uneminyaka emingaki?
In Zulu, the phrase used to ask "how old are you?" is uneminyaka emingaki?
The phrase is a question used to ask a person about their age.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase uneminyaka emingaki? literally translates to "do you have how many years?" The component eminyaka means "years" and is derived from the word umnyaka, which means "year".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uneminyaka emingaki? uses the singular prefix u-, making it appropriate for addressing one person. To ask more than one person or to use a formal or polite form, you should change the prefix u- to ni- to say nineminyaka emingaki?
Did you know?
- In many traditional Zulu contexts, a person's age might be described by a significant event or a season rather than a specific number of years.
- While English uses the adjective 'old', Zulu treats age as something one 'possesses', as seen in the verb stem for 'have' within uneminyaka.
- The rhythm of the question uneminyaka emingaki? is determined by the melodic pitch patterns common to Bantu languages, which can change the meaning of words.
Examples in context
- Ngingakubuza ukuthi uneminyaka emingaki?Can I ask how old you are?
Example conversation
Thulani and Zanele are meeting for the first time.
- ThulaniYebo Zanele, uneminyaka emingaki?Yes Zanele, how old are you?
- ZaneleNgineminyaka engu-ishumi nesikhombisa.I am seventeen years old.
- ThulaniHhayi, mina ngineminyaka engu-ishumi nesishiyagalolunye.Oh, I am nineteen years old.
- ZaneleUsukhulu kunami, Thulani.You are older than me, Thulani.
