Northern Ndebele (Sindebele / isiNdebele)

Northern Ndebele a member of the Nguni group of Bantu languages. It is spoken in Zimbabwe and Botswana by about 2-3 million people.

Northern Ndebele is related to Zulu, and might be considered a variety or descendent of Zulu. This is because the Ndebele people in Zimbabwe are descendents of followers of Mzilikazi (1790-1868), a Zulu king who from South Africa who founded Matabeleland in what is now Zimbabwe. They acquired the name Ndebele through contact with the Ndebele people in South Africa.

In South Africa Northern Ndebele is known as Sindebele saseNyakatho and is spoken in Limpopo Province around the towns of Mokopane (Potgietersrus) and Polokwane (Pietersburg).

Northern Ndebele pronunciation

Source: http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10092010-130514/unrestricted/02chapters3-4.pdf

Sample text

Abantu bonke bazalwa bekhululekile njalo belingana kumalungelo abo. Balesipho sikanembeza, ngakho bamele baphathane ngomoya otshengisa ubuhlobo lobunye.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Information about Northern Ndebele | Phrases

Links

Information about Northern Ndebele language and people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindebele_language
http://www.northernndebele.com
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ndebele.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ndebele_people
http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/ndebele

Northern Ndebele for beginners
http://northernndebele.blogspot.co.uk/

Northern Ndebele dictionaries
http://www.northernndebele.org.za

Bantu languages

Basaa, Bemba, Bukusu, Bulu, Chichewa, Chokwe, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Herero, Ikizu, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luchazi, Luvale, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbunda, Mende, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nande, Nkore, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, OshiWambo, Punu, Ronga, Sena, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Yao, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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