Ngiyakuthanda nami
The English phrase "I love you too" is translated into Zulu as Ngiyakuthanda nami.
This phrase is used as a response to tell someone that you feel the same love for them that they expressed to you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Ngiyakuthanda nami literally translates to "I love you also" or "I love you too".
Did you know?
- While Ngiyakuthanda nami is the direct translation, Zulu speakers often express deep affection through 'izibongo' or clan names. Calling a partner by their ancestral clan name can carry as much emotional weight as saying 'I love you'.
- In Zulu culture, expressing deep affection is often accompanied by a specific lowering of the gaze or a soft tone, as constant direct eye contact can sometimes feel too confrontational even during intimate moments.
- Because Zulu is an agglutinative language, the single word Ngiyakuthanda actually contains the subject, the tense, the object, and the verb all fused into one single unit.
Examples in context
- Ngiyakuthanda nami.I love you too.
- Sthandwa sami, ngiyakuthanda nami.My darling, I love you too.
- Ngiyakuthanda nami, kakhulu.I love you too, very much.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye at the end of a date.
- ZaneleNgiyakuthanda, Mlungisi.I love you, Mlungisi.
- MlungisiNgiyakuthanda nami, Zanele.I love you too, Zanele.
- ZaneleNgiyabonga, sithandwa sami.Thank you, my darling.
- MlungisiHamba kahle.Go well.
