uthando
/ûːtʰâːndo/class 11
The English word "love" is translated into Zulu as uthando.
uthando refers to the concept of strong affection.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Which one should you use?
The term Ithandwa is an informal term of endearment used to refer to a loved one. The most common way to say "I love you" informally in Zulu is Ngiyakuthanda.
How does it change in a sentence?
uthando belongs to noun class 11.
How do you pronounce it?
/ûːtʰâːndo/
Did you know?
- In Zulu culture, the concept of uthando often extends beyond romantic love to include a deep sense of communal responsibility and familial loyalty known as 'ubuntu'.
- The verb root -thanda is used not just for affection, but also to express a liking for objects, such as 'I like coffee' or 'I want this'.
- Because Zulu is a tonal language, the meaning and emotional weight of uthando can be influenced by the pitch used during speech.
Examples in context
- Uthando lumnandi.Love is sweet.
- Ngibonisa uthando lwendodana yami.I show love for my son.
- Uthando lwakho lukhulu kakhulu.Your love is very great.
Example conversation
Nomusa and Thulani are talking about their relationship.
- NomusaThulani, uthando lwakho lungenza konke.Thulani, your love can do everything.
- ThulaniNgiyakuthanda kakhulu, Nomusa.I love you very much, Nomusa.
- NomusaNgiyazwa uthando lwakho enhliziyweni yami.I feel your love in my heart.
- ThulaniSizohlala sinothando phakathi kwethu.We will always have love between us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries uthando, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
