Lozi/Silozi/Rozi is a Bantu language spoken by the Lozi people of western Zambia and one of the seven official vernacular languages.
It is also spoken in Angola, Namibia, Botswana and parts of South Africa.
Vowels
Lozi has five vowels; a, e, i, o, u.
There are long or short vowels, depending on how they appear in a word.
E.g. Mata - Run (short)
Maata - Strength(long)
Consonants
Silozi has 20 consonants; p, t, c, k, b, d, j, g, f, s, sh, h, z, w, l, y, m, n, ny and ŋ.
The language also has 40 consonant clusters:
mp, nt, nc, nk, mb, nd, nj, ng, ns, nz, pw, tw, cw, kw, bw, fw, sw, shw, hw, zw, mw, nw, nyw, ŋw, mpw, ntw, ncw, nkw, mbw, ndw, njw, ngw, nsw, nzw, py, by, my, mpy, mby and ly.
Greetings in Lozi
| English | Silozi |
| Good evening. | Ki mazibwana! |
| Good morning in lozi. | Muzuhile! |
| Good afternoon. | Ki musihali/Mutozi sha! |
| How are you? | Mucwani/Ucwani? |
| How are you today? | Ucwani kacenu? |
| I am fine. | Ni iketile/Nazuha hande. |
| Have a good day. | Mutole hande/Utole hande. |
| I am doing great. | Ni iketile/Nazuha hande. |
| Hi/Hello. | Yeela!/Lumela |
| Nice to meet you. | Kihande alukopani |
| See you soon. | Luta bonana hape cwanong'u |
| See you later. | Lukabonana kasamulaho |
| Welcome back! | Mukutile1 |
| Enjoy your day | Muikole lizazi la kacenu |
| Pass my regards home | Balumele kwa lapa/hae/ndu |
| My parents are greeting you | Litumeliso ze zwa kwa bashemisha |
| Get well by end of the of the day dear | Ufole lizazi alisikuluhile |
Lozi love words and phrases
| English | Silozi |
| I love you. | Na kulata |
| I miss you in lozi. | Ni kutondile/Ni kunyolwezi |
| Love you so much | Ni kulata hahulu/Na kulata tota. |
| I want to see you. | Ni bata ku kubona. |
| I love you with all my heart. | Ni kulata ka pilu ye sweu |
| I love you too. | Na kulat ni na |
| I want to see you. | Ni bata ku kubona. |
| I like you. | Na kulata |
| You are beautiful. | Uyo munde/Wa buheha |
| My love. | Wahesu/Mulatiwa |
| You look beautiful. | Ubonahala hande/Wa buheha |
| My beautiful wife. | Musalaka yo munde |
| I miss you so much, darling. | Na ku tonda luli wa lilato |
| I need you. | Na kutokwa |
| You will miss me. | U ka ni tokwa |
| Goodbye, my love. | Siyala fo wa lilato |
| See you tomorrow. | Ni kakubona kamuso |
| I will marry you. | Ni ka kunyala |
| I want some space. | Ni tokwa sibakanyana |
| I need your love. | Ni tokwa lilato lahao |
| You are mine. | Wena u waka! |
| My wife is pretty | Mufumahali wa buheha |
| What a pretty girl she is! | Batili ki licolocolo mbonyi ya siloko |
| How much was the dowry? | Lionda/Lobola neili bukai? |
| I really love her. | Ni mulata maswe. |
| She has beautiful eyes. | Meto a hae sina muzilili |
Directions in Lozi
| English | Silozi |
| Where are you? | Ukai? |
| Where did you go? | Ne u ile kai?Ne wile kai? |
| Where do you live? | Ne wina kai?/Ne u ina kai? |
| Where are you going? | Uya kai? |
| Where were you? | Ne u inzi kai? |
| How far are you? | U zamaela kai? |
| Our village is on the northern side of the school | Munzi wa luna ukwa mutulo wa sikolo |
| How far do you stay from the hospital? | Sipatela si kwahule cwani ku zwa fo muina? |
| We stay in Yeta compound because it's near town | Luina mwa Yeta kakuli ifakaufi ni tolopo. |
| Ripe fruits fall down not upwards. | Litolwana ze buzwize liwela fa fasi ising'I mwa halimu. |
Common Questions in conversations in Lozi
| English | Silozi |
| How much? | Bukai? |
| How are you feeling? | U ikutwa cwani? |
| How have you been? | Ne upila cwani? |
| What is your name? | Libizo la hao ki wena mang'i? |
