Izithuthi, izindlela nezindawo zomphakathi
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common forms of transport and key public places in and around a South African city using productive vocabulary from established noun classes, with particular attention to class 5/6 and class 7/8 transport nouns and class 3/4 and class 9/10 place nouns at a receptive level.
- Ask for directions in a public setting using the question frame Ngifika kanjani e___? (How do I get to ___?) and the established polite opening Uxolo, ngicela usizo. (Excuse me, I would like some help.)
- Give simple directions using the command forms from Chapter 11 combined with directional adverbs, including phambili (forward / straight ahead), ekhohlo (to the left), kwesokudla (to the right), emuva (behind / back), and lapha (here).
- State your intended destination and mode of transport using the motion verb -hamba (to go / to travel) and the locative patterns consolidated in Chapters 11 and 13, combined with the future tense from Chapter 12.
- Ask about and state the price and availability of transport using the established frames Kubiza malini? (How much does it cost?) and Ikhona i___? (Is there a ___?) recycled from earlier chapters.
- Use the ability frame ngikwazi uku- and angikwazi uku- from Chapter 12 in transport and navigation contexts, explaining what you can or cannot do or find.
- Recognize class 3/4 place nouns such as umgwaqo (road / street) and umtapo (library) at a receptive level and begin to use selected high-frequency class 3/4 nouns in simple sentences with supported subject-concord guidance.
- Read a simple public transport notice, a hand-drawn direction card, and a short dialogue about getting around in isiZulu.
- Write a short set of directions from one place to another, or a brief message explaining how you will travel to a destination.
- Distinguish between asking where something is (Ikuphi i___?) and asking how to get there (Ngifika kanjani e___?), and use both frames in realistic navigation exchanges.
Communication Scenario
It is Saturday morning in Durban. Lwazi, visiting from Pietermaritzburg for the weekend, is standing outside the Victoria Street Market and needs to reach the beachfront taxi rank to catch a minibus taxi back to the city centre. He does not know this part of Durban well. He stops a passer-by and asks for help. The passer-by gives him directions in isiZulu, tells him which taxi to take, and explains roughly how long it will take. Lwazi thanks her and sets off. Later in the day, he needs to find a pharmacy. He stops a street vendor and asks again. This time the vendor tells him to walk to the next corner, turn left, and look for the large pharmacy near the shopping centre.
- Think about the last time you had to ask someone for directions in any language. What information did you need: the name of a place, the direction to walk, the mode of transport, or the distance? In English, list the three most useful pieces of information when you are lost in an unfamiliar city.
- You already know the polite request opener Uxolo, ngicela usizo and the motion verb -hamba. How do you think these would appear in a request for directions? Write one sentence in isiZulu that uses either of these, or explain in English how they might function.
Core Vocabulary
Izithuthi — Transport
| isiZulu | English | Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ibhasi, amabhasi | bus, buses | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; established loanword; locative ebhasini = on the bus |
| ithekisi, amathekisi | taxi, taxis (also minibus taxi) | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; established loanword; most commonly refers to a minibus taxi in South African context; locative ethekisini = in the taxi |
| isitimela, izitimela | train, trains | class 7/8 | productive class 7/8; locative esitimaleni = on the train |
| imoto, izimoto | car, cars | class 9/10 | receptive class 9/10; productive as a vocabulary item; locative emotweni = in the car |
| ibhayisikili, amabhayisikili | bicycle, bicycles | class 5/6 | receptive as a full vocabulary item; productive as a vocabulary item; locative ebhayisikilini = on the bicycle |
| indiza, izindiza | aeroplane, aeroplanes | class 9/10 | receptive class 9/10; productive as a vocabulary item |
| izikhulumi zabasebenzisi | minibus taxi rank | receptive compound | receptive; the simpler term isiteshi sethekisi (taxi rank) is more productive at this stage |
| isiteshi sethekisi | taxi rank | class 7 head noun | productive as a whole unit; locative esiteshini sethekisi = at the taxi rank (formulaic) |
| isiteshi sikamtimba | bus station / bus terminus | class 7 compound | receptive; learn for recognition alongside isiteshi sethekisi |
| isiteshi sesitimela | train station | class 7 compound | receptive; productive locative esiteshini sesitimela is formulaic |
| -khwela | to board / to get on (transport) | verb root | productive; Ngikhwela ibhasi = I am boarding the bus; used with transport nouns directly |
| -ehla | to alight / to get off (transport) | verb root | productive; Ngiyehla lapha = I am getting off here |
| -hamba | to go / to travel / to leave | verb root | productive; recycled from Chapter 7; central motion verb for this chapter |
Izindawo zomphakathi — Public places
| isiZulu | English | Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| isitolo, izitolo | shop, shops; store, stores | class 7/8 | productive class 7/8; recycled from Chapter 6; locative esitolo = at the shop (note: no -ini because of vowel-final stem in this form) |
| ibhange, amabhange | bank, banks | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; established loanword; locative ebhange = at the bank |
| isikole, izikole | school, schools | class 7/8 | productive class 7/8; recycled from Chapter 2; locative esikoleni = at school |
| isibhedlela, izibhedlela | hospital, hospitals | class 7/8 | productive class 7/8; recycled from Chapters 11 and 13; locative esibhedlela = at the hospital |
| ikhliniki, amakhliniki | clinic, clinics | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; recycled from Chapter 13; locative ekhliniki = at the clinic |
| ikhemisi, amakhemisi | pharmacy, pharmacies | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; recycled from Chapter 13; locative ekhemisi = at the pharmacy |
| iposi, amaposi | post office, post offices | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; established loanword; locative eposini = at the post office |
| ipolisa, amapholisa | police station; police officer | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; locative eposini lamaphoyisa or simply epoliseni = at the police station (formulaic); also means a police officer depending on context |
| indawo yokuthenga, izindawo zokuthenga | shopping centre / mall | class 9/10 compound | receptive class; productive as a whole unit for direction-giving; locative endaweni yokuthenga = at the shopping centre |
| umtapo, imitapo | library, libraries | class 3/4 | receptive class 3/4; productive as a vocabulary item; locative emtapweni = at the library (receptive locative; use formulaically) |
| umgwaqo, imigwaqo | road / street, roads / streets | class 3/4 | receptive class 3/4; productive as a vocabulary item; emgwaqweni = on the road (receptive locative); use emgwaqweni formulaically |
| indawo | place | class 9 | productive; recycled from Chapter 7; general word for a place or area |
| ikhona ya mashi | market | class 9 variant | receptive; the simpler term imakethe, imakethe (loanword) is more productive at this stage |
