dla
The Zulu verb for "eat" is dla.
dla is used to describe the act of eating a meal.
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form of the verb, meaning "to eat", is ukudla. In the present tense, the first person singular form ("I am eating") is ngiyadla, while the third person plural form ("they are eating") is bayadla.
Did you know?
- The phrase ukudla isandla literally translates to 'eating the hand' but is used idiomatically to mean taking a bribe.
- The word ukudla does not just mean 'to eat', it is also the noun used for 'food' itself.
- The root of dla is incredibly ancient, tracing back to the Proto-Bantu reconstruction *-dɪ́a.
Examples in context
- Udinga ukudla?Are you hungry?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
