Shopping

1. Ixabiso liyintoni?

   ee-khah-BEE-soh lee-yin-TOH-nee

   What is the price?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking the price

   Grammar Note

   "Liyintoni" = "li- (noun class 5 prefix) + yintoni (what is it?)" — the question word agrees with the noun class. Xhosa question words change form based on noun class.

2. Ixabiso likhulu kakhulu

   ee-khah-BEE-soh lee-KOO-loo kah-KOO-loo

   The price is very high / Too expensive

   Usage

   Expressing that the price is too high to begin bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "Likhulu" = "li- (class 5 prefix) + khulu (big)" — adjectival predicate. "Kakhulu" = "ka- (adverb prefix) + khulu (big)" = very much. A very frequent Xhosa intensifier adverb.

3. Ngaba unokuyiphungula?

   ngah-BAH oo-noh-yee-FOON-goo-lah

   Can you reduce the price?

   Usage

   Negotiating a price reduction

   Grammar Note

   "U- (you) + noku- (can/able) + yi- (it) + phungula (reduce)" — a complex verbal construction. "Noku-" is the Xhosa modal formative expressing ability/possibility.

4. Ndifuna ukuthenga esi

   ndee-FOO-nah oo-koo-THEH-ngah EH-see

   I want to buy this

   Usage

   Expressing intention to buy an item

   Grammar Note

   "Thenga" (to buy) is shared between Xhosa and Zulu. "Esi" is the demonstrative "this" for noun class 7 — demonstratives in Xhosa agree with the noun class of the object.

5. Ndifuna ukubona ubugcisa besintu

   ndee-FOO-nah oo-koo-BOH-nah oo-boo-GGEE-sah beh-SEE-ntoo

   I want to see traditional crafts / curios

   Usage

   Looking for traditional crafts or souvenirs

   Grammar Note

   "Ubugcisa besintu" = "craft/art (ubugcisa) of the traditional way (besintu)". umlingo means "magic/witchcraft" and should not be used for souvenirs.

6. Ndinayo imali

   ndee-NAH-yoh ee-MAH-lee

   I have money

   Usage

   Showing readiness to pay

   Grammar Note

   "Imali" is borrowed from English "money" or Swahili "mali." "Ndinayo" = "ndi- (I) + nayo (have it)" — the "nayo" absorbs the object agreement marker, expressing possession.

7. Ndinalo ikhadi lebhanki

   ndee-NAH-loh ee-KAH-dee leh-BAHN-kee

   I have a bank card

   Usage

   Indicating payment by bank card

   Grammar Note

   "Ikhadi" = English "card" with "i-" noun class prefix. "Lebhanki" = "le- (possessive formative) + bhanki (bank, English loanword)" = of the bank/bank's.

8. Ndinayo impahla yam

   ndee-NAH-yoh eem-PAH-hlah yahm

   I have my goods / I received my items

   Usage

   Confirming receipt of purchased goods

   Grammar Note

   "Impahla" means goods, clothing, and luggage in Xhosa — a polysemous word. Structure: "im- (nasal class prefix) + pahla (items/goods)." Clothing and merchandise share the same word.

9. Ndifuna irisithi

   ndee-FOO-nah ee-ree-SEE-tee

   I want a receipt

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt

   Grammar Note

   "Irisithi" = "receipt" (English) with "i-" noun class prefix. Xhosa incorporates many English business and technical loanwords into its noun class system.

10. Enkosi ngezinto zakho

    ehn-KOH-see ngeh-ZIN-toh ZAH-khoh

    Thank you for your goods / service

    Usage

    Expressing gratitude after shopping

    Grammar Note

    "Nge- (causal preposition) + izinto (things) + zakho (your)" = "thank you for your things." "Enkosi nge-" + noun is a standard Xhosa formula for "thank you for something."

11. Andifuni irisithi

    ahn-dee-FOO-nee ee-ree-SEE-tee

    I don't need a receipt

    Usage

    Declining a receipt — the opposite of "Ndifuna irisithi" ("I want a receipt")

    Grammar Note

    Negation prefixes a- to the subject concord and changes the final -a to -i: ndifuna becomes andifuni. "Andiyifuni" carries the object concord -yi-, which is dropped once the object appears as a full noun. The first-person concord ndi- is class-independent.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages