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Welcome to Lesson 27 of the Latinum Institute isiZulu course. This lesson focuses on the interrogative pronoun “what” in Zulu, which takes several forms depending on how it functions in the sentence. The primary forms are yini (standalone interrogative) and the suffix -ni (attached to verbs to form wh-questions).
Course Navigation: For the complete index of lessons, visit: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ: What does “what” mean in Zulu? The English interrogative pronoun “what” corresponds to several forms in Zulu: yini or ini as standalone question words meaning “what?” or “what is it?”, and the suffix -ni which attaches to verbs to create questions like “what are you doing?” The choice depends on whether you’re asking a standalone question or embedding the interrogative within a verb.
About This Lesson: Zulu question formation differs fundamentally from English. Yes/no questions rely on rising intonation rather than word order changes, while wh-questions (those asking “what,” “who,” “where,” etc.) maintain the basic SVO declarative order. The interrogative suffix -ni is particularly important, as it attaches directly to verbs to form questions about what someone is doing, seeing, eating, and so forth. This lesson presents 30 contextual examples demonstrating these patterns in everyday Zulu communication.
Key Takeaways:
• Yini /jíːni/ is the primary standalone form meaning “what?” or “what is it?”
• Ini /íːni/ is a shorter variant used in similar contexts
• The suffix -ni attaches to verb stems to create wh-questions: wenzani (what are you doing?), ufundani (what are you studying?)
• Yes/no questions use rising intonation on the final syllable, with optional particles na (general question marker) or yini (implying doubt or “or not”)
• Wh-questions maintain SVO word order—the interrogative element stays in its natural position rather than fronting to the beginning
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Yini /jíːni/ — HIGH-low tone pattern; the “y” is a palatal glide as in English “yes”; long vowel on first syllable
Ini /íːni/ — HIGH-low; shorter variant without initial glide
-ni /ni/ — LOW tone suffix when attached to verbs; triggers tonal changes on preceding syllables
Question Intonation: Yes/no questions in Zulu use a distinctive rising pitch on the final syllable. The penultimate syllable is typically shortened compared to declarative statements. This rising contour signals interrogation without requiring any change to word order.
The -ya- marker: When using the question particle yini at sentence end, the verb often requires the disjoint form marked by -ya- (e.g., uyabona yini? “do you see?”). This marker appears when the verb phrase lacks additional internal elements.
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27.1a Yini leyo? 27.1b Yini (jíːni) what leyo (léːjo) that-CL9
27.2a Wenzani namhlanje? 27.2b Wenzani (wenzáːni) what-are-you-doing namhlanje (namʱláːndʒe) today
27.3a Ufundani esikoleni? 27.3b Ufundani (ufundáːni) what-are-you-studying esikoleni (esikoléːni) at-school-LOC
27.4a Yini igama lakho? 27.4b Yini (jíːni) what igama (iɡáːma) name-CL5 lakho (láːkʰo) your
27.5a Benzani abantwana? 27.5b Benzani (benzáːni) what-are-they-doing abantwana (aɓantwáːna) children-CL2
27.6a Udlani ekuseni? 27.6b Udlani (udláːni) what-do-you-eat ekuseni (ekuséːni) in-morning-LOC
27.7a Ubona ini lapho? 27.7b Ubona (uɓóːna) you-see ini (íːni) what lapho (láːpʰo) there
27.8a Ucabangani ngalokhu? 27.8b Ucabangani (utʃaɓaŋɡáːni) what-do-you-think ngalokhu (ŋɡalóːkʰu) about-this
27.9a Yini inkinga? 27.9b Yini (jíːni) what inkinga (iŋkíːŋɡa) problem-CL9
27.10a Ufunani lapha? 27.10b Ufunani (ufunáːni) what-do-you-want lapha (láːpʰa) here
27.11a Senzeni manje? 27.11b Senzeni (senzéːni) what-should-we-do manje (máːndʒe) now
27.12a Bathini abantu? 27.12b Bathini (ɓatʰíːni) what-do-they-say abantu (aɓántʰu) people-CL2
27.13a Yini le nto? 27.13b Yini (jíːni) what le (le) this-CL9 nto (ntʰo) thing
27.14a Uthengani edolobheni? 27.14b Uthengani (utʰeŋɡáːni) what-are-you-buying edolobheni (edoloɓʱéːni) in-town-LOC
27.15a Kwenzekeni izolo? 27.15b Kwenzekeni (kwenzekéːni) what-happened izolo (izóːlo) yesterday
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27.1 Yini leyo? → “What is that?”
