Frequency Rank: 25 | Part of Speech: Verb | Category: Communication
In this lesson, we explore one of the most fascinating and essential verbs in Zulu: ukuthi (to say). This defective monosyllabic verb, with its stem -thi, forms half of Zulu’s arsenal for expressing speech, thought, and perception—the other half being -sho (to say, tell).
What makes -thi remarkable is its function as what linguists call a “quotative marker.” As Doke and Vilakazi describe it, -thi “magically opens a speech bubble in the sentence, into which can be inserted any sound, whether uttered by a human or non-human source.” Most often, -thi is followed by direct speech, as well as by that which is perceived or thought.
Beyond introducing speech, -thi serves as the gateway to izenzukuthi (ideophones)—vivid sound-symbolic words that are the heart of isiZulu expression. The word “isenzukuthi” itself means “the-complex-solid-thing-that-uses-ukuthi,” revealing how deeply this verb is woven into the fabric of the language.
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What does “ukuthi” mean in Zulu? Ukuthi is the infinitive form of the verb “to say” in Zulu. The verb stem is -thi. It is used to introduce direct speech, reported speech, thoughts, perceptions, and ideophones (sound-symbolic expressions). Combined with subject concords, it forms: ngithi (I say), uthi (you say/he says/she says), sithi (we say), nithi (you all say), bathi (they say).
Key Takeaways:
• Ukuthi (infinitive) uses the monosyllabic stem -thi, requiring -ku- in the infinitive form
• Subject concords attach directly to the stem: ngithi (I say), uthi (he/she says), bathi (they say)
• -Thi introduces direct speech, thoughts, perceptions, and quotations
• When combined with ideophones, -thi creates vivid sensory expressions called izenzukuthi
• In present tense final position, the -ya- infix is used: ngiyathi (I say) when no object follows
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Core Vocabulary:
ukuthi /u.kú.tʰi/ — to say (infinitive); the “th” is an aspirated “t” as in “top,” not the English “th” sound
ngithi /ŋɡi.tʰi/ — I say; “ng” is a prenasalized voiced velar stop
uthi /u.tʰi/ — you (singular) say; he/she says
sithi /si.tʰi/ — we say
nithi /ni.tʰi/ — you (plural) say
bathi /ɓa.tʰi/ — they say; “b” is an implosive consonant
-sho /ʃɔ/ — to say/tell (alternative verb for speech)
isenzukuthi /i.sɛ.nzu.kú.tʰi/ — ideophone (literally: “the thing that uses ukuthi”)
Note on Zulu “th”: The Zulu “th” is NOT like English “th” in “think” or “that.” It is an aspirated “t” sound—pronounce it like the “t” in “top” with a puff of air. This is written in IPA as /tʰ/.
