Food & Drinks

1. Nyama

   Meat

   Usage

   Means meat in general; specific kinds such as beef or chicken were not verified

   Grammar Note

   A class 9 noun. Zulu "inyama" has a different prefix

2. Nhlampfi

   Fish

   Usage

   Means fish; the word appears in the sources

   Grammar Note

   The plural is "tinhlampfi". Not Zulu "inhlanzi"

3. Mandza

   Eggs

   Usage

   Means eggs; used in the plural

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 plural. Confirmed as a dictionary headword

4. Masi

   Milk

   Usage

   Means milk of animals, not human milk

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 noun. Confirmed as a dictionary headword

5. Xinkwa

   Bread

   Usage

   Means bread; the plural is "swinkwa"

   Grammar Note

   "x" is "sh", not a click. Not Zulu "isinkwa"

6. Mavele

   Maize / grain

   Usage

   The staple grain, central to Tsonga meals

   Grammar Note

   A class 6 plural

7. Rhayisi

   Rice

   Usage

   A loan word for rice

   Grammar Note

   A loan from English "rice". "rh" is a breathy r

8. Munyu

   Salt

   Usage

   Means salt, e.g. when asking for it at a meal

   Grammar Note

   A class 3 noun

9. Chukele

   Sugar

   Usage

   A loan word for sugar

   Grammar Note

   A loan from "sugar". Diabetes is "vuvabyi bya chukela"

10. Mafurha

    Oil

    Usage

    Means cooking oil or fuel oil

    Grammar Note

    A class 6 plural. Context shows whether it is cooking or fuel oil

11. Mihandzu

    Fruit

    Usage

    Means fruits (plural); useful at a market

    Grammar Note

    A class 4 plural

12. Tiya

    Tea

    Usage

    A loan word for tea, used when ordering a drink

    Grammar Note

    A loan from English "tea"

13. Kofi

    Coffee

    Usage

    A loan word for coffee

    Grammar Note

    A loan from English "coffee"

14. Ndzi lava mati

    I want water

    Usage

    Asks for water; add "Ndzi kombela" before it to be polite

    Grammar Note

    The frame "Ndzi lava + noun", as in "Ndzi lava tintswalo" in the sources. The sentence is composed from dictionary-verified words and was not found verbatim in the sources

15. Ndzi lava swakudya

    I want food

    Usage

    Asks for food or says you want a meal

    Grammar Note

    The frame "Ndzi lava + noun". The sentence is composed from dictionary-verified words and was not found verbatim in the sources

16. Swakudya swi nandziha swinene

    The food is very delicious

    Usage

    Said after a meal to show appreciation; pair it with "Ndza khensa" to be polite

    Grammar Note

    "swakudya" is class 8, so the concord is "swi". "swinene" means very. The sentence is composed from dictionary-verified words and was not found verbatim in the sources

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