27.2 Wenzani namhlanje? → “What are you doing today?”
27.3 Ufundani esikoleni? → “What are you studying at school?”
27.4 Yini igama lakho? → “What is your name?”
27.5 Benzani abantwana? → “What are the children doing?”
27.6 Udlani ekuseni? → “What do you eat in the morning?”
27.7 Ubona ini lapho? → “What do you see there?”
27.8 Ucabangani ngalokhu? → “What do you think about this?”
27.9 Yini inkinga? → “What is the problem?”
27.10 Ufunani lapha? → “What do you want here?”
27.11 Senzeni manje? → “What should we do now?”
27.12 Bathini abantu? → “What do the people say?”
27.13 Yini le nto? → “What is this thing?”
27.14 Uthengani edolobheni? → “What are you buying in town?”
27.15 Kwenzekeni izolo? → “What happened yesterday?”
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27.1 Yini leyo?
27.2 Wenzani namhlanje?
27.3 Ufundani esikoleni?
27.4 Yini igama lakho?
27.5 Benzani abantwana?
27.6 Udlani ekuseni?
27.7 Ubona ini lapho?
27.8 Ucabangani ngalokhu?
27.9 Yini inkinga?
27.10 Ufunani lapha?
27.11 Senzeni manje?
27.12 Bathini abantu?
27.13 Yini le nto?
27.14 Uthengani edolobheni?
27.15 Kwenzekeni izolo?
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These are the grammar rules for “what” (yini/-ni) in isiZulu:
1. Yini as Standalone Interrogative
The form yini functions as an independent question word meaning “what?” or “what is it?” It can stand alone as a complete question (Yini? — “What?”) or appear in equative constructions asking what something is. When asking “what is X?”, yini typically appears at the beginning of the sentence: Yini igama lakho? (What is your name?). The form ini is a shorter variant used in similar contexts, often appearing after a verb: Ubona ini? (What do you see?).
2. The Interrogative Suffix -ni
The suffix -ni attaches directly to verb stems to form wh-questions about what someone is doing, seeing, eating, and so forth. This is one of the most common ways to express “what” in everyday Zulu:
The structure is: Subject Concord + Verb Stem + -ni
Wenzani? = u- (you, singular) + -enza (do/make) + -ni (what) = “What are you doing?”
Benzani? = ba- (they) + -enza (do/make) + -ni (what) = “What are they doing?”
Ufundani? = u- (you) + -funda (study/read) + -ni (what) = “What are you studying?”
Udlani? = u- (you) + -dla (eat) + -ni (what) = “What are you eating?”
Ucabangani? = u- (you) + -cabanga (think) + -ni (what) = “What are you thinking?”
3. Subject Concords with -ni Questions
The subject concord changes according to who is performing the action:
First person singular: ngi- → Ngenzani? (What am I doing?)
Second person singular: u- → Wenzani? (What are you doing?)
Third person singular (Class 1): u- → Wenzani? (What is he/she doing?)
First person plural: si- → Senzani? (What are we doing?)
Second person plural: ni- → Nenzani? (What are you all doing?)
Third person plural (Class 2): ba- → Benzani? (What are they doing?)
4. Yes/No Question Formation
Zulu forms yes/no questions through intonation rather than word order changes. The declarative sentence structure (SVO) remains intact, but the speaker raises the pitch on the final syllable:
Ufundile (statement) → “You studied” Ufundile? (rising pitch) → “Did you study?”
Optional particles can follow the verb for emphasis:
na — general question particle: Ufundile na? (Have you studied?)
yini — implies doubt or “or not”: Uyabona yini? (Do you see [or not]?)
The particle yini in yes/no questions often requires the disjoint verb form marked by -ya- when the verb phrase lacks further elements.