Note on Zulu clicks: Some words in this lesson contain clicks. The letter “c” represents a dental click (tongue against front teeth, then released with a “tsk” sound). The letter “q” represents a palatal click (tongue against palate, then released with a “pop”).
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25.1a Ngithi kuwe yiza lapha 25.1b Ngithi (ŋɡi.tʰi) I-say kuwe (ku.wɛ) to-you yiza (ji.za) come lapha (la.pʰa) here
25.2a Uthi yena akafuni ukudla 25.2b Uthi (u.tʰi) he/she-says yena (jɛ.na) he/she-EMPH akafuni (a.ka.fu.ni) NEG-wants ukudla (u.ku.ɗa) to-eat
25.3a Bathi abantu abaningi bayagula 25.3b Bathi (ɓa.tʰi) they-say abantu (a.ɓa.ntu) CL2-people abaningi (a.ɓa.ni.ŋɡi) CL2-many bayagula (ɓa.ja.ɡu.la) they-are-sick
25.4a Sithi sonke siyabonga 25.4b Sithi (si.tʰi) we-say sonke (sɔ.ŋkɛ) we-all siyabonga (si.ja.ɓɔ.ŋɡa) we-thank
25.5a Uthini wena ngalokhu 25.5b Uthini (u.tʰi.ni) what-do-you-say wena (wɛ.na) you-EMPH ngalokhu (ŋɡa.lɔ.kʰu) about-this
25.6a Ngithi cwaka uma ngifunda 25.6b Ngithi (ŋɡi.tʰi) I-say cwaka (ǀwa.ka) IDEO-silent uma (u.ma) when ngifunda (ŋɡi.fu.nda) I-study
25.7a Umama uthi woza ekuseni 25.7b Umama (u.ma.ma) CL1a-mother uthi (u.tʰi) she-says woza (wɔ.za) come ekuseni (ɛ.ku.sɛ.ni) LOC-morning
25.8a Nithi niyafuna ukusiza 25.8b Nithi (ni.tʰi) you.PL-say niyafuna (ni.ja.fu.na) you.PL-want ukusiza (u.ku.si.za) to-help
25.9a Ubaba wathi angibuyele ekhaya 25.9b Ubaba (u.ɓa.ɓa) CL1a-father wathi (wa.tʰi) he-said-PAST angibuyele (a.ŋɡi.ɓu.jɛ.lɛ) SUBJ-I-return ekhaya (ɛ.kʰa.ja) LOC-home
25.10a Bathini abafundi ngomsebenzi 25.10b Bathini (ɓa.tʰi.ni) what-do-they-say abafundi (a.ɓa.fu.ndi) CL2-students ngomsebenzi (ŋɡɔ.msɛ.ɓɛ.nzi) about-work
25.11a Ngathi kuye ngiyamthanda 25.11b Ngathi (ŋɡa.tʰi) I-said-PAST kuye (ku.jɛ) to-him/her ngiyamthanda (ŋɡi.ja.m.tʰa.nda) I-love-him/her
25.12a Uthi dlwi amanzi emanzini 25.12b Uthi (u.tʰi) it-says dlwi (ɬwi) IDEO-splash amanzi (a.ma.nzi) CL6-water emanzini (ɛ.ma.nzi.ni) LOC-in-water
25.13a Sithini isaga sakwaZulu ngalokho 25.13b Sithini (si.tʰi.ni) what-does-it-say isaga (i.sa.ɡa) CL7-proverb sakwaZulu (sa.kwa.zu.lu) of-Zululand ngalokho (ŋɡa.lɔ.kʰɔ) about-that
25.14a Bathi gqi abelungu eAfrika 25.14b Bathi (ɓa.tʰi) they-said gqi (ᶢǃi) IDEO-suddenly.appear abelungu (a.ɓɛ.lu.ŋɡu) CL2-white.people eAfrika (ɛ.a.fri.ka) LOC-Africa
25.15a Kuthiwa inkosi iyeza kusasa 25.15b Kuthiwa (ku.tʰi.wa) it-is-said-PASS inkosi (i.ŋkɔ.si) CL9-chief iyeza (i.jɛ.za) she-is-coming kusasa (ku.sa.sa) tomorrow
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25.1 Ngithi kuwe yiza lapha → “I say to you, come here”
