intombazana
[íⁿtoᵐb̥a̤z̥a̤᷈ːna]
The Xhosa word for girl is intombazana.
The term intombazana refers to a young female person.
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Did you know?
- The word intombazana uses a diminutive suffix -ana to indicate smallness. In Xhosa, adding this suffix to a noun can change a word for 'woman' into a word for 'girl'.
- In traditional Xhosa culture, the transition from being an intombazana to a woman is marked by a specific initiation period known as intonjane.
- Because Xhosa is a tonal language, the pitch used when saying intombazana can be crucial for being understood by native speakers.
Examples in context
- Intombazana le incinci.This girl is small.
- Intombazana iyadlala.The girl is playing.
Example conversation
Andiswa and Thando are talking about a neighbor's child.
- AndiswaUyayibona loo ntombazana?Do you see that girl?
- ThandoEwe, iyancuma kakhulu.Yes, she is smiling a lot.
- AndiswaIntombazana le inobulumko.This girl is wise.
- ThandoNdiyavuma, Andiswa.I agree, Andiswa.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry intombazana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
