lala kahle
lala kahle is the Zulu way to say goodnight.
This phrase is used to wish someone a good sleep when you are saying goodbye to them at night.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb lala (sleep) and the adverb kahle (well/goodly).
Which one should you use?
Use lala kahle when speaking to one person, but use lalani kahle when speaking to a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address more than one person or to show respect to an elder, the verb changes from lala to lalani.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'goodnight' as both a greeting and a farewell, lala kahle is strictly a farewell. You would never use it when first arriving at a house at night.
- The verb lala does not only mean 'to sleep' but can also mean 'to lie down' or 'to be placed'. This means the phrase lala kahle literally wishes for the person to be positioned comfortably for the night.
- The word lala descends from the Proto-Bantu root *-dáada. This shows that the concept of wishing someone a good sleep is shared across hundreds of languages across Central and Southern Africa.
Examples in context
- Lala kahle, mama.Sleep well, mom.
- Hamba kahle, baba. Lala kahle.Go well, dad. Sleep well.
- Lala kahle, mngane wami.Goodnight, my friend.
- Ngiyabonga, lala kahle.Thank you, goodnight.
- Lala kahle, ntombazane.Goodnight, girl.
Example conversation
Nomusa and Thulani are saying goodbye at the end of the evening.
- NomusaSengihamba manje, Thulani.I am leaving now, Thulani.
- ThulaniHamba kahle, Nomusa.Go well, Nomusa.
- NomusaLala kahle.Goodnight.
- ThulaniNawe lala kahle.You also goodnight.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lala kahle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kahle, lala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