25.2 Uthi yena akafuni ukudla → “He/She says he/she doesn’t want to eat”
25.3 Bathi abantu abaningi bayagula → “They say many people are sick”
25.4 Sithi sonke siyabonga → “We all say we are grateful”
25.5 Uthini wena ngalokhu → “What do you say about this?”
25.6 Ngithi cwaka uma ngifunda → “I am silent when I study” (literally: “I say ‘cwaka’ when I study”)
25.7 Umama uthi woza ekuseni → “Mother says come in the morning”
25.8 Nithi niyafuna ukusiza → “You all say you want to help”
25.9 Ubaba wathi angibuyele ekhaya → “Father said I should return home”
25.10 Bathini abafundi ngomsebenzi → “What do the students say about the work?”
25.11 Ngathi kuye ngiyamthanda → “I told him/her that I love him/her”
25.12 Uthi dlwi amanzi emanzini → “The water goes splash in the water”
25.13 Sithini isaga sakwaZulu ngalokho → “What does the Zulu proverb say about that?”
25.14 Bathi gqi abelungu eAfrika → “The white people suddenly appeared in Africa” (literally: “They said ‘gqi’ the whites in Africa”)
25.15 Kuthiwa inkosi iyeza kusasa → “It is said the chief is coming tomorrow”
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25.1 Ngithi kuwe yiza lapha
25.2 Uthi yena akafuni ukudla
25.3 Bathi abantu abaningi bayagula
25.4 Sithi sonke siyabonga
25.5 Uthini wena ngalokhu
25.6 Ngithi cwaka uma ngifunda
25.7 Umama uthi woza ekuseni
25.8 Nithi niyafuna ukusiza
25.9 Ubaba wathi angibuyele ekhaya
25.10 Bathini abafundi ngomsebenzi
25.11 Ngathi kuye ngiyamthanda
25.12 Uthi dlwi amanzi emanzini
25.13 Sithini isaga sakwaZulu ngalokho
25.14 Bathi gqi abelungu eAfrika
25.15 Kuthiwa inkosi iyeza kusasa
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Grammar Rules for “ukuthi” (to say) in Zulu:
1. The Defective Monosyllabic Verb -thi
The verb stem -thi is classified by Zulu grammarians Doke and Vilakazi as a “defective monosyllabic verb.” This means it has only one syllable and behaves irregularly in certain constructions. The stem -thi can mean “say,” “speak,” “mean,” or “think.”
As a monosyllabic verb, -thi requires the -ku- syllable in the infinitive form: uku-thi (to say). This is a general rule in Zulu—when a verb stem has only one syllable, the infinitive retains the full uku- prefix rather than contracting.
2. Subject Concord Conjugation
Subject concords attach directly to the stem -thi:
Present tense (basic): ngi- + thi = ngithi (I say) u- + thi = uthi (you singular say / he or she says) si- + thi = sithi (we say) ni- + thi = nithi (you plural say) ba- + thi = bathi (they say)
Present tense with -ya- (when sentence-final or emphatic): ngiyathi (I say), uyathi (he/she says), siyathi (we say), niyathi (you all say), bayathi (they say)
3. Past Tense Formation
For the recent past, Zulu uses the -a- tense marker and changes the final vowel to -e or -ile:
Recent past: nga- + thi → ngathi or ngithile (I said) wa- + thi → wathi (he/she said) sa- + thi → sathi (we said) na- + thi → nathi (you all said) ba- + thi → bathi (they said)
Note that in the past tense with some subjects, the form can look identical to the present (e.g., bathi can mean “they say” or “they said” depending on context).
4. The Quotative Function
The primary function of -thi is as a quotative marker. It introduces:
Direct speech: Uthi “Ngiyeza manje” → He/she says “I am coming now”
Reported thoughts: Ngithi yena ulungile → I think he/she is good
Commands (indirect): Bathi angiphumule → They say I should rest
5. The Interrogative Form
To ask “what do you say?” or “what does he say?”, add -ni (what):
uthi + ni = uthini (what do you say? what does he/she say?) bathi + ni = bathini (what do they say?) sithi + ni = sithini (what do we say? what does it say?)
6. The Passive Voice
The passive of -thi is formed with -wa: kuthiwa (it is said). This is equivalent to the English impersonal “they say” or “it is said”:
Kuthiwa iAfrika yindawo enhle → It is said Africa is a beautiful place
7. Ideophones with -thi (Izenzukuthi)
One of the most distinctive uses of -thi is with ideophones—vivid sound-symbolic words that depict sensory experiences. The word “isenzukuthi” literally means “the thing that uses ukuthi.”
Structure: Subject + -thi + ideophone
Examples: Ngithi cwaka → I am silent (literally: I say “cwaka”) Uthi dlwi amanzi → The water splashes (literally: It says “dlwi” the water) Bathi gqi abelungu → The whites suddenly appeared (literally: They said “gqi” the whites)
Ideophones are not limited to sounds—they can depict motion, visual scenes, textures, states, and abstract qualities.
8. Common Errors for English Speakers
Pronunciation: Do not pronounce “th” as in English “think.” Zulu “th” is an aspirated “t” sound /tʰ/.
Overuse of pronouns: Zulu is a pro-drop language. The subject concord already indicates the subject, so adding mina ngithi (I, I say) is emphatic, not neutral.
Word order: In Zulu, the verb typically comes before the complement. Uthi yena (he says, he) places emphasis on “he.”
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The Heart of Zulu Expression
The verb ukuthi is far more than just “to say” in Zulu—it is the gateway to understanding how Zulu speakers conceptualize speech, thought, perception, and sensory experience. According to language researcher uMabhengwane, izenzukuthi (ideophones) “are not curiosities or genre-specific things in isiZulu. They go beyond the realm of creative story-telling or poetry. They are a part of everyday language.”