| imakethe, amakethe | market, markets | class 5/6 | productive class 5/6; established loanword; locative emaketheni = at the market |
| isigodi | neighbourhood / area / community | class 7 | productive as a vocabulary item; used to refer to a local area or community |
Amagama okukhomba indlela — Direction words
| isiZulu | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| phambili | forward / straight ahead / in front | productive; key direction adverb; Hamba phambili = Go straight ahead |
| emuva | behind / back / backwards | productive; Buyela emuva = Go back / Return |
| ekhohlo | to the left / on the left | productive; Phenduka ekhohlo = Turn left |
| kwesokudla | to the right / on the right | productive; Phenduka kwesokudla = Turn right |
| lapha | here | productive; recycled from Chapter 7; Yima lapha = Stop here |
| lapho | there (near listener) | productive; Ikhona lapho = It is there |
| laphaya | over there (far from both) | receptive; recognize in directions given by others |
| eduze | near / nearby / close | productive; Ikhona eduze = It is nearby |
| kude | far / far away | productive; Akukude = It is not far |
| ngaphesheya | across / on the other side | productive; Iphesheya komgwaqo = It is across the road (formulaic) |
| eceleni | next to / beside / on the side | productive; Ikhona eceleni kwesitolo = It is next to the shop |
| phenduka | turn (command form of -phenduka) | productive command; key direction verb; Phenduka ekhohlo = Turn left |
| ema | stop / stand still (command form of -ema) | productive command; recycled from Chapter 13 health instructions |
| yima | stop / wait (command form of -yima) | productive command; natural alternative to ema in stopping contexts |
| khona | there / present / existing | productive; used in Ikhona = It is there / It exists |
Amagama okubuza nokuphendula — Asking and responding in navigation contexts
| isiZulu | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uxolo, ngicela usizo. | Excuse me, I would like some help. | productive polite opener; recycled from Chapter 11 |
| Ngifika kanjani e___? | How do I get to ___? | productive; core directions-request frame; kanjani = how; insert locative in blank |
| Ikuphi i___? | Where is the ___? | productive; location-question frame; insert place noun in blank |
| Ikhona e___? | Is there a ___ at / in ___? | productive; existence question; recycled from earlier chapters |
| Kubiza malini? | How much does it cost? | productive; recycled from Chapter 6; used at taxi ranks and bus stops |
| Ibhasi / Ithekisi liya e___? | Does the bus / taxi go to ___? | productive; transport destination check; -ya = goes to (present tense) |
| Ngiyabonga kakhulu. | Thank you very much. | productive; recycled from Chapter 1; close of a direction exchange |
| Akukude. | It is not far. | productive; reassuring response in a direction exchange |
| Hamba kahle. | Go well. (farewell) | productive; recycled from Chapter 1; natural close of a navigation interaction |
| Ungafikelwa ubunzima. | May you not encounter difficulty. (travel blessing) | receptive; culturally appropriate farewell for travellers; learn for recognition |
Pronunciation and Tone
Direction adverbs and their stress patterns
The direction adverbs in this chapter are mostly two- or three-syllable words with consistent penultimate stress. Practise each one aloud, making sure that the second-to-last syllable is slightly lengthened at a phrase boundary:
pham-bi-li | e-mu-va | e-kho-hlo | kwe-so-ku-dla | e-du-ze | ku-de
Note that kwesokudla (to the right) has four syllables and may feel longer than the others. Break it as kwe-so-ku-dla. The final cluster -dla is a single syllable: the dl is a lateral affricate produced in one motion, not two separate sounds. Do not insert a vowel between the d and the l.
The cluster dl appears in several important words in this chapter: kwesokudla (to the right) and the verb root -dla (to eat), which you know from earlier chapters. The sound is produced by placing the tongue against the upper gum ridge (alveolar ridge) as if starting a d, then releasing air over the sides of the tongue as in a lateral sound, all in a single movement. It is not the same as English "dl" in a word like "handlebars," where the two sounds are in different syllables.
A common learner error is to replace the dl with simply an l, producing something like *kwesokula. Another error is to separate the sounds into two syllables: *kwe-so-ku-de-la. Practise: say dla as a single syllable several times, then place it at the end of kwesoku-. A qualified isiZulu speaker or verified audio resource should be used to confirm your model before independent practice.
Transport loanwords and their isiZulu syllable structure
Most transport vocabulary in this chapter consists of loanwords adapted into isiZulu phonology. These words follow standard isiZulu syllable patterns even though they originated in English or Afrikaans. Each syllable in an isiZulu word ends in a vowel, and consonant clusters that would exist in the source language are broken up by inserted vowels. Compare the English and isiZulu forms:
| English source | isiZulu form | Syllable breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| bus | ibhasi | i-bha-si (3 syllables) |
| taxi | ithekisi | i-the-ki-si (4 syllables) |
| train | isitimela | i-si-ti-me-la (5 syllables) |
| market | imakethe | i-ma-ke-the (4 syllables) |
| bank | ibhange | i-bha-nge (3 syllables) |
Practise each loanword at an even syllable pace. Avoid shortening them back toward the English source pronunciation. When you say ithekisi, all four syllables should be distinct, with the penultimate ki slightly lengthened at a phrase boundary.
The question word kanjani
The question word kanjani (how?) contains four syllables: ka-nja-ni. The second syllable nja is a palatal nasal followed by a vowel. The nj cluster functions as a single prenasalized consonant: do not break it into two sounds or insert a pause between the nasal and the j. Practise: ka-nja-ni with a slightly lengthened penultimate syllable -nja- when it falls before a phrase boundary. The full frame Ngifika kanjani e___? has a rising intonation at the end, which signals a genuine open question.
Grammar Instruction
14.1 Asking where something is and how to get there
Purpose: use two distinct question frames to find a place and to ask for directions to it.
English uses "where is" for both location and direction in casual conversation, but isiZulu uses two distinct frames depending on what you need to know. The frame Ikuphi i___? asks where something is located. The frame Ngifika kanjani e___? asks how to reach it, requesting the route rather than just the location. Both frames are productive at this stage and essential for independent navigation.
- Ikuphi isitolo esikhulu? Where is the large shop / shopping centre?
- Ngifika kanjani esiteshini sethekisi? How do I get to the taxi rank?
- Ikuphi iposi? Where is the post office?
- Ngifika kanjani esibhedlela? How do I get to the hospital?
- Ikuphi imakethe? Where is the market?
Practice — Location and directions questions
Write both question forms for each place. First ask where it is, then ask how to get there.
- the clinic →
- the bank →
- the pharmacy →
- the train station →
- the shopping centre →
14.2 Giving directions using command forms and direction adverbs
Purpose: combine the positive command forms from Chapter 11 with directional adverbs to give clear, useful directions in isiZulu.
