biza
To call in Zulu is biza.
The verb biza is used for calling out a name or summoning someone.
Meaning: to contact by telephone (verb)
Which one should you use?
Use biza when you are calling out a name or summoning someone, but use shayela to specifically mean contacting someone via telephone.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using biza in a subjunctive sense (e.g., ngibize, meaning 'that I call'), the final vowel changes to 'e'.
Did you know?
- The word biza is often used in contexts of calling someone to a specific location, but it can also be used to describe the act of summoning a spirit or ancestor in traditional ceremonies.
- The verb for calling someone on a phone, shayela, literally means 'to strike' or 'to hit' someone.
- While biza is used for summoning, the verb khala is used when 'calling' in the sense of crying out or wailing.
