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Welcome to Lesson 16 of the Latinum Institute Zulu course. Today we explore yena, the third-person singular pronoun. Unlike English, which distinguishes “he” from “she,” Zulu uses yena for both genders—a reflection of the language’s noun class system rather than grammatical gender.
This lesson builds on concepts from Lesson 12 (the infinitive prefix uku-) and introduces you to Zulu’s fascinating pronoun system. You will learn how yena functions as an emphatic pronoun while the subject concord u- carries the essential grammatical information in everyday speech.
Course Navigation: For the complete lesson index, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
What does “he” mean in Zulu? The English pronoun “he” corresponds to yena in Zulu, though yena is gender-neutral and means both “he” and “she.” Zulu is a pro-drop language, meaning the independent pronoun yena is used primarily for emphasis, while the subject concord u- (attached to the verb) indicates the third-person singular subject in ordinary speech.
Key Takeaways: -
Yena /ˈje.na/ is gender-neutral, translating both “he” and “she” -
Zulu is pro-drop: yena adds emphasis, while u- on verbs carries subject information -
The subject concord u- agrees with class 1 nouns (human singular) and the pronouns wena/yena -
Yena belongs to noun class 1, the class for individual human beings -
Object concord -m- refers back to yena when it is the object of a verb
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Yena /ˈje.na/ — The third-person singular independent pronoun -
ye- /je/ — Like English “ye” in “yes,” a palatal glide followed by the vowel /e/ -
-na /na/ — Like “na” in “banana,” with a clear alveolar /n/ -
Stress falls on the first syllable: YE-na
U- /u/ — The third-person singular subject concord (class 1) -
Pronounced as a pure vowel /u/, like “oo” in “moon” but shorter -
When followed by a vowel-initial verb stem, u- may become w-: u- + enza → wenza
Related Forms: -
Nguye /ŋɡu.je/ — “It is he/she” (identifying copulative) -
Wakhe /wa.kʰe/ — “His/her” (class 1 possessive) -
Yedwa /je.dwa/ — “He/she alone”
The Five Zulu Vowels:
Zulu has five pure vowels, each pronounced clearly without diphthongization: -
a /a/ — as in “father” -
e /ɛ/ — as in “bed” -
i /i/ — as in “see” -
o /ɔ/ — as in “saw” -
u /u/ — as in “moon”
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Each Zulu word appears in bold on the first line, with pronunciation (IPA) and English gloss on the second line.
16.1a Yena uyafunda 16.1b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she uyafunda (u.ja.ˈfun.da) he/she-PRES-studies
16.2a Yena usebenza eGoli 16.2b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she usebenza (u.se.ˈbe.nza) he/she-works eGoli (e.ˈɡɔ.li) in-Johannesburg
16.3a Ubaba ubona yena 16.3b Ubaba (u.ˈba.ba) father ubona (u.ˈbɔ.na) he-sees yena (ˈje.na) him/her
16.4a Yena uthanda ukudla 16.4b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she uthanda (u.ˈtʰa.nda) he/she-likes ukudla (u.ku.ˈdla) to-eat/food
16.5a Ngimbona yena nsuku zonke 16.5b Ngimbona (ŋɡi.ˈmbɔ.na) I-him/her-see yena (ˈje.na) him/her nsuku (ˈnsu.ku) days zonke (ˈzɔ.ŋke) all
16.6a Yena uhlala lapha 16.6b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she uhlala (u.ˈɬa.la) he/she-lives/sits lapha (ˈla.pʰa) here
16.7a Umama umthanda yena 16.7b Umama (u.ˈma.ma) mother umthanda (u.ˈm.tʰa.nda) she-him/her-loves yena (ˈje.na) him/her