5. Word Order in Wh-Questions
Unlike English, which moves question words to the front of the sentence, Zulu maintains its basic SVO word order in wh-questions. The interrogative element remains in its natural position within the sentence:
English: “What do you see?” (fronted) Zulu: Ubona ini? — literally “You-see what?” (in-situ)
6. The Interrogative Adjective -ni
The suffix -ni can also function as an interrogative adjective meaning “what kind of?” In this usage, it follows the noun and triggers the augmentless (simple) form: “What kind of book?” This differs from its more common use as a verbal interrogative suffix.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Fronting the interrogative: Zulu speakers do not move “what” to sentence-initial position the way English does. Keep the question word where the answer would naturally appear.
Confusing yini meanings: Yini can be a standalone interrogative (”What?”) or a yes/no question particle (”or not?”). Context determines which meaning applies.
Forgetting -ya- with yini particle: When using yini as a sentence-final yes/no particle, the verb often requires the disjoint form: Uyabona yini? not Ubona yini?
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Questions in Zulu Social Interaction
In traditional Zulu culture, the manner of asking questions carries social significance. Direct questioning, especially of elders or strangers, may be considered impolite in certain contexts. Indirect approaches or prefacing questions with respectful language helps maintain proper social relations. The form uxolo (excuse me/pardon) is often used before asking questions of strangers.
Common Everyday Questions
The question Wenzani? (What are you doing?) is one of the most frequent greetings in casual Zulu conversation, similar to English “What’s up?” The related form Unjani? (How are you?) uses the same -ni suffix but with a different verb stem, showing how this interrogative pattern extends throughout the language.
The Particle Na
The question particle na functions much like an English tag question (”isn’t it?”, “right?”). It softens questions and invites agreement: Uyeza na? (Are you coming?). This particle is extremely common in spoken Zulu and signals that a response is expected.
Regional Variation
Zulu is spoken across a wide area of South Africa, primarily in KwaZulu-Natal province but also in urban centers like Johannesburg. While the interrogative forms are consistent throughout, speakers may prefer certain constructions over others. Urban varieties sometimes show influence from English in question formation, though traditional patterns remain the norm.
Politeness and Indirectness
When asking questions that might be considered intrusive, Zulu speakers often use conditional or subjunctive forms rather than direct interrogatives. The particle ngabe (perhaps, I wonder if) can soften questions: Ngabe wenzani? (I wonder what you’re doing?) is gentler than the direct Wenzani?
Reminder: This lesson is designed for English speakers learning isiZulu.
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The following example comes from traditional Zulu oral literature, demonstrating the use of interrogative forms in narrative contexts:
Part F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
Inkosi (iŋkóːsi) chief-CL9 yabuza (jaɓúːza) asked yathi (jatʰi) saying yini (jíːni) what le (le) this-CL9 nto (ntʰo) thing eniyenzayo (enijenzáːjo) that-you-are-doing
Abantu (aɓántʰu) people-CL2 baphendula (ɓapʰendúːla) answered bathi (ɓatʰi) saying senza (senza) we-do umsebenzi (umsebénzi) work-CL3 wenkosi (weŋkóːsi) of-chief
Part F-B: Natural Translation
Inkosi yabuza yathi yini le nto eniyenzayo. Abantu baphendula bathi senza umsebenzi wenkosi.
→ “The chief asked, saying, ‘What is this thing that you are doing?’ The people answered, saying, ‘We are doing the chief’s work.’”
Part F-C: isiZulu Text Only
Inkosi yabuza yathi yini le nto eniyenzayo. Abantu baphendula bathi senza umsebenzi wenkosi.
Part F-D: Grammar Commentary
This passage illustrates the formal questioning style found in traditional Zulu narrative. The construction yathi yini (said “what”) shows how direct questions are embedded within reported speech. The verb yabuza (asked) is followed by yathi (said), which introduces the actual question—a common pattern in Zulu storytelling.
The relative clause eniyenzayo (that you are doing) demonstrates noun class agreement: the relative concord eni- agrees with nto (thing, Class 9), while -ni- marks the subject (second person plural “you all”) and -yo is the relative suffix. The verb stem is -enza (do/make).
The response senza umsebenzi wenkosi (we do the chief’s work) shows the first person plural subject concord si- (here realized as s- before the vowel of the verb stem -enza). The possessive wenkosi (of the chief) combines the possessive concord wa- (for Class 3 umsebenzi) with inkosi, yielding wenkosi through vowel coalescence.
