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Course Index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
In this lesson, we explore how isiZulu expresses the English preposition “with.” Unlike English, which uses a single word for multiple meanings, Zulu distinguishes between two fundamentally different concepts using separate grammatical structures.
The associative prefix na- expresses accompaniment, togetherness, and conjunction — “with” in the sense of “together with” or “and.” When you walk with a friend or eat bread and butter, you use na-.
The instrumental prefix nga- expresses means, instrument, or manner — “with” in the sense of “by means of” or “using.” When you cut with a knife or travel with a car, you use nga-.
This distinction reflects a deep conceptual clarity in Zulu thought: being together with someone is fundamentally different from using something as a tool.
FAQ: What does “with” mean in Zulu?
Zulu uses two different prefixes to express “with”: na- for accompaniment and togetherness (being with someone, having something), and nga- for instrumental means (using a tool, traveling by a method). The prefix na- also functions as “and” when joining nouns.
Key Takeaways: -
na- expresses “with” (accompaniment), “and” (conjunction), and “have” (possession) -
nga- expresses “with” (instrument/means), “by” (agent), and “via” (method) -
na- undergoes vowel coalescence: na + u → no, na + i → ne, na + a → na -
nga- also undergoes coalescence: nga + i → nge, nga + u → ngo -
In negative constructions with na- (expressing “not have”), coalescence does not occur
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The Associative na-
When na- attaches to nouns, the vowels merge (coalesce):
na + u → no (pronounced /nɔ/) Example: na + umama → nomama /nɔ.ˈma.ma/ “with mother”
na + i → ne (pronounced /nɛ/) Example: na + isinkwa → nesinkwa /nɛ.ˈsiŋ.kwa/ “with bread”
na + a → na (remains /na/) Example: na + abantu → nabantu /na.ˈɓa.n̩.tu/ “with people”
Comitative Pronouns:
nami /ˈna.mi/ — with me, and I nawe /ˈna.wɛ/ — with you, and you naye /ˈna.jɛ/ — with him/her, and he/she nathi /ˈna.tʰi/ — with us, and we nani /ˈna.ni/ — with you (plural), and you nabo /ˈna.ɓɔ/ — with them, and they
The Instrumental nga-
nga + i → nge (pronounced /ŋɛ/) Example: nga + imoto → ngemoto /ŋɛ.ˈmɔ.tɔ/ “by car”
nga + u → ngo (pronounced /ŋɔ/) Example: nga + uthando → ngothando /ŋɔ.ˈtʰa.n̩.dɔ/ “with love”
nga + a → nga (remains /ŋa/) Example: nga + amanzi → ngamanzi /ŋa.ˈma.n̩.zi/ “with water”
Click consonants appear in some vocabulary: c /ǀ/ (dental click), q /ǃ/ (alveolar click), x /ǁ/ (lateral click).
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17.1a Ngihamba nomama 17.1b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -hamba (ˈha.mba) walk no- (nɔ) with -mama (ˈma.ma) mother
17.2a Umfana udla isinkwa nebhotela 17.2b U- (u) the -mfana (ˈm̩.fa.na) boy u- (u) he -dla (ˈɬa) eats i- (i) the -sinkwa (ˈsiŋ.kwa) bread ne- (nɛ) and -bhotela (ˈɓɔ.tɛ.la) butter
17.3a Ngihlala nawe 17.3b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -hlala (ˈɬa.la) stay nawe (ˈna.wɛ) with-you
17.4a Abantwana badlala nabangani babo 17.4b A- (a) the -bantwana (ɓa.n̩.ˈtwa.na) children ba- (ɓa) they -dlala (ˈɬa.la) play na- (na) with -bangani (ɓa.ˈŋɡa.ni) friends babo (ˈɓa.ɓɔ) their
17.5a Ngisebenza naye 17.5b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -sebenza (sɛ.ˈɓɛ.n̩.za) work naye (ˈna.jɛ) with-him/her
