ndiyakuthanda
In Xhosa, "I love you" is ndiyakuthanda.
This phrase is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. While the core verb can also mean "to like," when used in this specific phrase, it is the standard way to express romantic love.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ndiyakuthanda is composed of four parts: the subject concord ndi- (I), the present continuous marker -ya-, the object concord -ku- (you) and the verb stem -thanda (love/like).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ndiyakuthanda uses the singular object concord -ku-, which makes it appropriate for addressing one person.
Did you know?
- In Xhosa culture, love is often expressed through actions like providing for a partner rather than just through the words ndiyakuthanda. A person may show their affection by bringing a gift of food or clothing to the other's family.
- The verb -thanda is closely related to the word for 'want' or 'desire' in some Bantu languages, linking the feeling of love with the act of wanting.
- Because Xhosa is an agglutinative language, the entire sentiment of 'I love you' is packed into a single word rather than a sentence of three separate words.
Examples in context
- Ndiyakuthanda!I love you.This example shows how to use ndiyakuthanda.Tatoeba #1847402 by wwkudu, translation #1434 by awael58
- Ndiyakuthanda kakhulu, sithandwa sam.I love you very much, my darling.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye for the day.
- AndiswaNdiyakuthanda, Thando.I love you, Thando.
- ThandoNam ndiyakuthanda, Andiswa.I love you too, Andiswa.
- AndiswaSizobonana ngomso.We will see each other tomorrow.
- ThandoUlale kakuhle.Sleep well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ndiyakuthanda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