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Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
27.16a Sawubona, ufunani namhlanje? 27.16b Sawubona (sawuɓóːna) greetings ufunani (ufunáːni) what-do-you-want namhlanje (namʱláːndʒe) today
27.17a Ngifuna amathambo. Yimalini? 27.17b Ngifuna (ŋɡifúːna) I-want amathambo (amatʰáːmɓo) bones-CL6 Yimalini (jimalíːni) how-much-is-it
27.18a Imali encane. Ufunani futhi? 27.18b Imali (imáːli) money-CL9 encane (entʃáːne) small-REL Ufunani (ufunáːni) what-do-you-want futhi (fútʰi) also
27.19a Unani lapha? Yini lokhu? 27.19b Unani (unáːni) what-do-you-have lapha (láːpʰa) here Yini (jíːni) what lokhu (lókʰu) this
27.20a Lokhu amaqanda. Athengwa kakhulu. 27.20b Lokhu (lókʰu) this amaqanda (amaǃáːnda) eggs-CL6 Athengwa (atʰéːŋɡwa) they-are-bought kakhulu (kakʰúːlu) much
27.21a Kungani athengwa kakhulu? 27.21b Kungani (kuŋɡáːni) why athengwa (atʰéːŋɡwa) they-are-bought kakhulu (kakʰúːlu) much
27.22a Ngoba amahle futhi ashibhile. 27.22b Ngoba (ŋɡóːɓa) because amahle (amáːɬe) they-are-nice futhi (fútʰi) and ashibhile (asiɓʱíːle) they-are-cheap
27.23a Yini lena eduze nawe? 27.23b Yini (jíːni) what lena (léːna) this-CL9 eduze (edúːze) near nawe (náːwe) with-you
27.24a Lena imifino. Uyayidinga na? 27.24b Lena (léːna) this-CL9 imifino (imifíːno) vegetables-CL4 Uyayidinga (ujajidíːŋɡa) do-you-need-it na (na) QUES
27.25a Cha, ngiyabonga. Udayisani okunye? 27.25b Cha (tʃa) no ngiyabonga (ŋɡijaɓóːŋɡa) I-thank Udayisani (udajisáːni) what-do-you-sell okunye (okúːɲe) other
27.26a Ngidayisa izithelo. Ufuna ukuthengani? 27.26b Ngidayisa (ŋɡidajíːsa) I-sell izithelo (izitʰéːlo) fruits-CL8 Ufuna (ufúːna) you-want ukuthengani (ukutʰeŋɡáːni) to-buy-what
27.27a Ngifuna ama-orenji amabili. Abiza malini? 27.27b Ngifuna (ŋɡifúːna) I-want ama-orenji (amaóːreːndʒi) oranges-CL6 amabili (amaɓíːli) two Abiza (aɓíːza) they-cost malini (malíːni) how-much
27.28a Kusho ukuthini lokho ngesizulu? 27.28b Kusho (kusʰo) it-says ukuthini (ukutʰíːni) what lokho (lókʰo) that ngesizulu (ŋɡesizúːlu) in-Zulu
27.29a Sithi “amaranisi.” Yinto efanayo. 27.29b Sithi (sitʰi) we-say amaranisi (amaraníːsi) oranges-CL6 Yinto (jíːntʰo) it-is-thing efanayo (efanáːjo) similar-REL
27.30a Ngiyabonga kakhulu. Ubizwani wena? 27.30b Ngiyabonga (ŋɡijaɓóːŋɡa) I-thank kakhulu (kakʰúːlu) much Ubizwani (uɓizwáːni) what-are-you-called wena (wéːna) you