17.6a Umama usika inyama ngommese 17.6b U- (u) the -mama (ˈma.ma) mother u- (u) she -sika (ˈsi.ka) cuts i- (i) the -nyama (ˈɲa.ma) meat ngo- (ŋɔ) with -mmese (ˈm̩.mɛ.sɛ) knife
17.7a Ubaba uhamba ngemoto 17.7b U- (u) the -baba (ˈɓa.ɓa) father u- (u) he -hamba (ˈha.mba) goes nge- (ŋɛ) by -moto (ˈmɔ.tɔ) car
17.8a Sibhala ngepensela 17.8b Si- (si) we -bhala (ˈɓa.la) write nge- (ŋɛ) with -pensela (pʰɛ.ˈn̩.sɛ.la) pencil
17.9a Unomsebenzi na? 17.9b U- (u) you -no- (nɔ) have -msebenzi (m̩.sɛ.ˈɓɛ.n̩.zi) work na (na) QUESTION
17.10a Nginabantwana abathathu 17.10b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -na- (na) have -bantwana (ɓa.n̩.ˈtwa.na) children a- (a) who-are -bathathu (ɓa.ˈtʰa.tʰu) three
17.11a Anginamali 17.11b A- (a) NEG -ngi- (ŋɡi) I -na- (na) have -mali (ˈma.li) money
17.12a Woza nathi! 17.12b Woza (ˈwɔ.za) come nathi (ˈna.tʰi) with-us
17.13a Inja igijima ngejubane 17.13b I- (i) the -nja (ˈn̩.dʒa) dog i- (i) it -gijima (ɡi.ˈdʒi.ma) runs nge- (ŋɛ) with -jubane (dʒu.ˈɓa.nɛ) speed
17.14a Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu 17.14b U- (u) a -muntu (ˈmu.n̩.tu) person ngu- (ŋɡu) is -muntu (ˈmu.n̩.tu) person nga- (ŋa) through -bantu (ˈɓa.n̩.tu) people
17.15a Sihamba ndawonye 17.15b Si- (si) we -hamba (ˈha.mba) walk ndawonye (n̩.da.wɔ.ˈɲɛ) together
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17.1 Ngihamba nomama → “I walk with mother”
17.2 Umfana udla isinkwa nebhotela → “The boy eats bread and butter”
17.3 Ngihlala nawe → “I stay with you”
17.4 Abantwana badlala nabangani babo → “The children play with their friends”
17.5 Ngisebenza naye → “I work with him/her”
17.6 Umama usika inyama ngommese → “Mother cuts the meat with a knife”
17.7 Ubaba uhamba ngemoto → “Father goes by car”
17.8 Sibhala ngepensela → “We write with a pencil”
17.9 Unomsebenzi na? → “Do you have work?”
17.10 Nginabantwana abathathu → “I have three children”
17.11 Anginamali → “I don’t have money”
17.12 Woza nathi! → “Come with us!”
17.13 Inja igijima ngejubane → “The dog runs with speed”
17.14 Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu → “A person is a person through other people”
17.15 Sihamba ndawonye → “We walk together”
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17.1 Ngihamba nomama
17.2 Umfana udla isinkwa nebhotela
17.3 Ngihlala nawe
17.4 Abantwana badlala nabangani babo
17.5 Ngisebenza naye
17.6 Umama usika inyama ngommese
17.7 Ubaba uhamba ngemoto
17.8 Sibhala ngepensela
17.9 Unomsebenzi na?
17.10 Nginabantwana abathathu
17.11 Anginamali
17.12 Woza nathi!
17.13 Inja igijima ngejubane
17.14 Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
17.15 Sihamba ndawonye
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Grammar Rules for This Passage:
These are the grammar rules for expressing “with” in isiZulu through this lesson’s examples.
1. The Associative Prefix na- (Comitative “with” / Conjunctive “and”)
The prefix na- attaches directly to nouns and pronouns to express accompaniment (”with”) or conjunction (”and”). When na- meets the initial vowel of a noun, vowel coalescence occurs.
Vowel Coalescence Rules for na-:
When na- precedes a noun beginning with u-, the combination becomes no-: na + umama → nomama (with mother). When na- precedes a noun beginning with i-, the combination becomes ne-: na + isinkwa → nesinkwa (with bread). When na- precedes a noun beginning with a-, the vowel remains na-: na + abantu → nabantu (with people).