16.8a Yena akafundi 16.8b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she akafundi (a.ka.ˈfu.ndi) he/she-NEG-studies
16.9a Nguye umfundi omkhulu 16.9b Nguye (ŋɡu.ˈje) it-is-he/she umfundi (u.ˈmfu.ndi) student omkhulu (ɔ.ˈmkʰu.lu) REL-big/great
16.10a Yena uzohamba kusasa 16.10b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she uzohamba (u.zɔ.ˈha.mba) he/she-FUT-go kusasa (ku.ˈsa.sa) tomorrow
16.11a Incwadi yakhe ilapha 16.11b Incwadi (i.ˈnʣwa.di) book yakhe (ˈja.kʰe) of-him/her ilapha (i.ˈla.pʰa) it-is-here
16.12a Yena ukhuluma isiZulu 16.12b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she ukhuluma (u.kʰu.ˈlu.ma) he/she-speaks isiZulu (i.si.ˈzu.lu) Zulu-language
16.13a Siyamazi yena 16.13b Siyamazi (si.ja.ˈma.zi) we-him/her-know yena (ˈje.na) him/her
16.14a Yena yedwa uyazi 16.14b Yena (ˈje.na) he/she yedwa (ˈje.dwa) alone uyazi (u.ˈja.zi) he/she-knows
16.15a Kuyena kuphela 16.15b Kuyena (ku.ˈje.na) to-him/her kuphela (ku.ˈpʰe.la) only
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16.1 Yena uyafunda “He/She is studying.”
16.2 Yena usebenza eGoli “He/She works in Johannesburg.”
16.3 Ubaba ubona yena “Father sees him/her.”
16.4 Yena uthanda ukudla “He/She likes food.”
16.5 Ngimbona yena nsuku zonke “I see him/her every day.”
16.6 Yena uhlala lapha “He/She lives here.”
16.7 Umama umthanda yena “Mother loves him/her.”
16.8 Yena akafundi “He/She does not study.”
16.9 Nguye umfundi omkhulu “It is he/she who is the great student.”
16.10 Yena uzohamba kusasa “He/She will go tomorrow.”
16.11 Incwadi yakhe ilapha “His/Her book is here.”
16.12 Yena ukhuluma isiZulu “He/She speaks Zulu.”
16.13 Siyamazi yena “We know him/her.”
16.14 Yena yedwa uyazi “He/She alone knows.”
16.15 Kuyena kuphela “To him/her only.”
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16.1 Yena uyafunda
16.2 Yena usebenza eGoli
16.3 Ubaba ubona yena
16.4 Yena uthanda ukudla
16.5 Ngimbona yena nsuku zonke
16.6 Yena uhlala lapha
16.7 Umama umthanda yena
16.8 Yena akafundi
16.9 Nguye umfundi omkhulu
16.10 Yena uzohamba kusasa
16.11 Incwadi yakhe ilapha
16.12 Yena ukhuluma isiZulu
16.13 Siyamazi yena
16.14 Yena yedwa uyazi
16.15 Kuyena kuphela
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Grammar Rules for Yena in Zulu:
These are the grammar rules illustrated in this lesson’s examples. Understanding yena requires grasping Zulu’s noun class system and its pro-drop nature.
1. Yena is Gender-Neutral
Unlike English, which distinguishes “he” from “she,” Zulu uses yena for both masculine and feminine reference. This reflects Zulu’s noun class system, which categorizes nouns by semantic properties (human, animal, abstract, etc.) rather than grammatical gender.
Yena uhamba → “He is going” OR “She is going”
The context determines whether yena refers to a male or female person. When gender must be specified, Zulu speakers add words like owesilisa (male) or owesifazane (female).
2. Pro-Drop: The Subject Concord Carries the Meaning
Zulu is a pro-drop language, meaning independent pronouns like yena are optional. The subject concord u- attached to the verb already indicates a third-person singular (class 1) subject.
Compare:
Yena uyafunda → “HE/SHE is studying” (emphatic) Uyafunda → “He/She is studying” (neutral)
Both sentences are grammatically complete. The first emphasizes the subject; the second is unmarked.
