Thinking in Zulu

Cabanga is think in Zulu.  Mama used to be mad at me for not thinking.  “Awu-cabangi.”  She used to say. 

It is dangerous when world leaders with nuclear weapons don’t think about the damage caused by their ping pong on social media.  When someone wears something unusual, faceless critics on the internet say:  What was she thinking? Ube cabanga-ni?

It is nerve-wrecking to hide something in the house, then forget where you put it.   You think and think and think, but no clues.

Ca-ba-nga.  The first part is pronounced as the exclamation c-c-c-, the second part as in Bali, but with a soft -b-, and the last part of the verb as in The Langham Hotel. 

ZULU	ENGLISH
Cabangile.	A girl’s name which describes the circumstances of her birth.  It literally means the one who was well thought of.  Maybe parents had three sons already and wanted a daughter.
Ngi-ya-cabanga.	I’m thinking.
U-be-cabanga-ni?	What was she thinking?
U-cabanga-ni?	What are you thinking?
Ngi-cabanga nge-traffic e-ku-seni.	I’m thinking about morning traffic.
Ngi-cabanga ama-exams.	I’m thinking about exams.
Ngi-cabanga u-Boris.	I’m thinking about Boris.
Ngi-cabanga ngawe njalo.	I think about you all the time (man making moves on a woman).
I-mi-cabango e-mibi.	Bad thoughts.
Cabanga kahle.	Think clearly.
Ba-cabanga u-ku-thi ba-yazi.	They think they are smart.
Ngi-cabanga u-ku-ya e-Cologne.	I’m thinking about going to Cologne.
Ba-cabanga u-ku-ya e-Toronto.	They are thinking about going to Toronto.
U-sa-cabanga.	He is still thinking about it.

By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.