Comitative Pronouns:
Zulu forms special comitative pronouns meaning “with me/and I,” “with you/and you,” etc. These are: nami (with me), nawe (with you singular), naye (with him/her), nathi (with us), nani (with you plural), nabo (with them).
2. The Possessive Construction with na- (”to have”)
Zulu lacks a verb meaning “to have.” Instead, possession is expressed using the subject concord plus na- plus the possessed noun. For example: Nginabantwana means “I have children” (literally: “I am with children”). Unomsebenzi na? means “Do you have work?”
The question particle na (distinct from the prefix na-) appears at the end of yes/no questions.
Negative Possession:
In negative constructions expressing “not have,” the prefix a- is added before the subject concord, and the final vowel of the verb changes to -i. Importantly, vowel coalescence does NOT occur in the negative. For example: Anginamali means “I don’t have money” (the na- remains unchanged before mali).
3. The Instrumental Prefix nga- (”with” as means/instrument)
The prefix nga- expresses instrumental meaning — using a tool, traveling by a means, or doing something in a particular manner.
Vowel Coalescence Rules for nga-:
When nga- precedes a noun beginning with i-, the combination becomes nge-: nga + imoto → ngemoto (by car). When nga- precedes a noun beginning with u-, the combination becomes ngo-: nga + ummese → ngommese (with a knife). When nga- precedes a noun beginning with a-, the vowel remains nga-: nga + amanzi → ngamanzi (with water).
4. Distinguishing na- from nga-
Use na- when expressing: accompaniment (walking with someone), conjunction (bread and butter), possession (having something), togetherness (being together with).
Use nga- when expressing: instrument (cutting with a knife), means of transport (traveling by car), manner (doing something with speed/care), agency in passive constructions.
5. The Adverb ndawonye (”together”)
The word ndawonye (from indawo “place” + nye “one”) means “together” or “in one place.” It emphasizes shared location or unified action: Sihamba ndawonye means “We walk together.”
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make:
Confusing na- (accompaniment) with nga- (instrument) — “I eat with a fork” requires nga- not na-. Forgetting vowel coalescence — saying “na umama” instead of “nomama.” Applying coalescence in negative possession — saying “anginomali” instead of “anginamali.” Using a verb for “have” instead of the na- construction.
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Ubuntu and the Philosophy of Togetherness
The famous proverb Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (”A person is a person through other people”) encapsulates the Zulu philosophy of Ubuntu. This proverb uses nga- instrumentally — humanity is achieved through or by means of community. The concept underlies much of Zulu social organization and ethics.
The associative na- carries deep cultural significance. When a Zulu speaker says “Ngihamba nawe” (I go with you), they express more than physical accompaniment — they imply solidarity, shared purpose, and mutual responsibility. The togetherness expressed by na- reflects the communal values at the heart of Zulu society.
Greeting Customs:
When greeting, Zulu speakers often inquire about family members using the na- possessive construction: “Unabazali na?” (Do you have parents? / Are your parents well?). This reflects the cultural importance of family connections.
Regional Usage:
The distinction between na- and nga- is consistent across Zulu-speaking regions in KwaZulu-Natal and throughout South Africa. The vowel coalescence rules are standard, though in rapid speech, some speakers may pronounce combinations slightly differently.
Register Considerations:
Both na- and nga- constructions are used in all registers, from casual conversation to formal speech. The possessive na- construction (”having” something) appears frequently in everyday discourse, while instrumental nga- is common when describing activities and methods.
Idiomatic Expressions:
“Hamba kahle” (go well) is often paired with “Sala kahle” (stay well) as a farewell exchange. The response “Yebo, ngiyahamba nabo” (Yes, I go with them) uses the comitative pronoun nabo.
The expression “ngenhliziyo” (with the heart, sincerely) uses instrumental nga- to express manner: “Ngiyakuthanda ngenhliziyo” means “I love you with my heart.”
Reminder: This lesson is designed for English speakers learning isiZulu.
