12/02/2019
Masithethe isiXhosa - Let us speak the Xhosa language 😃
Molo, unjani? – Hello, how are you?
In Xhosa culture, the greeting is the most important step to any conversation. Even if you don’t intend on having one, it’s good to greet people in the morning. If you are greeting more than one person, you will say “molweni, ninjani?".
Ndiphilile, enkosi – I’m fine, thanks
This is a response you give after a greeting. It’s important you respond, it is seen as a sign of respect. The “ph” sound is pronounced just as you see it, like “pee” rather than the phonetic ph sound.
The Xhosa language (IsiXhosa) is the second most common language in the country. The majority of Xhosa speakers reside in the Eastern Cape — where the Xhosa ethnic group originated — and in the Western Cape. Two of the most well-known Xhosa people are Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Isixhosa is part of the Nguni language group. Xhosa is one of the 11 official languages recognized by the South African Constitution. It is a tonal language, governed by the noun - which dominates the sentence.
Among the most successful of the Xhosa hymns is the South African national anthem, Nkosi Sikele' iAfrika (God Bless Africa).