Giving directions in isiZulu uses the same command-form verb structure you practised in Chapter 11 and applied to health instructions in Chapter 13. A direction consists of one or more commands in sequence, each specifying a movement, a turn, or a landmark. The key new element in this chapter is the set of directional adverbs that follow the command verb. These adverbs are invariant, meaning they do not change for person, class, or tense. They simply follow the command verb and locate the movement in space.
| Command verb | Direction adverb or landmark | isiZulu direction | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamba | phambili | Hamba phambili. | Go straight ahead. |
| Phenduka | ekhohlo | Phenduka ekhohlo. | Turn left. |
| Phenduka | kwesokudla | Phenduka kwesokudla. | Turn right. |
| Yima / Ema | lapha | Yima lapha. | Stop here. |
| Buyela | emuva | Buyela emuva. | Go back. |
| Hamba | eduze | Hamba eduze. | Go nearby / Keep it close. |
| Khwela | ibhasi | Khwela ibhasi. | Board the bus. / Get on the bus. |
| Ehla | lapha | Ehla lapha. | Get off here. |
Directions are typically given as a short sequence of two to four commands. Connect them with the conjunction bese (and then) or futhi (and also) for a more natural flow, or simply list them in order without a connector, which is equally natural in spoken isiZulu direction-giving.
- Hamba phambili. Phenduka kwesokudla emgwaqweni wokuqala. Ibhange likhona lapho. Go straight ahead. Turn right at the first road. The bank is there.
- Hamba phambili, bese uphenduka ekhohlo. Isitolo sikhona eduze. Go straight ahead, then turn left. The shop is nearby.
- Khwela ithekisi eliya eThekwini. Ehla esiteshini sesitimela. Board a taxi going to Durban. Get off at the train station.
- Hamba phambili izigidi ezimbili. Phenduka ekhohlo. Iposi likhona eceleni kwesikole. Go straight ahead two blocks. Turn left. The post office is there next to the school.
Note on bese: The connector bese (and then; after that) links sequential actions. When it introduces the following verb, that verb takes a participial-like form in natural isiZulu: bese uphenduka (and then you turn). This combined form is introduced here receptively within natural direction-giving sequences. Your productive target is to use bese before a full present-tense verb form, which is a common and natural pattern that does not require full analysis of the participial system at this stage.
Practice — Giving directions
Write a two- or three-step direction sequence for each situation using command forms and direction adverbs.
- Tell someone to go straight ahead, turn right, and stop at the clinic.
- Tell someone to board the bus, go to the city centre, and get off at the market.
- Tell someone the pharmacy is nearby, to the left of the bank.
14.3 Stating destination and mode of transport using motion verbs and the future tense
Purpose: combine the motion verb -hamba, transport vocabulary, and the future marker -zo- from Chapter 12 to state where you are going and how you will get there.
When you want to explain your travel plans, you need three pieces of information in isiZulu: how you will travel, where you will go, and when. The motion verb -hamba (to go / to travel) serves as the main action verb. The destination is expressed using a locative, which you have been building across Chapters 7, 11, and 13. The future marker -zo- places the whole plan in future time.
| Mode of transport | isiZulu expression | English |
|---|---|---|
| by bus | ngebhasi | by bus |
| by taxi (minibus) | ngethekisi | by taxi |
| by train | ngezitimela (receptive variant) / ngesitimela | by train |
| by car | ngemoto | by car |
| on foot | ngezinyawo | on foot (literally: by feet) |
| by bicycle | ngebhayisikili | by bicycle |
- Ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki kusasa ekuseni. I will travel by taxi to the clinic tomorrow morning.
- USipho uzohamba ngezinyawo esitolo. Akukude. Sipho will walk to the shop. It is not far.
- Sizohamba ngebhasi eThekwini ngoMgqibelo. We will travel by bus to Durban on Saturday.
- Uzohamba ngemoto eposini namuhla ntambama. She will travel by car to the post office this afternoon.
- Ngizohamba ngezinyawo ebhange. Ikhona eduze. I will walk to the bank. It is nearby.
Practice — Travel plans
Write a complete travel plan sentence for each cue. Include the mode of transport, the destination in locative form, and a time expression.
- You will travel by taxi to the hospital tomorrow morning at 9.
- Nomvula will walk to the pharmacy. It is nearby.
- We will travel by bus to the market on Saturday.
- They (plural) will travel by car to the school this afternoon. (Use babo for they, receptive subject concord ba-.)
14.4 Asking about transport cost and availability
Purpose: apply the established cost-question frame and the existence question to transport and navigation encounters.
At a taxi rank or bus stop, the two most practical questions are how much the fare is and whether a particular service goes to your destination. Both questions recycle frames you already know. The cost question Kubiza malini? (How much does it cost?) comes from Chapter 6. The existence or destination check uses the copulative verb -ya (to go to / to go towards), which you know as the present-tense active marker and also as a motion verb meaning to go to a specific place.
- Kubiza malini ithekisi eliya eThekwini? How much does a taxi to Durban cost?
- Ibhasi liya esiteshini sesitimela? Does the bus go to the train station?
- Ithekisi likhona elikhona eliya emaketheni? Is there a taxi that goes to the market? (receptive combined form; use Ikhona ithekisi elikhona eliya emaketheni? or the simpler Ithekisi liya emaketheni? productively)
- Kubiza malini ibhasi elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona? (avoid; simply ask:) Kubiza malini ibhasi? = How much does the bus cost?
| Function | isiZulu | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asking the fare | Kubiza malini? | How much does it cost? |
| Asking if bus goes to destination | Ibhasi liya e___? | Does the bus go to ___? |
| Asking if taxi goes to destination | Ithekisi liya e___? | Does the taxi go to ___? |
| Asking where to board | Ngikhwela kuphi? | Where do I board? / Where do I get on? |
| Asking where to alight | Ngiyehla kuphi? | Where do I get off? |
| Confirming destination | Ngiya e___, kulungile? | I am going to ___, is that right? |
| Stating the fare (response) | Ibiza amakhulu amabili. | It costs two hundred (rand). |
| Saying a service does not go there | Ithekisi alikho elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona. | (Avoid; simply say:) Ithekisi aliyi lapho. = The taxi does not go there. |
Note on transport-noun concords in fare questions: In the question Ibhasi liya e___? the class 5 subject concord for ibhasi is li- (not i-), because class 5 nouns use li- as their subject concord in predicates. Similarly, ithekisi liya uses li-. These concords are presented here receptively within formulaic transport expressions. You do not yet need to generate them independently from scratch: learn the whole expressions Ibhasi liya e___? and Ithekisi liya e___? as productive units at this stage, and understand that the li- concord belongs to the class 5 noun class. Full class 5 concord production is developed progressively in later chapters.
