Izinja ziphandle

ku- to, at, by,from

Nouns for people (class1, 1a) use ku- to replace the initial vowel:

• KuJames By James
• Ngiya kubaba I am going to my father

Nouns for other things use e- plus the ending -ini, -eni (-a nouns) or -weni (-o nouns):

• Ekhisini In the kitchen (ikhishi)
• Edolobheni At he town (idolobha)
• Esihlalweni On the chair (isihlalo)
• Siya edolobheni We are going to town
• Beka ekamelweni Put (it) in the room
• Bahlala ekhishini They stay in the kitchen

A small number of nouns use just the prefix:

• Esibhedlela In hospital (isibhedela)
• Esitolo To the shop (isitolo)
• Eposihhovisi To the post office
• Ehhotela At the hotel
• Ekhaya At home (ikhaya)
• Ebusuku At night (ubusuku)

When the locative begins with e- or o- and a concord is used -s- is added:

• UJames usemsebenzini James is at work
• Umama usendlini Mother is in the house
• Izicathulo zakho zisekamelweni Your shoes are in the room

NB: not for other places:

• UJames ukugogo James is with granny
• Izinja ziphandle The dogs are outside

This page- www.newt.clara.co.uk/isizulu/kwa.htm
17 September 2002