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Traditional Zulu Proverb
F-A: Interlinear Analysis
Inkosi yinkosi ngabantu I- (i) the -nkosi (ˈŋkɔ.si) chief yi- (ji) is -nkosi (ˈŋkɔ.si) chief nga- (ŋa) through -bantu (ˈɓa.n̩.tu) people
Abantu bangabantu ngenkosi A- (a) the -bantu (ˈɓa.n̩.tu) people ba- (ɓa) are -nga- (ŋa) COPULA -bantu (ˈɓa.n̩.tu) people nge- (ŋɛ) through -nkosi (ˈŋkɔ.si) chief
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Inkosi yinkosi ngabantu. Abantu bangabantu ngenkosi.
→ “A chief is a chief through the people. The people are a people through the chief.”
F-C: Original isiZulu Text
Inkosi yinkosi ngabantu. Abantu bangabantu ngenkosi.
F-D: Grammar Commentary
This traditional proverb illustrates the reciprocal relationship between leader and community in Zulu society. Note the use of nga- (through/by means of) in both clauses — the chief’s authority derives from the people, and the people’s identity is formed through the chief. This is instrumental nga-, showing means or agency.
The copulative construction yinkosi (is a chief) uses the prefix yi- attached to the noun. Similarly, bangabantu combines the copulative prefix ba- + nga- (through) + abantu (people).
This proverb echoes the Ubuntu philosophy: leadership and community are mutually constitutive. Neither exists meaningfully without the other. The grammatical structure using nga- reinforces the philosophical point that identity is achieved through relationship.
F-E: Cultural Significance
This proverb was fundamental to traditional Zulu governance. The inkosi (chief or king) held authority not through force alone but through the support and participation of the people. Community councils (izinduna) and popular assemblies ensured that leadership remained connected to the governed.
The proverb continues to resonate in modern South African discourse about democratic accountability and servant leadership.
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Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
17.16a Sawubona! Ngingakusiza na? 17.16b Sa- (sa) we -wu- (wu) you -bona (ˈɓɔ.na) see Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -nga- (ŋa) can -ku- (ku) you -siza (ˈsi.za) help na (na) QUESTION
17.17a Yebo, ngifuna izithelo namazambane 17.17b Yebo (ˈjɛ.ɓɔ) yes ngi- (ŋɡi) I -funa (ˈfu.na) want i- (i) the -zithelo (zi.ˈtʰɛ.lɔ) fruits na- (na) and -mazambane (ma.za.ˈmba.nɛ) potatoes
17.18a Unama-apula nesithelo somlaza na? 17.18b U- (u) you -na- (na) have -ma-apula (ma.ˈa.pu.la) apples ne- (nɛ) and -sithelo (si.ˈtʰɛ.lɔ) fruit so- (sɔ) of -mlaza (ˈm̩.la.za) orange-tree na (na) QUESTION
17.19a Yebo, sinakho konke 17.19b Yebo (ˈjɛ.ɓɔ) yes si- (si) we -na- (na) have -kho (kʰɔ) it konke (ˈkɔ.ŋkɛ) all
17.20a Ngicela ama-apula amahlanu nama-orenji ayisikhombisa 17.20b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -cela (ˈǀɛ.la) request ama-apula (a.ma.ˈa.pu.la) apples a- (a) which-are -mahlanu (ma.ˈɬa.nu) five na- (na) and -ma-orenji (ma.ɔ.ˈrɛ.n̩.dʒi) oranges a- (a) which-are -yisikhombisa (ji.si.kʰɔ.ˈmbi.sa) seven
