ndiyakuthanda
The English phrase 'I love you' is translated into Xhosa as ndiyakuthanda.
ndiyakuthanda is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ndiyakuthanda breaks down into ndi- (I), -ya- (present continuous marker), -ku- (you) and -thanda (love).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ndiyakuthanda uses the object concord -ku-, which specifically refers to a single person.
When do people say it?
To say 'I love you too', you can add nawe to the end of the phrase to get Ndiyakuthanda nawe.
Did you know?
- The verb thanda also means 'to want'. In many contexts, saying ndiyakuthanda can blur the line between 'I love you' and 'I want you'.
- The root -thanda is shared across many Nguni languages, making a version of 'I love you' mutually intelligible between Xhosa and Zulu speakers.
- In Xhosa culture, expressing love is often done through actions and providing for one's family rather than just through the spoken word ndiyakuthanda.
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
Thando and Nomvula are saying goodbye for the evening.
- ThandoNdiyakuthanda, Nomvula.I love you, Nomvula.
- NomvulaNam ndiyakuthanda, Thando.I love you too, Thando.
- ThandoUzalilala kakuhle.Sleep well.
- NomvulaNawe ulale kakuhle.You sleep well too.
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.
