekwanele". - "Whenever" yigama elakhiwe nge-"when" + "ever": "Come whenever you like".
Emafomini:
- Emafomini abantu babhala "When?" noma "Date:" lapho kudingeka usuku: "When did you start work?"
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But Kepha thou wena, when nxa thou u- prayest -khuleka, enter ngena into e- thy - closet -kamelweni lakho, and uthi when usu- thou - hast - shut -vale thy - door umnyango wakho, pray ukhuleke to ku- thy - Father -Yihlo which o- is - in - secret -sekusithekeni (Matthew 6:6, King James Version)
And no- thy - Father -Yihlo which o- seeth -bona in e- secret -kusithekeni shall -zaku- reward -kuvuza thee -ku- openly (Matthew 6:6, King James Version; the isiZulu text has no word for "openly")
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:6, KJV)
"Kepha wena, nxa ukhuleka, ngena ekamelweni lakho, uthi usuvale umnyango wakho ukhuleke kuYihlo osekusithekeni; noYihlo obona ekusithekeni uzakukuvuza." (NgokukaMathewu 6:6, IBhayibheli, isiZulu, as printed at wordproject.org)
Kule ndima uJesu ufundisa ngokukhuleka. Igama "when" livela kabili: "when thou prayest" (nxa ukhuleka) ne-"when thou hast shut thy door" (uthi usuvale umnyango wakho). Kokubili "when" lixhumanisa isenzo nesikhathi: kuqala uyangena, bese uvala umnyango, bese ukhuleka. IsiZulu sisebenzisa "nxa" kowokuqala, elinye lamagama athi "when" (elinye yi-"uma"). Kowesibili sithi "uthi usuvale": "uthi" kuvela ku-"-thi" (ukusho), futhi "usuvale" kusho "sewuvalile". IsiNgisi sisebenzisa "hast shut" (sewuvalile) ngemva kuka-"when". Lapha sibona ukuthi "when" ingalandelwa yisenzo esiphelile, hhayi esikhathini samanje kuphela.
- "Thou prayest" no-"thou hast shut" yisiNgisi sakudala; namuhla: "you pray", "you have shut". - "When you pray" namuhla asisebenzisi isenzo esisizayo: "When you pray, go into your room." Emva kuka-"when" sisebenzisa isikhathi samanje, njengoba kuthiwa "when I arrive". - "Which" lapha kusho "who": "thy Father which is in secret". Namuhla sithi "your Father, who is in secret". - "Shall reward thee" namuhla: "will reward you". IsiZulu "uzakukuvuza" (u- + -zaku- + -ku- + -vuza) sihlanganisa "he will" no-"you" egameni elilodwa.
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43.16 In E- the - morning -kuseni Sipho uSipho asked wabuza his - father ubaba wakhe when nini does - the - bus Ibhasi leave lihamba
43.17 It Li- leaves -hamba at nge- eight -hora lesishiyagalombili o'clock - said kusho Baba uBaba
43.18 When nini will -zo- you U- come -buya back - asked kubuza Baba uBaba
43.19 I Ngi- will -zo- come -buya back - on nge- Sunday -Sonto
43.20 Call -shayele me Ngi- (a) phone ucingo when uma you u- arrive -fika in e- Durban -Thekwini said kusho Baba uBaba
43.21 When Lapho the - bus ibhasi came li-fika Sipho uSipho got wangena in -
43.22 When Lapho he e- sat -hlala down phansi he wa- saw -bona his - friend umngane wakhe Thandi uThandi
43.23 Hello Sawubona Sipho Sipho when nini will -zo- you U- arrive -fika in e- Durban -Thekwini asked kubuza Thandi uThandi
43.24 I Ngi- will -zo- arrive -fika in - the - afternoon ntambama said kusho Sipho uSipho
43.25 When Lapho they be- arrived -fika in e- Durban -Thekwini everyone bonke got ba- off -phuma the - bus ebhasini
43.26 Sipho USipho phoned washayela his - father uBaba (a) phone ucingo
43.27 I Ngi- have - just manje nje arrived -fike Baba Baba said kusho Sipho uSipho
43.28 Very Kuhle good kakhulu I Ngi- will -zo- wait -ku-linda for - you - at e- the - station -siteshini on nge- Sunday -Sonto said kusho Baba uBaba
43.29 We Si- will -zo- eat -dla when uma you u- get -fika home ekhaya said kusho Baba uBaba
43.30 Thank Ngiyabonga you - Baba Baba we Si- will -zo- see -bonana each - other - on nge- Sunday -Sonto said kusho Sipho uSipho
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43.16 In the morning, Sipho asked his father, "When does the bus leave?" Ekuseni, uSipho wabuza ubaba wakhe: "Ibhasi lihamba nini?"
43.17 "It leaves at eight o'clock," said Baba. "Lihamba ngehora lesishiyagalombili," kusho uBaba.
43.18 "When will you come back?" asked Baba. "Uzobuya nini?" kubuza uBaba.
43.19 "I will come back on Sunday." "Ngizobuya ngeSonto."
43.20 "Phone me when you arrive in Durban," said Baba. "Ngishayele ucingo uma ufika eThekwini," kusho uBaba.