17.21a Ufuna ukuwathengisa ngani? 17.21b U- (u) you -funa (ˈfu.na) want uku- (u.ku) to -wa- (wa) them -thengisa (tʰɛ.ˈŋɡi.sa) buy nga- (ŋa) with -ni (ni) what
17.22a Ngizokhokha ngemali 17.22b Ngi- (ŋɡi) I -zo- (zɔ) will -khokha (ˈkʰɔ.kʰa) pay nge- (ŋɛ) with -mali (ˈma.li) money
17.23a Kulungile. Ngifaka izithelo esikwameni na? 17.23b Ku- (ku) it -lungile (lu.ˈŋɡi.lɛ) is-good ngi- (ŋɡi) I -faka (ˈfa.ka) put i- (i) the -zithelo (zi.ˈtʰɛ.lɔ) fruits e- (ɛ) in -sikwameni (si.kwa.ˈmɛ.ni) bag na (na) QUESTION
17.24a Yebo, ngicela. Ngihamba nomngani wami 17.24b Yebo (ˈjɛ.ɓɔ) yes ngi- (ŋɡi) I -cela (ˈǀɛ.la) request ngi- (ŋɡi) I -hamba (ˈha.mba) go no- (nɔ) with -mngani (ˈm̩.ŋɡa.ni) friend wami (ˈwa.mi) my
17.25a Nihamba nini nobabili? 17.25b Ni- (ni) you-pl -hamba (ˈha.mba) go nini (ˈni.ni) when no- (nɔ) with -babili (ɓa.ˈɓi.li) both/two
17.26a Sihamba manje. Sizopheka ndawonye 17.26b Si- (si) we -hamba (ˈha.mba) go manje (ˈma.n̩.dʒɛ) now si- (si) we -zo- (zɔ) will -pheka (ˈpʰɛ.ka) cook ndawonye (n̩.da.wɔ.ˈɲɛ) together
17.27a Nipheka ngani? Ngesitsha noma ngembiza? 17.27b Ni- (ni) you-pl -pheka (ˈpʰɛ.ka) cook nga- (ŋa) with -ni (ni) what nge- (ŋɛ) with -sitsha (ˈsi.tʃa) pot noma (ˈnɔ.ma) or nge- (ŋɛ) with -mbiza (ˈm̩.ɓi.za) cooking-pot
17.28a Sipheka ngembiza enkulu 17.28b Si- (si) we -pheka (ˈpʰɛ.ka) cook nge- (ŋɛ) with -mbiza (ˈm̩.ɓi.za) cooking-pot e- (ɛ) which-is -nkulu (ˈŋku.lu) big
17.29a Nidla nobani namuhla? 17.29b Ni- (ni) you-pl -dla (ˈɬa) eat no- (nɔ) with -bani (ˈɓa.ni) who namuhla (na.ˈmu.ɬa) today
17.30a Sidla nomndeni wonke — nogogo nobabamkhulu nabantwana 17.30b Si- (si) we -dla (ˈɬa) eat no- (nɔ) with -mndeni (ˈm̩.n̩.dɛ.ni) family wonke (ˈwɔ.ŋkɛ) all no- (nɔ) with -gogo (ˈɡɔ.ɡɔ) grandmother no- (nɔ) with -babamkhulu (ɓa.ɓa.ˈm̩.kʰu.lu) grandfather na- (na) and -bantwana (ɓa.n̩.ˈtwa.na) children
Part B: Natural Sentences
17.16 Sawubona! Ngingakusiza na? → “Hello! Can I help you?”
17.17 Yebo, ngifuna izithelo namazambane → “Yes, I want fruits and potatoes”
17.18 Unama-apula nesithelo somlaza na? → “Do you have apples and oranges?”
17.19 Yebo, sinakho konke → “Yes, we have everything”
17.20 Ngicela ama-apula amahlanu nama-orenji ayisikhombisa → “I’d like five apples and seven oranges”
17.21 Ufuna ukuwathengisa ngani? → “How do you want to pay for them?”
17.22 Ngizokhokha ngemali → “I will pay with money”
17.23 Kulungile. Ngifaka izithelo esikwameni na? → “Good. Shall I put the fruits in a bag?”
17.24 Yebo, ngicela. Ngihamba nomngani wami → “Yes, please. I’m going with my friend”
17.25 Nihamba nini nobabili? → “When are you two going?”
17.26 Sihamba manje. Sizopheka ndawonye → “We’re going now. We will cook together”
17.27 Nipheka ngani? Ngesitsha noma ngembiza? → “What do you cook with? A pot or a cooking pot?”
17.28 Sipheka ngembiza enkulu → “We cook with a big cooking pot”
17.29 Nidla nobani namuhla? → “Who are you eating with today?”
17.30 Sidla nomndeni wonke — nogogo nobabamkhulu nabantwana → “We eat with the whole family — with grandmother and grandfather and the children”