| What are you doing? | U eza ing'i? |
| What are you cooking/eating? | U apeha ing'i?/U ca ing'i? |
| Are you okay, dear? | U iketile wahesu nji? |
| When are you coming? | U taha lili? |
| How was your night/day? | Ulobezi cwani?/Utozi cwani? |
| How are you doing? | U cwang'i? |
| How is your family? | Lubasi lwa hao luzuha cwani? |
| How was your day? | Utozi cwani? |
| What is wrong? | King'I hape?/Kufosahezi ng'i? |
| What do you mean? | Utalusa ng'I fo?/Uling'i? |
| How's the weather over there? | Cwani siyemo sa lihalimu ko? |
| Have you gone to church? | Uile kwa keleke nji? |
| What is this? | King'I se? |
| What's going on? | kuezahala ng'i? |
| Are you listening? | Wateleza nji?/Wa utwa nji? |
| Have you heard? | Utwile nji? |
| Can I go home? | Nakona kuya kwa hae nji? |
| Can I ask something? | Ni kupa kubuza? |
| How is everything? | Lika lizamaya cwani? |
| What’s your phone number? | Nombolo ya muhala wa hao ki ifi? |
| Can I visit you tomorrow? | Ni kupotele kamuso? |
| Stop that nonsense! | Tuhela bwanganu bo. |
| Wait a minute! | Ikete pili!/Litela pili! |
| Ooh! That is terribly bad. | Mawe! Ki butata boo. |
| What time do you knock off? | U caisa nako mani?/U kotoka nako mani? |
| I am tired today! | Kacenu ni katezi! |
Everyday conversations in Lozi
| English | Silozi |
| Happy birthday | Takalezo yende ya lizazi la ku pepwa la hao |
| Thank you | Ni itumezi |
| I am sorry | Ni kupa swalelo |
| You are welcome. | Kozo/Ki hande/U tamboke/Kulukile |
| Me too! | Ni na |
| God bless you. | Mulimu a ku tonolofaze/fuyole |
| May god protect you. | Mulimu a kusileleze |
| She is happy. | U tabile |
| Please help me. | Yela ni kupa tuso! |
| I don't know. | A ni zibi |
| I will come tomorrow. | Na taha kamuso/Ni ka taha kamuso |
| Come here! | Taha kwanu |
| Feel at home. | Lukuluha/Ina ulukuluhile |
| Be blessed. | Tonolofazwa |
| I am coming soon. | Na taha cwanong'u fa |
| Excuse me. | Kuti!/Na muniswalele |
| Leave me alone. | Ni tuhele/Ni siye ni nosi |
| It is okay. | Kozo/Ki hande/Kulukile |
| I am going home. | Ni ya kwa hae/ndu |
| I don't want. | Na hana/ Ha ni bati |
| Love is a beautiful thing. | Lilato kinto yende |
| Let me try. | Ni like |
| Welcome home. | Utamboke mwa lapa/hae |
| I reached home safely. | Ni fitile kwa lapa hande/ku sina butata |
| God is good. | Mulimu ki yo munde |
| I don't understand. | Ha ni utwisisi |
| We are happy to see you. | Lutabile ku ku bona |
| I have it. | Nina ni yona |
| Rest in peace. | Pumula ka kozo |
| I don't have money. | Ha nina masheleng'i/mali |
| I am done. | Ni felize |
| I am going to the shop. | Niya kwa sintolo |
| Happy new year. | Nyuwele! |
| Bad manners. | Mikwa ye maswe |
| Stop using your phone. | Tuhela ku sebezisa foni ya hao |
| I need a favour, please. | Ni kupa tuso yela! |
| I haven’t seen you for ages. | Seli kale ni ku boni!/Seli nako ye telele lusabonani |
| Great to see you again. | Ki tabo ku ku bona hape |
| I really appreciate it. | Na itumela luli |
| You made my day. | Uni benyiselize lizazi laka kacenu |
| No problem. | Hakuna butata/Ku lukile |
| Thank God it's Friday! | Ni tabile kuli kacenu ki la butanu! |
| There was a lot of traffic today. | Mikwakwa ne ipatehile kacenu. |
| We have a meeting this afternoon | Luna ni mukopano kacenu musihali |
| Let me take a nap! | Ni ipumulise kwateni! |
| This office is very dirty my dear! | Ofisi ye wahesu itezi hahulu masila! |
| I wish I could have scones for lunch! | Ni lakaza ku ca masikono sico sa musihali |
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