Asking and saying how much something costs uses the interrogative construction yimalini it's how much money and the verb ukubiza to call
See also interrogatives
imali money
imalini? how much money?
ngamunye or ngalinye each
ukuphethe to have with you
ukubiza to call
Yimalini ubhanana? How much are the
bananas? = it is how much the money
Ubiza malini ubhanana? How much are the
bananas? nb: agreement = it calls how much the bananas Zibiza malini izicathulo? How much are the shoes Yi-R5 They're R5
Yimalini uphayinaphu ngamunye? How much are
the pineapples each?
Yi-R1.50 ngamunye They're R1.30 each
For i- nouns:
Yimalini amaposikhadi ngalinye? How much are the postcards each? Yi-75 centre ngalinye (iphosikhadi) They're 75 cents each (the postcards)
Kukhona okunye na? Is there anything
else?
Cha, yilokho kuphela No (thank you)
that's all Cha sekwanele No (thank you)
it is all ( = now enough)
Ngiphethe i-R10 I've R10
Uphethe ushintshi na? Do you have any
change on you? Uphethe amathikithi na? Do
you have the tickets? Uphethe imali na? Do
you have the money? Yebo ngiyaphethe yes I
have Asiphethe imali We don't have any
money Angiphethe ugwayi I don't have
any cigarettes
Uphethe ushintshi na? Have you any change? Wamalini? For how much? We-R20 R-20
Unotshintshi we-R20 na? Do you have change
for R20?
or Uphethe utshintshi we-R20 na? Do you
have change for R20?
This page- www.newt.clara.co.uk/isizulu/yimalini.htm
8 August 2002