Part C: isiZulu Text Only
17.16 Sawubona! Ngingakusiza na?
17.17 Yebo, ngifuna izithelo namazambane
17.18 Unama-apula nesithelo somlaza na?
17.19 Yebo, sinakho konke
17.20 Ngicela ama-apula amahlanu nama-orenji ayisikhombisa
17.21 Ufuna ukuwathengisa ngani?
17.22 Ngizokhokha ngemali
17.23 Kulungile. Ngifaka izithelo esikwameni na?
17.24 Yebo, ngicela. Ngihamba nomngani wami
17.25 Nihamba nini nobabili?
17.26 Sihamba manje. Sizopheka ndawonye
17.27 Nipheka ngani? Ngesitsha noma ngembiza?
17.28 Sipheka ngembiza enkulu
17.29 Nidla nobani namuhla?
17.30 Sidla nomndeni wonke — nogogo nobabamkhulu nabantwana
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This dialogue illustrates both na- and nga- in natural conversational context.
Possessive na- (having): “Unama-apula na?” (Do you have apples?), “Sinakho konke” (We have everything). Note that -kho is a pronominal form meaning “it/them.”
Conjunctive na- (and): “izithelo namazambane” (fruits and potatoes), “nama-orenji” (and oranges). Multiple items are linked with na-.
Comitative na- (with person): “Ngihamba nomngani” (I go with friend), “nobabili” (with both/the two of you), “nomndeni” (with family), “nogogo nobabamkhulu nabantwana” (with grandmother and grandfather and children).
Instrumental nga- (with instrument/method): “Ufuna ukuwathengisa ngani?” (With what do you want to buy them? / How do you want to pay?), “Ngizokhokha ngemali” (I will pay with money), “Nipheka ngani?” (What do you cook with?), “ngembiza enkulu” (with a big pot).
Question words: “nobani” (with whom) combines na- + ubani (who). “ngani” is instrumental nga- + ni (what), asking “by what means” or “how.”
The adverb ndawonye: Emphasizes doing something together, in one place, as a unit.
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Vowel System:
isiZulu has five vowels: a /a/, e /ɛ/, i /i/, o /ɔ/, u /u/. These are generally pronounced as in Italian or Spanish.
Vowel Coalescence:
When prefixes ending in -a (like na- and nga-) meet noun initial vowels, coalescence occurs:
a + a → a (no change) a + e → e a + i → e a + o → o a + u → o
Click Consonants:
c — dental click /ǀ/ (like “tsk-tsk”) q — alveolar click /ǃ/ (sharp popping sound) x — lateral click /ǁ/ (used for calling horses)
Clicks can be plain, aspirated (ch, qh, xh), nasalized (nc, nq, nx), or voiced (gc, gq, gx).
Implosive Consonants:
b is implosive /ɓ/ — the vocal cords pull air inward d before certain vowels can be /ɗ/
Nasal Compounds:
mb, nd, ng, nj are prenasalized stops, common in Bantu languages.
Stress:
Stress typically falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable of words.
Tone:
isiZulu is a tonal language with high and low tones. Tone can distinguish meaning but is not marked in standard orthography.
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This course follows the Latinum Institute methodology, developed through decades of experience teaching languages using construed reading approaches. The Institute has been creating online language learning materials since 2006.
The course systematically teaches the 1,000 most frequent words in each target language, building vocabulary through contextual examples and gradual progression. Each lesson focuses on one word from a frequency-ranked vocabulary list, ensuring that learners acquire the most useful vocabulary first.
The Duplex Method used in this course presents interlinear construed text alongside natural translations and target-language-only passages. This three-stage approach allows learners to see exactly how the language constructs meaning, then understand natural expression, and finally practice reading without translation support.
For languages like isiZulu with complex morphological systems (noun classes, verbal prefixes, agreement markers), the construed text format is especially valuable. It reveals the internal structure of words and shows how meaning is built through prefixation and agreement.
Course Index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
The Latinum approach emphasizes authentic language use over artificial textbook examples. Literary citations and cultural context help learners understand not just grammar but the living reality of the language community.
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Lesson 17 of the Latinum Institute isiZulu Course Focus: Expressing “with” — Associative na- and Instrumental nga-
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