This chapter integrates three systems in a navigation context: the location-question and direction-question frames are new productive items; the command forms for giving directions transfer directly from Chapter 11 and Chapter 13; and the travel plan statements combine the future tense from Chapter 12 with locatives from Chapters 7, 11, and 13. The cost question and transport availability checks recycle frames from Chapter 6. The genuinely new productive grammar in this chapter is the frame Ngifika kanjani e___?, the direction adverbs, the boarding and alighting verbs -khwela and -ehla, and the transport-means expressions using nge- plus a transport noun. Keep your productive energy on these new items while letting the recycled systems carry the rest of each exchange.
Model Dialogue
Isimo: ULwazi umi ngaphandle kweVictoria Street Market eThekwini. Ufuna ukuya esiteshini sethekisi ukuze abone ithekisi elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona. Aphenduke kumuntu odlulayo, uNokukhanya, acele usizo. Ubudlelwane: izihambeli ezingaxhumene; izinga lokuhlonipha elilungele inkulumo yemphakathi phakathi kwezinye izifiki.
Setting: Lwazi is standing outside the Victoria Street Market in Durban. He needs to get to the taxi rank to find a taxi back to the city centre. He approaches a passer-by, Nokukhanya, and asks for help. Relationship: strangers; respectful but approachable register appropriate to a public encounter between adults.
Several expressions in this dialogue are receptive at this stage: Ngikusize kanjani (how can I help you, with object concord -ku-), eduze nesitolo esikhulu (near the large shop, with the copulative ne- connector), izigidi ezimbili (two blocks), imizuzwana eyishumi (ten minutes), Uma ngifinyelele (when I reach, conditional), elikhomba (that shows, relative clause), and amarandi ambalwa (a few rand). Focus your productive study on the direction-request frames, direction commands, and travel plan statements identified in the Grammar section.
Imibuzo yokuqonda — Comprehension questions:
- ULwazi ufuna ukuphi? Yiliphi izithuthi afuna ukukhwela zona? (Where does Lwazi want to go? Which transport does he want to board?)
- UNokukhanya unika uLwazi izinyathelo ezingaki zokukhomba indlela? Bhala izinyathelo ngesiZulu. (How many direction steps does Nokukhanya give Lwazi? Write the steps in isiZulu.)
- Isiteshi sethekisi sikude yini? UNokukhanya uthi kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani ukuhamba ngezinyawo? (Is the taxi rank far? How long does Nokukhanya say it takes to walk?)
- UNokukhanya uthi uLwazi akenze ini esiteshini? (What does Nokukhanya tell Lwazi to do at the rank?)
- Yiliphi igama lokukhulumisana elisetshenziswa ukusho "hamba kahle" kumuntu ohambayo? Bhala izinhlobo ezimbili ezisetshenziswayo kulesi sahluko. (Which farewell expression is used to say "travel well" to someone leaving? Write both forms used in this dialogue.)
Listening
Ask your instructor, a study partner, or a qualified isiZulu speaker to read the following transport exchanges and public announcements aloud at a natural, measured pace. Listen twice for each passage. On the first listen, identify where each speaker is going and how they plan to get there. On the second listen, write down any direction words, transport vocabulary, and time references you hear.
If no speaker is available, this is a Listening Script for Independent Use. Read each passage aloud yourself at a measured pace, pausing naturally at punctuation. All audio models must be verified by a qualified isiZulu speaker before being treated as a pronunciation model.
1. UThandi uxoxa nomuntu oyisihambeli:
"Uxolo! Ngifika kanjani ebhange? Ngidinga ukuya khona ngokushesha." — "Hamba phambili emgwaqweni omkhulu. Phenduka ekhohlo emgwaqweni wesibili. Ibhange likhona lapho, eceleni kweposi. Akukude, uhamba ngezinyawo imizuzwana eyishumi." — "Ngiyabonga kakhulu! Hamba kahle."
2. Umemezeli esiteshini sethekisi — Taxi rank announcement:
"Sanibonani nonke! Amathekisi aya eThekwini asuka manje. Amathekisi aya eMlazi asuka ngo-2 ntambama. Uma nifuna ithekisi elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona, buza umqondisi wesiteshi. Kubiza amarandi ayisikhombisa ukuya emzini. Khwelani ngokushesha, amathekisi aqala asuka."
3. UMthokozisi uxoxa nomngane wakhe:
"Ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki kusasa ekuseni ngo-9. Ikhliniki ikude kancane, angikwazi ukuhamba ngezinyawo. Ngizophindela emuva ngebhasi ntambama. Ibhasi likhona esiteshini esikhulu. Uzongihambela ngo-4 ntambama?"
Umsebenzi wokulalela — Listening task:
Complete the table with information from each passage.
| Isiqephu (Passage) | Lapho behamba khona (Destination) | Indlela yokuhamba (Mode of transport or on foot) | Isikhathi esibalulekile (Key time reference) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — UThandi | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| 2 — Isiteshi | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| 3 — UMthokozisi | ______ | ______ | ______ |
Umbuzo wengezela — Bonus question: Yigama elithini elincane elithi "akukude" emishwini yeziqephu? Ngabe lisho ukuthini? Sebenzisa leli gama emusho owodwa omutsha. (What small expression in the passages means "it is not far"? What does it literally convey? Use it in one new sentence.)
Reading
Read the following two texts. The first is a direction card handed to visitors at a community centre in Durban. The second is a short message from Lwazi to his friend Thabo after his trip. Read each text aloud twice before answering the comprehension questions.
Ikhadi lezindlela — Direction card
Ukufika eMphakathini waseNtuzuma:
Phuma esiteshini sesitimela sakwaWestville. Hamba phambili emgwaqweni omkhulu. Phenduka kwesokudla emgwaqweni wokuqala onegama elithi "Nkosi Street." Uma uhamba izigidi ezimbili, ufika kwisikole esikhulu. Phenduka ekhohlo ngemuva kwesikole. Iphisi lomphakathi likhona lapho eceleni kwendawo yokuthenga encane. Uma udukile, buza noma ngubani endaweni — abantu bakithi balungile futhi bayasiza.
Ngesitimela: Khwela isitimela esikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona. (Ngezitimela: bona amaxweba asemakethe.)
Ngebhasi: Ibhasi 32 liya eNtuzuma lisuka esiteshini eThekwini. Ehla emgwaqweni weSixth Avenue.
Umlayezo kaLwazi kuThabo — Lwazi's message to Thabo
Sawubona Thabo! Ngibuya eThekwini manje. Ngihambile kahle namuhla. Ngifike eVictoria Street Market ekuseni. Ngibuze indlela esiteshini sethekisi, ngithole usizo kumuntu omuhle. Ngikhwele ithekisi ngaya emzini waseThekwini — kubize amarandi ayisikhombisa kuphela! Ntambama, ngihambile ngebhasi ngaya ekhaya. Ngizofika ekhaya ngo-6 ntambama. Kusasa ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki — ngidinga ukubona udokotela. Uma ngiphumile ekhliniki, ngizokubiza. Hamba kahle!
