How to Say “Queen” in Ndebele
The Ndebele word for queen is indlovukazi. The term refers to a female monarch.
About Ndebele
Two related languages share the name Ndebele. Northern Ndebele (isiNdebele) is spoken mainly in Matabeleland in western Zimbabwe, around Bulawayo, and is one of Zimbabwe's official languages. Southern Ndebele is a separate language spoken in South Africa, where it is also official. Most guides in this category mention Zimbabwe.
Both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and Northern Ndebele is very close to Zulu. Like Zulu it has click sounds, written c, q and x. A common Northern Ndebele greeting is salibonani.
| Family | Niger-Congo, Bantu (Nguni) |
|---|---|
| Official in | Zimbabwe (Northern Ndebele), South Africa (Southern Ndebele) |
| Script | Latin alphabet |
| Codes | nd, nde for Northern Ndebele and nr, nbl for Southern Ndebele (ISO 639-1, 639-3) |
Classification: Wikidata. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
How to Say “Happy Birthday” in Ndebele
The English phrase “happy birthday” is translated into Ndebele as ilanga elihle lokuzalwa.
How to Say “How Was Your Night?” in Ndebele
In Ndebele, the phrase “how was your night?” is expressed as ubuthongo bube njani?
How to Say “Babe” in Ndebele
The English phrase “babe” can be translated into Ndebele as sithandwa. The Ndebele term sithandwa is used to refer to an attractive or beloved person.
How to Say “Merry Christmas” in Ndebele
Merry Christmas in Ndebele is Khisimusi enhle. This phrase is used to express good wishes during the Christmas season.
How to Say “Hello” in Ndebele
The Ndebele word for “hello” is salibonani. While salibonani is a common greeting, you may also hear Unjani? used as a polite way to ask “How are you?”
How to Say “Love” in Ndebele
The Ndebele word for love is uthando. uthando is a noun referring to the concept of strong affection.
How to Say “I Miss You” in Ndebele
The English phrase “I miss you” is translated into Ndebele as Ngiyakukhumbula.
How to Say “What Are You Doing” in Ndebele
wenzani? is how to say “what are you doing” in Ndebele.