a as in English word father e.g. dala , create

e as in English word error e.g. ekhaya , at home

i as in English word idiom e.g. izilo , beasts

o as in English word odour e.g. fola , line up

u as in English word July e.g. vula , open

The Ndebele language has all the English alphabets but has no letter r .It has to be noted that the letters b , c , k , q and x have their special pronounciation in the Ndebele language which differs from the English way of pronounciation . To speak in Ndebele is to ukhuluma .

C is a click e.g. cela , ask

Q is a click (simultaneous k and t) e.g. qala , start

X is a click e.g. xoxa , talk

K has a radical sound e.g. kala , does’nt have

B is soft English b e.g. baba , father

Qh is aspirated q (click) e.g. qhula , limp

Th is aspirated t (not English Th) e.g. thatha , take

Hl as ll in welsh "Lladaff" e.g. hlala , sit

Kh is aspirated k e.g. khona , here

Ny is like the ni in the word onion e.g. nyama , meat

Ng is as in English word singing e.g. ngoba , because

Ph is aspirated p (not the English f) e.g. phepha , sorry

Gx hard ‘g’ dominates ‘x’ ( click ) e.g. gxoba , step on

Gq hard ‘g’ dominates ‘q’ ( click ) e.g. gqoka , wear

Gc hard ‘g’ dominates ‘c’ ( click ) e.g. gcoba , smear

Ch is aspirated ‘c’ (click ) e.g. uchago , milk

Dl sounds like smoothly modified ‘hl’ e.g. dlana , eat

Ng as in English finger e.g. ngena , enter

Bh sounds like English ‘b’ e.g. bhala , write

Nk as in English ink e.g. inkomo , cow

Ng is as English word singing e.g. ngoba , because

Xh is aspirated ‘x’ ( click ) e.g. xhegu , old man ~

Tsh is meant to sound like the English ‘ch’ as in choose e.g. tshaya , beat up

Tsh heard as in English tune e.g. tshela , report