Several expressions in these texts are receptive: Uma udukile (if you get lost), namo ngubani endaweni (anyone in the area), abantu bakithi balungile (our people are good / kind), amaxweba asemakethe (the market noticeboard), ngithole usizo (I found help, perfect tense), ngaya (I went, recent past of -ya), Ngibuya (I am returning), and ngizokubiza (I will call you, with object concord). Read for overall meaning using the vocabulary and grammar you know.
Imibuzo yokuqonda — Comprehension questions:
- Ngokwekhadi lezindlela, umuntu uphenduka kuphi ngemuva kokuhamba izigidi ezimbili? Iphisi lomphakathi likhona eduze kwani? (According to the direction card, where does a person turn after walking two blocks? What is the community office next to?)
- Ibhasi liyiphi eya eNtuzuma? Umuntu wehla kuphi? (Which bus goes to Ntuzuma? Where does the person get off?)
- ULwazi wahamba kanjani ukuya emzini waseThekwini? Kubize malini? (How did Lwazi travel to the Durban city centre? How much did it cost?)
- ULwazi uzohamba kanjani ekhliniki kusasa? Usho nini ukuthi uzobiza uThabo? (How will Lwazi travel to the clinic tomorrow? When does he say he will call Thabo?)
- Bhala izimusho ezimbili zikaLwazi ezisebenzisa isikhathi esizayo. (Write two sentences from Lwazi's message that use the future tense.)
Writing Workshop
In this chapter you will write either a set of directions from one place to another, or a short travel message explaining how you plan to get somewhere. Choose one of the two tasks below.
Isikhungo sokukhethwa — Choose your writing task:
Umsebenzi A (Directions): Write a direction card for someone visiting a place you know well, either real or imagined. The card must include at least four direction steps using command forms and direction adverbs, at least one landmark reference using a place noun and a locative, and at least one distance or time estimate using vocabulary from this chapter.
Umsebenzi B (Travel message): Write a short message to a friend or family member explaining how you plan to travel somewhere. The message should be five to seven sentences and must include at least two future-tense travel statements with transport means, at least one location expressed as a locative, and one sentence using angikwazi uku- or ngikwazi uku- to explain what you can or cannot do in relation to the journey.
- Plan your content. Decide on a destination, a route or journey, and two or three key landmarks or transport details. For a direction card, sketch the route in English first, then translate each step into isiZulu. For a travel message, list the key information you want to convey: where you are going, when, how, and any relevant details.
- Write using active vocabulary. Use only transport nouns, place nouns, direction adverbs, and command forms from this chapter and from earlier chapters. Do not attempt structures beyond the active scope.
- Check your direction steps. If writing directions, read each command form aloud. Confirm that command forms have no subject concord prefix (e.g., Phenduka, not *Uphenduka) and that direction adverbs follow the command verb without an intervening concord or marker.
- Check your travel statements. If writing a travel message, confirm that future forms use -zo- in the correct slot without the present-tense -ya- appearing in the same verb word. Confirm that transport means use nge- followed directly by the transport noun.
- Check locatives. Confirm that destination locatives use the e-...-ini pattern or the correct alternative locative form from the vocabulary table. Do not use bare noun forms where locatives are needed.
- Revise and write your final version. Check your draft against the editing checklist below before writing or typing the final version.
Isikhungo sokuhlola — Editing checklist:
- Direction command forms use only the verb root plus the final vowel, with no subject concord prefix.
- Direction adverbs follow the command verb without any intervening concord or tense marker.
- Transport means use nge- followed directly by the transport noun, written as one unit (e.g., ngebhasi, not *nge ibhasi).
- Future-tense travel statements use -zo- without the present-tense -ya- in the same verb word.
- Destination locatives use the correct form from the vocabulary table or the established e-...-ini pattern.
- Location-question and direction-question frames are not confused: Ikuphi asks for a location; Ngifika kanjani asks for a route.
- Each sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with appropriate punctuation.
- No analytical hyphens appear inside ordinary verb words or inside nge- transport expressions.
- Loanword transport nouns preserve all syllables of the isiZulu form rather than reverting to the English pronunciation spelling.
Speaking Practice
Ukuzilolonga — Controlled practice: direction drill
Your partner names a destination from this chapter's vocabulary table. You respond with a two- or three-step direction using command forms and direction adverbs. After five rounds, swap roles. Use a variety of direction combinations so that you practice both left and right turns, going straight ahead, and at least one boarding instruction using khwela.
Example: Partner says "ibhange." You say: Hamba phambili. Phenduka kwesokudla. Ibhange likhona lapho.
Umsebenzi wokuxhumana — Communicative task: finding your way
Partner A is a visitor who does not know the area. Partner B is a local resident. Partner A must greet Partner B politely, ask how to get to at least two different public places using the frames from this chapter, ask whether a bus or taxi goes to one of those places, and ask how much it costs. Partner B must respond with clear direction sequences using command forms and direction adverbs, answer the transport and cost questions, and close the interaction with an appropriate farewell. Both partners use only isiZulu throughout.
Useful checking expressions: Ngiyaqonda. (I understand.) | Uxolo, ngicela uphinde. (Sorry, please repeat.) | Kude yini? (Is it far?)
Ukuzilolonga wedwa — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing a journey from one well-known Durban location to another, either real or imagined. Aim for sixty to ninety seconds. Include: a polite direction request (Ngifika kanjani e___?), at least three direction steps using command forms and adverbs, a statement of your mode of transport using nge- plus a transport noun, a future travel plan using -zo-, and a farewell. Listen back and check that command forms have no subject concord prefix, that future forms use -zo- without -ya-, and that all direction adverbs follow the command verb without intervening markers.
Culture and Communication
The minibus taxi (ithekisi) is the dominant form of public transport for the majority of South Africans and is particularly important in KwaZulu-Natal and Durban. Minibus taxis are privately owned vehicles, typically sixteen-seater minibuses, that operate on established routes from taxi ranks (iziteshi zamathekisi). They are generally cheaper and more flexible than buses or trains, and they depart when full rather than on a fixed timetable. Interaction at a taxi rank involves a degree of directness: passengers call out their destination, drivers or assistants call out destinations to attract passengers, and boarding and alighting are communicated quickly using simple commands. The ability to name your destination clearly in isiZulu and to confirm the route with the driver is genuinely useful in KwaZulu-Natal.