43.21 When the bus came, Sipho got in. Lapho ibhasi lifika, uSipho wangena.
43.22 When he sat down, he saw his friend Thandi. Lapho ehlala phansi, wabona umngane wakhe uThandi.
43.23 "Hello, Sipho! When will you arrive in Durban?" asked Thandi. "Sawubona, Sipho! Uzofika nini eThekwini?" kubuza uThandi.
43.24 "I will arrive in the afternoon," said Sipho. "Ngizofika ntambama," kusho uSipho.
43.25 When they arrived in Durban, everyone got off the bus. Lapho befika eThekwini, bonke baphuma ebhasini.
43.26 Sipho phoned his father. USipho washayela ubaba wakhe ucingo.
43.27 "I have just arrived, Baba," said Sipho. "Ngifike manje nje, Baba," kusho uSipho.
43.28 "Very good! I will wait for you at the station on Sunday," said Baba. "Kuhle kakhulu! Ngizokulinda esiteshini ngeSonto," kusho uBaba.
43.29 "We will eat when you get home," said Baba. "Sizodla uma ufika ekhaya," kusho uBaba.
43.30 "Thank you, Baba! We will see each other on Sunday!" said Sipho. "Ngiyabonga, Baba! Sizobonana ngeSonto!" kusho uSipho.
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43.16 In the morning, Sipho asked his father, "When does the bus leave?"
43.17 "It leaves at eight o'clock," said Baba.
43.18 "When will you come back?" asked Baba.
43.19 "I will come back on Sunday."
43.20 "Phone me when you arrive in Durban," said Baba.
43.21 When the bus came, Sipho got in.
43.22 When he sat down, he saw his friend Thandi.
43.23 "Hello, Sipho! When will you arrive in Durban?" asked Thandi.
43.24 "I will arrive in the afternoon," said Sipho.
43.25 When they arrived in Durban, everyone got off the bus.
43.26 Sipho phoned his father.
43.27 "I have just arrived, Baba," said Sipho.
43.28 "Very good! I will wait for you at the station on Sunday," said Baba.
43.29 "We will eat when you get home," said Baba.
43.30 "Thank you, Baba! We will see each other on Sunday!" said Sipho.
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Kule ndaba "when" lisetshenziswe ngezindlela ezintathu:
Umbuzo (when + do / does / will):
- "When does the bus leave?" (Ibhasi lihamba nini?) - "When will you come back?" (Uzobuya nini?) - "When will you arrive in Durban?" (Uzofika nini eThekwini?). Ngemva kuka-"when" kulandela "will", bese kulandela umuntu: "will you", hhayi "you will".
Isihlanganisi esikhathini esedlule (when + isenzo esedlule):
- "When the bus came, Sipho got in" (Lapho ibhasi lifika, uSipho wangena) - "When he sat down, he saw his friend" (Lapho ehlala phansi, wabona umngane wakhe) - "When they arrived in Durban, everyone got off the bus" (Lapho befika eThekwini, bonke baphuma ebhasini). Isenzo sonke sisesikhathini esedlule: "came", "sat", "arrived".
Isihlanganisi esikhathini esizayo (when + isikhathi samanje):
- "Phone me when you arrive" (Ngishayele ucingo uma ufika). Sithi "when you arrive", hhayi "when you will arrive". - "We will eat when you get home" (Sizodla uma ufika ekhaya). Isenzo sesibili sisesikhathini samanje: "get", hhayi "will get".
Izikhathi nezinsuku:
- "At eight o'clock" (ngehora lesishiyagalombili): u-"at" usetshenziswa ngamahora. "In the morning", "in the afternoon" (ekuseni, ntambama): u-"in" usetshenziswa ngezikhathi zosuku. "On Sunday" (ngeSonto): u-"on" usetshenziswa ngezinsuku. Kudingeka ukufunda ngekhanda ukuthi yiliphi igama elihamba nesikhathi.
Okwenzeke manje nje:
- "I have just arrived" (Ngifike manje nje). Sisebenzisa "have" + "arrived": "I have arrived", hhayi "I am arrived". "Just" ubeka phakathi kuka-"have" no-"arrived".
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- "When" /wen/ begins with /w/, though it is written "wh". Do not say the h. - Do not confuse "when" /wen/, "then" /ðen/ and "went" /went/. "Went" is the past of "go". - A question with "when" ends with a question mark: "When will you arrive?" A "when" inside a statement ends with a full stop: "I do not know when he will arrive." - When the "when" clause comes first, put a comma after it: "When the bus came, Sipho got in." When it comes second, no comma: "Sipho got in when the bus came." - Speech marks open and close what a person says. The comma or question mark comes inside them: "When will you come back?" asked Baba. - Days and months take capital letters in English: Sunday, but "in the morning" and "in the afternoon" do not. In isiZulu the day keeps its capital after the prefix: ngeSonto. - "O'clock" is written with an apostrophe: "at eight o'clock". It means "of the clock". - Names and places take capitals in both languages: Sipho, Thandi, Baba, Durban (eThekwini in isiZulu, with a capital after the locative e-).
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