Oral Tradition and Storytelling
Zulu culture has a rich oral tradition, and -thi is essential to storytelling. When a narrator introduces dialogue, they use wathi (he/she said) to bring characters’ words to life. The use of ideophones with -thi makes stories vivid and immersive—instead of simply saying someone “walked,” a storyteller might say wathi gqumu gqumu (he went “stomp stomp”), creating an auditory and visual experience.
Izenzukuthi: Sound-Symbolism
Zulu has thousands of ideophones covering every conceivable sensory experience:
cwaka — silence, stillness gqi — sudden appearance dlwi — splashing sound bhe — whiteness, brightness nya — complete absence, nothing at all
These are not merely onomatopoeia. They form an entire system of sensory vocabulary that English simply does not possess.
Reported Speech and Social Hierarchy
In Zulu culture, how one reports speech reflects social relationships. Using kuthiwa (it is said) can distance the speaker from a claim, showing respect or caution. When discussing what an elder or authority figure said, speakers often use indirect constructions to show deference.
Regional Variations
Zulu is part of the Nguni language family, closely related to Xhosa, Swati, and Ndebele. The verb -thi functions similarly across these languages, and ideophones are equally important in all of them. However, specific ideophones may vary regionally.
Modern Usage
In contemporary South Africa, ukuthi remains essential in both formal and informal contexts. It appears in news broadcasts, academic discourse, religious services, and everyday conversation. The passive form kuthiwa is particularly common in media to attribute statements to sources.
Reminder: This lesson is designed for English speakers learning Zulu (isiZulu).
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From Zulu Oral Tradition — A Traditional Saying
Part F-A: Interlinear Text
F.1a Izaga zithi umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu F.1b Izaga (i.za.ɡa) CL8-proverbs zithi (zi.tʰi) they-say umuntu (u.mu.ntu) CL1-person ngumuntu (ŋɡu.mu.ntu) is-person ngabantu (ŋɡa.ɓa.ntu) through-people
Part F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Izaga zithi umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu → “The proverbs say: a person is a person through other people”
Part F-C: Original Zulu Text
Izaga zithi umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This famous saying uses zithi (they say)—the class 8 subject concord zi- agreeing with izaga (proverbs) + -thi. The proverb introduces the profound Ubuntu philosophy through the quotative verb.
Izaga is the class 8 plural of isaga (class 7, proverb). Class 8 nouns take the subject concord zi-.
Ngumuntu is a copulative construction meaning “is a person,” formed from the copulative prefix ngu- plus umuntu.
Ngabantu combines the preposition nga- (by, through, because of) with abantu (people), expressing the instrumental or agentive relationship.
This proverb encapsulates the Ubuntu philosophy: human beings achieve their full humanity through their relationships with others. The use of zithi (they say) attributes this wisdom to the collective voice of ancestral proverbs, giving it authority and timelessness.
Part F-E: Cultural Significance
This is perhaps the most famous expression of Ubuntu philosophy, which Archbishop Desmond Tutu described as: “My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours.” The saying is attributed to traditional Zulu wisdom and is found throughout Southern African Bantu cultures. The verb -thi here serves to invoke ancestral authority—it is not one person saying this, but the collective voice of tradition.