Fares are typically paid to the driver's assistant (ikhondukheta, from English "conductor"), who may also call out the route to attract passengers. In some contexts, the driver's assistant will be the one to answer your destination question. Knowing the direct question Ithekisi liya e___? (Does this taxi go to ___?) and the fare question Kubiza malini? (How much does it cost?) will serve you in these interactions.
In many isiZulu-speaking communities, stopping a stranger to ask for directions is a common and entirely acceptable social interaction, but the way you open the conversation matters. Beginning with Uxolo (Excuse me; literally: pardon) or Sawubona (Hello) before making your request is expected. Moving directly into a question without any social acknowledgment is considered abrupt and can feel rude, particularly to older speakers. A brief greeting before the request signals that you recognize the other person and value their help, even in a quick transactional exchange.
It is also culturally common for a person giving directions to offer more information than you asked for, including personal observations, additional landmarks, or general reassurance about the route. This extended help is a sign of goodwill, not a sign that the directions are complex. Respond with thanks and a positive closing such as Ngiyabonga kakhulu (Thank you very much) or Hamba kahle (Go well).
Place names in KwaZulu-Natal and the wider South Africa often exist in both an isiZulu form and an English or Afrikaans form, and speakers move between both depending on context. The city of Durban is widely called eThekwini in isiZulu, which is its official name in the isiZulu language; it is also called Durban in English. Pietermaritzburg is referred to as eMgungundlovu in isiZulu. In public transport contexts, drivers and conductors may call out destinations using isiZulu place names, English names, or both. Familiarity with common isiZulu place names for the areas you intend to visit is practical preparation for real travel in KwaZulu-Natal.
Transport vocabulary also shows some regional variation. In some areas, the word i-taxi is used instead of ithekisi in casual speech. The term ibhasi consistently refers to a full-size bus rather than a minibus. In Johannesburg and other cities, isiZulu speakers navigate alongside Sesotho, Xhosa, and Zulu taxi-rank cultures that overlap in vocabulary. The forms in this chapter represent standard productive isiZulu as used in KwaZulu-Natal public contexts.
The two standard farewells Hamba kahle (Go well) and Sala kahle (Stay well) carry a subtle but important distinction: hamba kahle is said to the person who is leaving; sala kahle is said by the person who is leaving to those staying behind. Getting these the right way around shows cultural literacy and a command of the pragmatics that extends beyond simple vocabulary. In a direction-giving interaction, the person who gave you directions will typically say Hamba kahle to you as you leave, since they are remaining and you are going. You may respond with Sala kahle.
For a traveller setting off on a longer journey, a speaker might also add Uhambe kahle (May you travel well), which uses the subjunctive-like form uhambe to convey a wish or blessing rather than a direct command. This distinction between a direct command and a wish is receptive at this stage; learn Uhambe kahle as a formulaic travel blessing and use it appropriately in context without analyzing the full subjunctive system.
Common Mistakes
Error: Using *Ikuphi ikhliniki? when you actually want to know how to get to the clinic, and using *Ngifika kanjani ikhliniki? when you simply want to know where the clinic is located.
Correction: Ikuphi ikhliniki? asks where the clinic is located. The answer will be a place description: "It is on the left, near the market." Ngifika kanjani ekhliniki? asks how to reach the clinic and expects a set of directions in response. Note also that Ngifika kanjani uses the locative form of the destination after it: ekhliniki, not ikhliniki. The bare noun form after Ngifika kanjani is a common error. If you need location information only, use Ikuphi. If you need route information, use Ngifika kanjani e___ with the locative.
Error: Writing *Uphambili or *Uphenduka ekhohlo instead of Hamba phambili or Phenduka ekhohlo, by adding a subject concord prefix to a command form.
Correction: This is the same error identified in Chapters 11 and 13 in the contexts of movement commands and health instructions. In direction-giving, command forms must be used without a subject concord. Phenduka ekhohlo is the correct form for "Turn left." *Uphenduka ekhohlo would be understood as a statement meaning "He/she turns to the left," not as an instruction. Review the command-form table in the Grammar section of this chapter if this pattern is not yet automatic: a command uses only the verb root plus the final vowel.
Error: Writing *Ngifika kanjani ibhange? instead of Ngifika kanjani ebhange?, by omitting the locative prefix on the destination noun.
Correction: The frame Ngifika kanjani e___ requires a locative form after the e-. The destination is a place, and places in isiZulu are expressed in locative form when they function as destinations or locations. Ngifika kanjani ebhange (How do I get to the bank) uses the locative ebhange, not the bare noun ibhange. If you are uncertain about the locative form of a particular place noun, use the vocabulary table in this chapter and in Chapters 7, 11, and 13, which provide the locative forms you need at this stage.
Error: Writing *nge ibhasi or *nge ithekisi instead of ngebhasi or ngethekisi, by inserting a space between the instrumental prefix and the noun.
Correction: The instrumental prefix nge- (by means of; using) is a bound morpheme: it attaches directly to the noun stem without a space. When it combines with a noun beginning with i-, the prefix nge- replaces or merges with the initial vowel: ibhasi → ngebhasi; ithekisi → ngethekisi. Write these as single continuous words. This is the same agglutinative principle that applies to all other verb words and locatives in isiZulu: they are written without internal spaces.
Error: Saying Sala kahle to someone who is leaving, or saying Hamba kahle to the person who is staying behind.
Correction: Hamba kahle (Go well) is said to the person departing, by the person who is staying. Sala kahle (Stay well) is said by the person departing, to the person who is staying. In a direction-giving encounter, you are the one leaving: as you walk away, the person who helped you will say Hamba kahle, and you can respond with Sala kahle or Ngiyabonga kakhulu. Getting this distinction right is a small but important marker of cultural fluency.
Chapter Review
Ingxenye A — Amagama (Vocabulary)
1. Bhala amagama esiZulu anezigaba zawo lapha: bus, taxi, train, car, pharmacy, post office, library, market, road, bicycle. (Write the isiZulu word for each item, with noun-class information where given in the chapter.)
2. Hlanganisa igama lesiZulu nencazelo yaso esiNgisini: phambili, ekhohlo, kwesokudla, emuva, eduze, kude, eceleni, khona. (Match each isiZulu direction word to its English meaning.)
3. Yini umahluko phakathi kwe-Hamba kahle ne-Sala kahle? Chaza umuntu ngamunye asho yini. (What is the difference between Hamba kahle and Sala kahle? Explain who says each one.)
4. Bhala izinhlelo ezimbili zokuhamba ezisebenzisa nge-. (Write two transport means expressions using nge-.)
Ingxenye B — Isigabisigabi (Grammar)
1. Bhala imibuzo yezindlela neyendawo ngalinye lapha ngokusebenzisa ifomu elilungile: (Write a location question and a directions question for each place.)