Part B: Natural Sentences
27.16 Sawubona, ufunani namhlanje? → “Hello, what do you want today?”
27.17 Ngifuna amathambo. Yimalini? → “I want bones. How much is it?”
27.18 Imali encane. Ufunani futhi? → “A small amount. What else do you want?”
27.19 Unani lapha? Yini lokhu? → “What do you have here? What is this?”
27.20 Lokhu amaqanda. Athengwa kakhulu. → “This is eggs. They are bought a lot.”
27.21 Kungani athengwa kakhulu? → “Why are they bought so much?”
27.22 Ngoba amahle futhi ashibhile. → “Because they are nice and they are cheap.”
27.23 Yini lena eduze nawe? → “What is that near you?”
27.24 Lena imifino. Uyayidinga na? → “This is vegetables. Do you need them?”
27.25 Cha, ngiyabonga. Udayisani okunye? → “No, thank you. What else do you sell?”
27.26 Ngidayisa izithelo. Ufuna ukuthengani? → “I sell fruit. What do you want to buy?”
27.27 Ngifuna ama-orenji amabili. Abiza malini? → “I want two oranges. How much do they cost?”
27.28 Kusho ukuthini lokho ngesizulu? → “What does that mean in Zulu?”
27.29 Sithi “amaranisi.” Yinto efanayo. → “We say ‘amaranisi.’ It is the same thing.”
27.30 Ngiyabonga kakhulu. Ubizwani wena? → “Thank you very much. What is your name?”
Part C: isiZulu Text Only
27.16 Sawubona, ufunani namhlanje?
27.17 Ngifuna amathambo. Yimalini?
27.18 Imali encane. Ufunani futhi?
27.19 Unani lapha? Yini lokhu?
27.20 Lokhu amaqanda. Athengwa kakhulu.
27.21 Kungani athengwa kakhulu?
27.22 Ngoba amahle futhi ashibhile.
27.23 Yini lena eduze nawe?
27.24 Lena imifino. Uyayidinga na?
27.25 Cha, ngiyabonga. Udayisani okunye?
27.26 Ngidayisa izithelo. Ufuna ukuthengani?
27.27 Ngifuna ama-orenji amabili. Abiza malini?
27.28 Kusho ukuthini lokho ngesizulu?
27.29 Sithi “amaranisi.” Yinto efanayo.
27.30 Ngiyabonga kakhulu. Ubizwani wena?
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This dialogue demonstrates interrogative forms in natural conversation. Note the variety of question patterns:
-ni suffix questions: The suffix appears with multiple verbs—ufunani (what do you want?), udayisani (what do you sell?), ubizwani (what are you called?), ukuthengani (to buy what?).
Yini standalone: Used to identify unknown items: Yini lokhu? (What is this?), Yini lena? (What is that?).
Malini questions: The form yimalini and malini ask about price—literally “it is how much money?” and “how much money?” The -ni suffix here attaches to imali (money).
Ukuthini: The infinitive ukuthini (to say what) combines uku- (infinitive prefix) + -thi (say) + -ni (what), asking “what does it mean?” or literally “to say what?”
Kungani: This form asks “why?” and is built from ku- (class 17 prefix) + -nga- (instrumental) + -ni (what), literally “by means of what?”
Yes/no with na: The question Uyayidinga na? (Do you need it?) shows the particle na marking a yes/no question, with the disjoint form -ya- appearing because the object -yi- is pronominal.
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The Suffix -ni
When -ni attaches to a verb, it receives low tone and the preceding syllable typically carries the main stress. The combination creates distinctive question intonation:
-enza (do) → wenzani /wenzáːni/ — stress on penultimate, slight fall on final
-funda (study) → ufundani /ufundáːni/ — same pattern
-cabanga (think) → ucabangani /utʃaɓaŋɡáːni/ — longer word, stress still penultimate
Click Consonants
Zulu has three click consonants that may appear in vocabulary associated with interrogatives:
c — dental click (like “tsk tsk”) q — alveolar click (sharp pop against roof of mouth) x — lateral click (like urging a horse)
In this lesson, click consonants appear in words like amaqanda (eggs) with the q click.
Vowel Length
Long vowels in Zulu are phonemic and appear in stressed (penultimate) syllables. In transcriptions, length is marked with ː in IPA. This affects question words:
yini /jíːni/ — long first vowel ini /íːni/ — long vowel
Tone Patterns
Zulu is a tonal language with HIGH and LOW tones. Question words typically show HIGH-low patterns:
yini — HIGH-low ini — HIGH-low
The -ni suffix itself is low-toned but may trigger tonal changes on preceding syllables.
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Lesson 27 of the Latinum Institute isiZulu Course Teaching “what” (yini/-ni) — The Interrogative Pronoun © Latinum Institute
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