3. The Subject Concord u-
The prefix u- is the subject concord for noun class 1 (singular humans) and the pronouns wena (you) and yena (he/she). It attaches directly to the verb stem or tense marker.
Subject concords for all persons:
ngi- (I), u- (you singular), u- (he/she), si- (we), ni- (you plural), ba- (they)
Note that “you singular” (wena) and “he/she” (yena) share the same subject concord u-. Context disambiguates.
4. Noun Class Agreement
Yena belongs to class 1, the noun class for individual human beings. Class 1 nouns include umuntu (person), umfundi (student), udokotela (doctor), ubaba (father), umama (mother).
The plural counterpart is bona (they), which belongs to class 2 and uses the subject concord ba-.
Class 1 (singular): yena, u- subject concord Class 2 (plural): bona, ba- subject concord
5. Object Concords with Yena
When yena is the object of a verb, the object concord -m- is inserted into the verb, between the subject concord and the verb stem.
Ngimbona → ngi- (I) + -m- (him/her) + bona (see) → “I see him/her” Umthanda → u- (she) + -m- (him/her) + thanda (love) → “She loves him/her” Siyamazi → si- (we) + -ya- (present marker) + -m- (him/her) + azi (know) → “We know him/her”
The independent pronoun yena may optionally follow for emphasis: Ngimbona yena → “I see HIM/HER.”
6. Possessive Forms
The possessive “his/her” is formed with -akhe (the possessive stem) preceded by a possessive prefix that agrees with the possessed noun’s class.
Class 9 (incwadi, book): incwadi yakhe → “his/her book” Class 1 (umngane, friend): umngane wakhe → “his/her friend” Class 7 (isitulo, chair): isitulo sakhe → “his/her chair”
7. The Copulative Nguye
To say “It is he/she,” Zulu uses the identifying copulative nguye:
ngu- (copulative prefix for class 1) + -ye (bound form of yena) → nguye
Nguye umfundi → “It is he/she who is a student” Nguye obonayo → “It is he/she who sees”
8. Verb Tense Markers
Present tense with yena:
Yena uyafunda (sentence-final verb with -ya-) Yena ufunda manje (non-final verb, no -ya-)
Future tense:
Yena uzofunda → “He/She will study” (-zo- future marker)
Past/Perfect tense:
Yena ufundile → “He/She studied/has studied” (-ile perfect suffix)
Negative:
Yena akafundi → “He/She does not study” (a-...-i negative frame)
9. Yena in Relative Clauses
When yena is the subject of a relative clause, it takes the class 1 relative concord o-:
yena ofundayo → “he/she who studies” yena obonayo → “he/she who sees”
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Applying English gender distinctions: Remember yena covers both “he” and “she.”
Overusing yena: In natural Zulu, the subject concord u- usually suffices. Reserve yena for emphasis.
Forgetting object concord agreement: When yena is the object, use -m- in the verb, not yena alone.
Confusing u- for wena and yena: Context determines whether u- means “you” or “he/she.”
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Ubuntu and the Third Person
In Zulu culture, how one speaks about another person—even in their absence—reflects the philosophy of ubuntu: “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (a person is a person through other people). Using yena with respect acknowledges the humanity and dignity of the person referenced.
Gender Neutrality in Bantu Languages
The gender-neutrality of yena is not unique to Zulu but is common across Bantu languages. This linguistic feature means that Zulu speakers do not grammatically mark the gender of the person they discuss. Some scholars suggest this reflects a worldview where personhood and humanity take precedence over gender distinctions.
Emphasis and Social Dynamics
Using the independent pronoun yena (rather than just the subject concord u-) often signals emphasis, contrast, or a shift in topic. In storytelling, yena may introduce a new character or highlight someone’s role in events.
Wafika umfazi. Yena wayekhathele. → “The woman arrived. SHE was tired.”