- the post office
- the train station
- the clinic
2. Bhala izinyathelo ezintathu zokukhomba indlela ukusuka esiteshini sethekisi uya ebhange, usebenzisa amagama omyalo namagama okukhomba indlela. (Write three direction steps from the taxi rank to a bank, using command forms and direction adverbs.)
3. Bhala isinyathelo sokuhamba esigcwele ngalinye lapha, usebenzisa -zo- nezindlela zokuhamba nge-: (Write a complete travel statement for each cue, using -zo- and a nge- transport means expression.)
- You will travel by taxi to the clinic tomorrow morning at 8.
- Nomvula will travel by bus to the market on Saturday.
- We will walk to the bank. It is not far.
4. Lungisa lezi zimusho ezingalungile: (Correct these sentences.)
- *Ngifika kanjani ibhange? [intended: how do I get to the bank]
- *Uphenduka kwesokudla. [intended: a direction command]
- *Ngizohambe nge ithekisi ekhliniki. [intended: I will travel by taxi to the clinic]
Ingxenye C — Ukusho Kahle nokuBhala (Pronunciation and Orthography)
1. Hlukanisa izigaba zamagama alandelayo ubhale inani lazo: ithekisi, isitimela, ngebhasi, kwesokudla, phambili, ngezinyawo. (Mark the syllables of each word and write the syllable count.)
2. Chaza ngesiNgisi ukuthi umahluko muni phakathi kombuzo wokukhomba indlela Ngifika kanjani e___ nombuzo wendawo Ikuphi i___, ubeke imiphumela eyahlukene obungayithola kulezo zimusho ezimbili. (Explain in English the difference between the directions frame Ngifika kanjani e___ and the location frame Ikuphi i___, and describe the different types of answer each produces.)
3. Bhala lo musho ngesiZulu esisemthethweni ungabeki iphini noma izikhala ngaphakathi kwamagama: (Write this travel sentence in standard isiZulu without analytical hyphens or internal spaces within words.)
- I will travel by taxi to the hospital tomorrow morning. I need to see a doctor. Use: Ngizohamba ngethekisi esibhedlela kusasa ekuseni. Ngidinga ukubona udokotela.
Ingxenye D — Ukubhala (Writing)
1. Bhala ikhadi lezindlela (imishwi eyisihlanu noma eyisithupha) elizochazela umuntu endleleni ukuthi ufika kanjani esiteshini sesitimela esikhona elingakude endaweni yokuthenga esikhulu. Qala ngomkhuleko omfushane wokuthula, bese unikeza izinyathelo ezinne noma ezinhlanu zezindlela usebenzisa izifundo zale sahluko. (Write a direction card of five or six sentences explaining to a stranger how to reach the train station from a large shopping centre. Open with a brief polite opener, then give four or five direction steps using the tools from this chapter.)
Ingxenye E — Ukukhuluma (Speaking)
1. Ngaphandle kokukhangela amaphephandaba akho, dlidliza ukubuzana ngemibuzongqangi nenkombandlela. Sebenzisa okungenani imibuzo emibili (Ikuphi i___? ne-Ngifika kanjani e___?), izinyathelo ezintathu zezindlela ngemiyalo namagama okukhomba indlela, nezinyathelo ezimbili zokuhamba zesikhathi esizayo nge--zo- ne-nge-. Phela ngokukhuluma uhambe kahle. (Without notes, role-play a navigation exchange out loud. Use at least two question frames (Ikuphi i___? and Ngifika kanjani e___?), three direction steps with command forms and direction adverbs, and two future travel statements with -zo- and nge-. Close with a farewell.)
Ukubuyekezwa okuhlanganisiwe — Cumulative review from Chapters 1 through 13
Choose the correct word or form in brackets to complete this transport encounter, drawing on patterns from all earlier chapters as well as this one.
ULwazi: Sawubona. [Uxolo / Ngiyabonga], ngicela usizo.
UNokukhanya: Yebo, ngikusize [kanjani / kuphi]?
ULwazi: [Ngifika kanjani / Ikuphi] esiteshini sethekisi?
UNokukhanya: [Hamba / Uhamba] phambili. [Phenduka / Uphenduka] kwesokudla. Isiteshi sikhona [lapho / lapha] eduze.
ULwazi: Kude [yini / malini]?
UNokukhanya: Cha, [akukude / kukude]. Uhamba ngezinyawo imizuzwana eyishumi.
ULwazi: Ngiyabonga. [Hamba / Sala] kahle!
UNokukhanya: [Sala / Hamba] kahle!
Chapter Performance Task
Umsebenzi wokwenza
Ukucela izindlela nokuhlelela uhambo — Asking for directions and planning a journey
Complete a full navigation encounter in three stages:
- Inkulumo (Oral interaction). Role-play a public navigation encounter with a partner or instructor. As the visitor, greet the local person politely, ask where a public place is using Ikuphi i___?, ask how to get there using Ngifika kanjani e___?, ask whether a bus or taxi goes to that place, and ask the fare using Kubiza malini? As the local, give at least three direction steps using command forms and direction adverbs, answer the transport and fare questions, and close with an appropriate farewell.
- Ukuxhumana (Follow-up exchange). The partner or instructor asks at least two follow-up questions, such as whether the visitor wants to walk or take a taxi, whether a particular place is far or nearby, or whether they need more direction steps. The visitor answers using at least one future travel statement with -zo- and one transport means expression with nge-.
- Ukubhala (Written component). After the oral interaction, write a travel message to a friend explaining your journey. The message should be five to seven sentences and must include: at least two future-tense travel statements using -zo-, at least one transport means expression using nge-, at least one destination in locative form, one sentence using angikwazi uku- or ngikwazi uku- in a travel context, and a farewell. Submit with standard isiZulu spelling, no analytical hyphens in ordinary writing, and correct use of direction vocabulary.
Answer Key
Practice — Location and directions questions
- Ikuphi ikhliniki? / Ngifika kanjani ekhliniki?
- Ikuphi ibhange? / Ngifika kanjani ebhange?
- Ikuphi ikhemisi? / Ngifika kanjani ekhemisi?
- Ikuphi isiteshi sesitimela? / Ngifika kanjani esiteshini sesitimela?
- Ikuphi indawo yokuthenga? / Ngifika kanjani endaweni yokuthenga?
Practice — Giving directions
- Accept any three-step sequence using command forms, e.g.: Hamba phambili. Phenduka kwesokudla. Yima ekhliniki. — Accept variations that use correct command forms (no subject concord prefix) and correct direction adverbs.
- Accept a boarding and alighting sequence, e.g.: Khwela ibhasi. Hamba emzini. Ehla emaketheni. — Accept ekhona emzini waseThekwini or similar for city centre.