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Ingxoxo Yomndeni — A Family Conversation
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
25.16a Umama uthi thina sonke sihlangane 25.16b Umama (u.ma.ma) CL1a-mother uthi (u.tʰi) she-says thina (tʰi.na) we-EMPH sonke (sɔ.ŋkɛ) all sihlangane (si.hla.ŋɡa.nɛ) we-should-gather
25.17a Ubaba wathi yebo kulungile 25.17b Ubaba (u.ɓa.ɓa) CL1a-father wathi (wa.tʰi) he-said-PAST yebo (jɛ.ɓɔ) yes kulungile (ku.lu.ŋɡi.lɛ) it-is-good
25.18a Udadewethu uthi unenkinga 25.18b Udadewethu (u.da.dɛ.wɛ.tʰu) CL1a-our.sister uthi (u.tʰi) she-says unenkinga (u.nɛ.ŋki.ŋɡa) she-has-problem
25.19a Umfowethu wathi uthini udadewethu 25.19b Umfowethu (u.mfɔ.wɛ.tʰu) CL1a-our.brother wathi (wa.tʰi) he-said-PAST uthini (u.tʰi.ni) what-does-she-say udadewethu (u.da.dɛ.wɛ.tʰu) our-sister
25.20a Ngathi kuye makalinde kancane 25.20b Ngathi (ŋɡa.tʰi) I-said-PAST kuye (ku.jɛ) to-him makalinde (ma.ka.li.ndɛ) let-him-wait kancane (ka.nǀa.nɛ) a-little
25.21a Ugogo uthi izingane mazilale 25.21b Ugogo (u.ɡɔ.ɡɔ) CL1a-grandmother uthi (u.tʰi) she-says izingane (i.zi.ŋɡa.nɛ) CL10-children mazilale (ma.zi.la.lɛ) let-them-sleep
25.22a Umkhulu wathi cha mazihlale 25.22b Umkhulu (u.mkʰu.lu) CL1a-grandfather wathi (wa.tʰi) he-said-PAST cha (ǀa) no mazihlale (ma.zi.hla.lɛ) let-them-stay
25.23a Bathi bonke kulungile 25.23b Bathi (ɓa.tʰi) they-said bonke (ɓɔ.ŋkɛ) all kulungile (ku.lu.ŋɡi.lɛ) it-is-good
25.24a Udadewethu uthi ngiyabonga 25.24b Udadewethu (u.da.dɛ.wɛ.tʰu) CL1a-our.sister uthi (u.tʰi) she-says ngiyabonga (ŋɡi.ja.ɓɔ.ŋɡa) I-thank
25.25a Kuthiwa ubaba uyasebenza kusasa 25.25b Kuthiwa (ku.tʰi.wa) it-is-said-PASS ubaba (u.ɓa.ɓa) CL1a-father uyasebenza (u.ja.sɛ.ɓɛ.nza) he-works kusasa (ku.sa.sa) tomorrow
25.26a Umama wathi sizobona 25.26b Umama (u.ma.ma) CL1a-mother wathi (wa.tʰi) she-said-PAST sizobona (si.zɔ.ɓɔ.na) we-will-see
25.27a Ngithi mina ngiyavuma 25.27b Ngithi (ŋɡi.tʰi) I-say mina (mi.na) I-EMPH ngiyavuma (ŋɡi.ja.vu.ma) I-agree
25.28a Wathini umkhulu ngendaba 25.28b Wathini (wa.tʰi.ni) what-did-he-say-PAST umkhulu (u.mkʰu.lu) CL1a-grandfather ngendaba (ŋɡɛ.nda.ɓa) about-matter
25.29a Uthi thina asikhohlwe yilokhu 25.29b Uthi (u.tʰi) he-says thina (tʰi.na) we-EMPH asikhohlwe (a.si.kʰɔ.hlwɛ) we-should-not-forget yilokhu (ji.lɔ.kʰu) this
25.30a Kuthiwa umndeni ohlangene unamandla 25.30b Kuthiwa (ku.tʰi.wa) it-is-said-PASS umndeni (u.mndɛ.ni) CL3-family ohlangene (ɔ.hla.ŋɡɛ.nɛ) REL-united unamandla (u.na.ma.nɗa) has-power