In formal or respectful speech, yena may be used to maintain distance or show deference, particularly when speaking about elders or people of higher status.
Hlonipha: Respect Language
Traditional Zulu culture includes hlonipha (respect) practices that govern how one refers to others, particularly in-laws and elders. While yena itself is neutral, the broader context of Zulu speech requires careful attention to appropriate forms of address and reference.
Regional and Urban Variation
In urban areas like Johannesburg (eGoli) and Durban (eThekwini), Zulu speakers may mix English pronouns with Zulu grammar, especially in casual speech. However, formal and traditional contexts maintain standard Zulu pronoun usage.
Proverbs Using Yena
Zulu proverbs often use the third person to convey universal wisdom:
Yena osizayo uzosizwa → “He/She who helps will be helped”
This reflects the reciprocal nature of ubuntu—actions toward others return to oneself.
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Traditional Proverb and Wisdom
Part F-A: Interlinear Text
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu Umuntu (u.ˈmu.ntu) person ngumuntu (ŋɡu.ˈmu.ntu) is-a-person ngabantu (ŋɡa.ˈba.ntu) through-people
Yena osizayo, uzosizwa Yena (ˈje.na) he/she osizayo (ɔ.si.ˈza.jɔ) who-helps uzosizwa (u.zɔ.ˈsi.zwa) he/she-FUT-be-helped
Part F-B: Text with Translation
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Yena osizayo, uzosizwa. “A person is a person through other people. He/She who helps will be helped.”
Part F-C: Original Zulu Text
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Yena osizayo, uzosizwa.
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This passage illustrates the heart of ubuntu philosophy through grammatical structures that encode reciprocity.
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu — This famous proverb uses the copulative construction. Ngumuntu (is a person) consists of the copulative prefix ngu- (class 1) plus umuntu. The prepositional phrase ngabantu (through people) uses nga- (by, through) plus abantu (people, class 2 plural).
Yena osizayo — Here yena is followed by a relative clause. The relative concord o- (class 1) plus the verb stem -siza (help) plus the relative suffix -yo creates “who helps.” The suffix -yo indicates a present tense relative when the verb is intransitive or has no following object.
Uzosizwa — This is the future passive form. The subject concord u- (he/she) plus the future marker -zo- plus the passive verb sizwa (be helped, from siza + passive -w-) yields “he/she will be helped.”
The proverb demonstrates how Zulu grammar encodes the reciprocal nature of human relationships: the one who helps (active) will be helped (passive). The use of yena at the beginning of the second sentence emphasizes the subject, drawing attention to the moral teaching.
Part F-E: Cultural Note
This proverb encapsulates ubuntu, the Southern African philosophy of interconnected humanity. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Nelson Mandela frequently invoked this concept to promote reconciliation and mutual care. The proverb teaches that no person exists in isolation—our humanity is realized through our relationships with others.
The grammatical structure mirrors the philosophy: just as yena (the individual) is defined through the relative clause osizayo (his/her actions toward others), so too is personhood defined through community.