- Accept a location description, e.g.: Ikhemisi ikhona eduze, ekhohlo yebhange. / Ikhemisi ikhona eceleni kwayo kwesokudla. — Accept any well-formed sentence using vocabulary from this chapter.
Practice — Travel plans
- Ngizohamba ngethekisi esibhedlela kusasa ekuseni ngo-9.
- UNomvula uzohamba ngezinyawo ekhemisi. Ikhona eduze. (Accept Akukude as an alternative second sentence.)
- Sizohamba ngebhasi emaketheni ngoMgqibelo.
- Bazohamba ngemoto esikoleni namuhla ntambama. (Accept receptive note: the class 2a subject concord ba- for third-person plural people is marked receptive in this chapter; accept any plausible attempt at a third-person plural travel statement.)
Dialogue — Comprehension
- ULwazi ufuna ukuya esiteshini sethekisi ukuze akhwele ithekisi elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona. Ufuna ithekisi elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona elikhona. (Accept: He wants to go to the taxi rank to take a taxi to the city centre.)
- Izinyathelo ezintathu: (1) Hamba phambili emgwaqweni. (2) Phenduka kwesokudla emgwaqweni wokuqala. (3) Isiteshi sethekisi sikhona lapho, eduze nesitolo esikhulu.
- Akukude. Uhamba ngezinyawo izigidi ezimbili, ithatha imizuzwana eyishumi noma eyishumi nantlanu. (Not far; two blocks on foot; ten or fifteen minutes.)
- UNokukhanya uthi uLwazi akhwele ithekisi elikhomba "City Centre." (Board a taxi showing "City Centre.")
- Hamba kahle (said to the person leaving) and Sala kahle / Uhambe kahle (said by the staying person as a travel blessing). Accept both forms identified in the dialogue.
Listening
- Passage 1 — UThandi: Destination: ibhange (the bank); Mode: on foot (ngezinyawo); Time: imizuzwana eyishumi (ten minutes).
- Passage 2 — Isiteshi: Destinations: eThekwini (Durban), eMlazi; Mode: taxi (amathekisi); Time: ngo-2 ntambama for eMlazi taxis; city taxis departing now.
- Passage 3 — UMthokozisi: Destination: ekhliniki (clinic), then home; Mode: taxi (ngethekisi) to clinic, bus (ngebhasi) home; Time: ngo-9 ekuseni to clinic, ngo-4 ntambama pick-up.
Bonus: Accept akukude with a correct explanation (it is not far / the negative copulative of distance) and a well-formed new sentence using it, e.g., Ibhange akukude. Ngizohamba ngezinyawo.
Reading — Comprehension
- Umuntu uphenduka ekhohlo ngemuva kwesikole. Iphisi lomphakathi likhona eceleni kwendawo yokuthenga encane. (Turn left after the school; next to a small shopping area.)
- Ibhasi 32. Umuntu wehla emgwaqweni weSixth Avenue. (Bus 32; alight at Sixth Avenue.)
- ULwazi wahamba ngethekisi. Kubize amarandi ayisikhombisa. (By taxi; seven rand.)
- ULwazi uzohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki kusasa. Uzobiza uThabo uma ephuma ekhliniki. (By taxi to the clinic tomorrow; will call after leaving the clinic.)
- Accept any two future-tense sentences from the message, e.g., Ngizofika ekhaya ngo-6 ntambama. and Kusasa ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki.
Chapter Review — Ingxenye A
- ibhasi / amabhasi (class 5/6); ithekisi / amathekisi (class 5/6); isitimela / izitimela (class 7/8); imoto / izimoto (class 9/10); ikhemisi / amakhemisi (class 5/6); iposi / amaposi (class 5/6); umtapo / imitapo (class 3/4, receptive class); imakethe / amakethe (class 5/6); umgwaqo / imigwaqo (class 3/4, receptive class); ibhayisikili / amabhayisikili (class 5/6).
- phambili = forward / straight ahead; ekhohlo = to the left; kwesokudla = to the right; emuva = behind / back; eduze = near / nearby; kude = far; eceleni = next to / beside; khona = there / present / existing.
- Hamba kahle is said to the person leaving, by the person staying. Sala kahle is said by the person leaving, to the person staying.
- Accept any two correct examples, e.g., ngebhasi (by bus) and ngethekisi (by taxi). Other correct answers: ngesitimela (by train), ngemoto (by car), ngezinyawo (on foot), ngebhayisikili (by bicycle).
Chapter Review — Ingxenye B
- (a) Ikuphi iposi? / Ngifika kanjani eposini? (b) Ikuphi isiteshi sesitimela? / Ngifika kanjani esiteshini sesitimela? (c) Ikuphi ikhliniki? / Ngifika kanjani ekhliniki?
- Accept any three well-formed direction steps using command forms (no subject concord prefix) and correct direction adverbs, e.g.: Hamba phambili. Phenduka kwesokudla. Ibhange likhona lapho.
- (a) Ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki kusasa ekuseni ngo-8. (b) UNomvula uzohamba ngebhasi emaketheni ngoMgqibelo. (c) Sizohamba ngezinyawo ebhange. Akukude.
- Corrections: (a) Ngifika kanjani ebhange? — Use the locative form after Ngifika kanjani. (b) Phenduka kwesokudla. — Command form has no subject concord prefix. (c) Ngizohamba ngethekisi ekhliniki. — Write nge- fused with the transport noun as one word; no space between nge- and ithekisi.
Cumulative Review — Correct answers
Uxolo / kanjani / Ngifika kanjani / Hamba / Phenduka / lapho / yini / akukude / Hamba (said to UNokukhanya who is staying) / Sala (said by UNokukhanya as the staying person)
Note on the final farewell pair: ULwazi is leaving, so he says Hamba kahle to UNokukhanya only if UNokukhanya is also leaving. In this encounter, ULwazi is the one walking away; the correct forms are ULwazi says Ngiyabonga. Sala kahle! and UNokukhanya says Hamba kahle! or Uhambe kahle! Accept both orderings if a learner explains the logic correctly.
Looking Ahead
Okungakwenzeka manje — What you can do now
You can ask where a public place is and how to get there, give a sequence of direction steps using command forms and directional adverbs, state your destination and mode of transport using the future tense and nge- transport expressions, ask about transport fares and availability, and close a navigation interaction with culturally appropriate farewells. The command forms from Chapter 11, the future tense from Chapter 12, and the locative system developed across Chapters 7, 11, and 13 now work together in travel and navigation contexts. Chapter 15 will use this foundation to expand into descriptions of community roles, work, and school life, introducing more class 3/4 noun vocabulary productively and extending subject-concord control to third-person singular and plural forms for a wider range of noun classes.