Part B: Natural Sentences
25.16 Umama uthi thina sonke sihlangane → “Mother says we should all gather together”
25.17 Ubaba wathi yebo kulungile → “Father said yes, it is good”
25.18 Udadewethu uthi unenkinga → “Our sister says she has a problem”
25.19 Umfowethu wathi uthini udadewethu → “Our brother said, ‘What does our sister say?’”
25.20 Ngathi kuye makalinde kancane → “I told him to wait a little”
25.21 Ugogo uthi izingane mazilale → “Grandmother says the children should sleep”
25.22 Umkhulu wathi cha mazihlale → “Grandfather said no, let them stay”
25.23 Bathi bonke kulungile → “They all said it is good”
25.24 Udadewethu uthi ngiyabonga → “Our sister says, ‘I am grateful’”
25.25 Kuthiwa ubaba uyasebenza kusasa → “It is said father is working tomorrow”
25.26 Umama wathi sizobona → “Mother said we will see”
25.27 Ngithi mina ngiyavuma → “I say I agree”
25.28 Wathini umkhulu ngendaba → “What did grandfather say about the matter?”
25.29 Uthi thina asikhohlwe yilokhu → “He says we should not forget this”
25.30 Kuthiwa umndeni ohlangene unamandla → “It is said a united family has strength”
Part C: Zulu Text Only
25.16 Umama uthi thina sonke sihlangane
25.17 Ubaba wathi yebo kulungile
25.18 Udadewethu uthi unenkinga
25.19 Umfowethu wathi uthini udadewethu
25.20 Ngathi kuye makalinde kancane
25.21 Ugogo uthi izingane mazilale
25.22 Umkhulu wathi cha mazihlale
25.23 Bathi bonke kulungile
25.24 Udadewethu uthi ngiyabonga
25.25 Kuthiwa ubaba uyasebenza kusasa
25.26 Umama wathi sizobona
25.27 Ngithi mina ngiyavuma
25.28 Wathini umkhulu ngendaba
25.29 Uthi thina asikhohlwe yilokhu
25.30 Kuthiwa umndeni ohlangene unamandla
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
Family Terms with Class 1a: Zulu family terms use class 1a, which has the prefix u- without the augment vowel found in class 1 (umu-). These include: umama (mother), ubaba (father), ugogo (grandmother), umkhulu (grandfather), udadewethu (our sister), umfowethu (our brother).
Possessive Suffixes: The possessive “our” is expressed by the suffix -wethu attached to kinship terms: udade + wethu = udadewethu (our sister), umfo + wethu = umfowethu (our brother).
The Hortative Mood: The prefix ma- creates the hortative mood (let him/her/them...): makalinde (let him wait), mazilale (let them sleep), mazihlale (let them stay).
Past Tense Questions: To ask “what did X say?” in the past, use wathi + -ni: wathini (what did he/she say?).
Emphatic Pronouns: When emphasis is needed, the absolute pronoun is added: ngithi mina (I say, I myself), uthi thina (he says, we ourselves). The emphatic pronoun follows the verb.
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The Aspirated “th”: Zulu “th” represents the aspirated voiceless alveolar plosive /tʰ/—the same “t” sound as in English “top” or “take,” pronounced with a strong puff of air. It is NOT the “th” of “think” or “that.” When you see “th” in Zulu, think of putting your tongue behind your top teeth (not between them) and releasing with aspiration.
Click Consonants: Several words in this lesson contain clicks: -
c = dental click /ǀ/ (tongue against front teeth, released with a “tsk” sound) — as in cwaka, kancane -
q = palatal click /ǃ/ (tongue against palate, released with a “pop”) — as in gqi
Implosive “b”: The Zulu “b” is an implosive /ɓ/, produced by pulling air inward rather than pushing it outward. This gives it a distinctive sound different from English “b.”
Tone: Zulu is a tonal language, meaning pitch changes affect meaning. In this lesson, we have marked high tones with an acute accent (´) in the IPA transcriptions. Learning to hear and produce tones is essential for clear communication.
The -ya- Infix: When a verb in the present tense is sentence-final (no object or complement follows), the -ya- infix is inserted: ngiyathi (I say), bayathi (they say). When something follows the verb, -ya- is dropped: ngithi kuwe (I say to you).
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The Latinum Institute has been creating online language learning materials since 2006. Our methodology combines traditional grammatical instruction with extensive exposure to authentic text, following the time-tested principles of the construed reading method.
This Zulu course follows a frequency-based vocabulary approach, systematically teaching the most commonly used words in the language. Each lesson focuses on a single high-frequency word, exploring its grammar, usage, and cultural context through 30 carefully constructed examples.
Zulu (isiZulu) is one of South Africa’s eleven official languages, spoken by approximately 12 million first-language speakers and millions more as a second language. It belongs to the Nguni branch of the Bantu language family and is closely related to Xhosa, Swati, and Ndebele.
For more information about the Latinum Institute and our courses, visit: -
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index -
Trustpilot Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk -
Main Website: https://latinum.org.uk
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Lesson 25 Complete — Ukuthi: The Quotative Verb
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