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This dialogue shows how yena is used naturally in conversation when discussing a third person. Notice how yena adds emphasis while the subject concord u- carries the basic meaning.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
16.16a Uyamazi uThemba? 16.16b Uyamazi (u.ja.ˈma.zi) you-him-know uThemba (u.ˈtʰe.mba) Themba
16.17a Yebo, ngiyamazi yena 16.17b Yebo (ˈje.bɔ) yes ngiyamazi (ŋɡi.ja.ˈma.zi) I-him-know yena (ˈje.na) him
16.18a Yena usebenza kuphi? 16.18b Yena (ˈje.na) he usebenza (u.se.ˈbe.nza) he-works kuphi (ˈku.pʰi) where
16.19a Usebenza esibhedlela 16.19b Usebenza (u.se.ˈbe.nza) he-works esibhedlela (e.si.ˈbʰe.dle.la) at-hospital
16.20a Yena ungudokotela? 16.20b Yena (ˈje.na) he ungudokotela (u.ŋɡu.dɔ.kɔ.ˈte.la) he-is-doctor
16.21a Cha, akangedokotela 16.21b Cha (ˈtʃa) no akangedokotela (a.ka.ŋɡe.dɔ.kɔ.ˈte.la) he-is-not-doctor
16.22a Yena ungunesi 16.22b Yena (ˈje.na) he ungunesi (u.ŋɡu.ˈne.si) he-is-nurse
16.23a Uthanda umsebenzi wakhe? 16.23b Uthanda (u.ˈtʰa.nda) he-likes umsebenzi (u.ˈmse.be.nzi) work wakhe (ˈwa.kʰe) his
16.24a Yebo, yena uyawuthanda kakhulu 16.24b Yebo (ˈje.bɔ) yes yena (ˈje.na) he uyawuthanda (u.ja.wu.ˈtʰa.nda) he-it-likes kakhulu (ka.ˈkʰu.lu) very-much
16.25a Uhlala nabani? 16.25b Uhlala (u.ˈɬa.la) he-lives nabani (na.ˈba.ni) with-whom
16.26a Uhlala nomndeni wakhe 16.26b Uhlala (u.ˈɬa.la) he-lives nomndeni (nɔ.ˈmde.ni) with-family wakhe (ˈwa.kʰe) his
16.27a Yena ushadile? 16.27b Yena (ˈje.na) he ushadile (u.ʃa.ˈdi.le) he-is-married
16.28a Yebo, yena nomkakhe banezingane ezimbili 16.28b Yebo (ˈje.bɔ) yes yena (ˈje.na) he nomkakhe (nɔ.ˈmka.kʰe) with-wife-his banezingane (ba.ne.zi.ˈŋɡa.ne) they-have-children ezimbili (e.zi.ˈmbi.li) two
16.29a Uzomvakashela nini? 16.29b Uzomvakashela (u.zɔ.m.va.ka.ˈʃe.la) you-FUT-him-visit nini (ˈni.ni) when
16.30a Ngizomvakashela yena ngempelasonto 16.30b Ngizomvakashela (ŋɡi.zɔ.m.va.ka.ˈʃe.la) I-FUT-him-visit yena (ˈje.na) him ngempelasonto (ŋɡe.ˈmpe.la.sɔ.ntɔ) on-weekend
Part B: Natural Sentences
16.16 Uyamazi uThemba? “Do you know Themba?”
16.17 Yebo, ngiyamazi yena “Yes, I know him.”
16.18 Yena usebenza kuphi? “Where does he work?”
16.19 Usebenza esibhedlela “He works at the hospital.”
16.20 Yena ungudokotela? “Is he a doctor?”
16.21 Cha, akangedokotela “No, he is not a doctor.”
16.22 Yena ungunesi “He is a nurse.”
16.23 Uthanda umsebenzi wakhe? “Does he like his work?”
16.24 Yebo, yena uyawuthanda kakhulu “Yes, he likes it very much.”
16.25 Uhlala nabani? “Who does he live with?”
16.26 Uhlala nomndeni wakhe “He lives with his family.”
16.27 Yena ushadile? “Is he married?”
16.28 Yebo, yena nomkakhe banezingane ezimbili “Yes, he and his wife have two children.”
16.29 Uzomvakashela nini? “When will you visit him?”
16.30 Ngizomvakashela yena ngempelasonto “I will visit him on the weekend.”
Part C: Zulu Text Only
16.16 Uyamazi uThemba?
16.17 Yebo, ngiyamazi yena
16.18 Yena usebenza kuphi?
16.19 Usebenza esibhedlela
16.20 Yena ungudokotela?
16.21 Cha, akangedokotela
16.22 Yena ungunesi
16.23 Uthanda umsebenzi wakhe?
16.24 Yebo, yena uyawuthanda kakhulu
16.25 Uhlala nabani?
16.26 Uhlala nomndeni wakhe
16.27 Yena ushadile?
16.28 Yebo, yena nomkakhe banezingane ezimbili
16.29 Uzomvakashela nini?
16.30 Ngizomvakashela yena ngempelasonto
Part D: Grammar Notes for Dialogue
This dialogue demonstrates several important patterns with yena:
Emphatic vs. Neutral Usage: Notice how yena appears when the speaker wants to emphasize the subject (16.17, 16.18, 16.20, 16.22, 16.24, 16.27, 16.28, 16.30) but is omitted in neutral statements (16.19, 16.23, 16.25, 16.26).
Object Concord -m-: In 16.16, 16.17, 16.29, and 16.30, the object concord -m- (referring to a class 1 noun/pronoun) appears in the verb: ngiyamazi (I know him), uzomvakashela (you will visit him).
Possessive wakhe: The possessive “his” appears as wakhe (16.23, 16.26) with class 1/3 nouns (umsebenzi, umndeni) and nomkakhe (16.28) meaning “with his wife” (na- + umka + wakhe → nomkakhe).
Copulative Forms: “He is a doctor” uses ungudokotela (u- + ngu- + udokotela). The negative “he is not a doctor” uses akangedokotela (a- + ka- + nge- + udokotela).
Perfect Tense: “He is married” uses ushadile (u- + shada + -ile), where -ile indicates completed action with present relevance.
Compound Subject: In 16.28, “he and his wife” combines yena with nomkakhe, and the verb banezingane uses the class 2 subject concord ba- because the subject is now plural (two people).
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The Palatal Glide /j/ in Yena:
The initial sound of yena is the palatal glide /j/, identical to English “y” in “yes.” In Zulu orthography, this sound is always written as y at the beginning of words and syllables.
Vowel Coalescence:
When the subject concord u- meets a vowel-initial verb stem, coalescence occurs:
u- + enza (do) → wenza (he/she does) u- + azi (know) → wazi (he/she knows)
This is a regular phonological process in Zulu.
The Click Consonants:
While yena itself contains no clicks, many common verbs used with yena do:
-hlala /ɬala/ — contains the lateral fricative ɬ (similar to Welsh “ll”) -khuluma /kʰuluma/ — contains the aspirated velar stop kʰ
Tone:
Zulu is a tonal language, though tone is not marked in standard orthography. Yena typically carries a high-low tone pattern. Learners should listen to native speakers and audio resources to internalize the correct tonal patterns.
Audio Resources:
For pronunciation practice, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and various online platforms offer audio recordings of Zulu speech. Listening to South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Zulu-language programming provides exposure to natural spoken Zulu.
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute’s systematic approach to teaching Zulu through the construed reading method, adapted for Bantu languages. Each lesson focuses on high-frequency vocabulary, building from the 1,000 most common English words and their Zulu equivalents.
The Latinum Institute has been creating online language learning materials since 2006. Our method emphasizes comprehensible input through interlinear texts, allowing learners to see the structure of the target language while maintaining access to meaning.
Why Frequency-Based Vocabulary?
Research in language acquisition shows that the most common words in any language account for the vast majority of everyday communication. By mastering these high-frequency words first, learners can quickly begin understanding and producing meaningful speech.
The Importance of Pronouns:
Pronouns like yena are among the most frequently used words in any language. Understanding how Zulu handles person reference—through the combination of independent pronouns and subject concords—is essential for both comprehension and production.
Continuing Your Studies:
Future lessons will explore the other personal pronouns (mina, wena, thina, nina, bona) and the demonstrative pronouns (lo, lowo, loya for class 1). We will also examine how the noun class system extends pronoun reference to non-human entities.
For the complete course index, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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Siyabonga! (We thank you!) for studying with the Latinum Institute.
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