he

ǂuusi he ǁqan

ʘooke he Griet si ǁx'oo ng ǃuu

The wood that Griet will chop in the veld.

relative pronoun
relative pronoun#English

(Western) singular relative pronoun; that, who, what


ty

A letter of the Nǀuu alphabet, written in the Latin script.


ko

ǂoo ke ǃʻhoeʻin mari ng ǂoo a ko

ǂoo ke ǃauka ng ǂoo a ko.


ka

Gǀa kaǀî dyee ka?

What is your name? (lit. How do you say your name?)


hui

Hui n//n‡e ni ‡xhoa ng n//n‡e huniki //xa//xa kxu'tjie ng COVID 19 ‡xhoa n//a

(Can we date this quote?), “-‡hinisi he hui a huniki n//n‡e ng radiostasiesi ng jha kama COVID 19 pandemiesi ng kxu'tjie he kwai”, in Cultural Survival:

Hui nǁng ǂe ni ǂxoa ng nǁng ǂe huniki ǁxaǁxa kxʼuki ng COVID 19 ǂxoa nǁa


gao

kyui gao xe


-ki

ǂxoa (“to speak, to talk”) + -ki → ǂxoaki (“language, speech”)

â (“to eat”) + -ki → âki (“food”)

ʘʻuiʻi (“to be sick”) + -ki → ʘʻuiʻiki (“disease”)


âi

Na âi ǃam nǀa ʘoe.


Nǀuu

Na ǁxaǁxa Nǀuu.

Nǀuu ke. ng nǀng.

2021, 00:27 from the start, in TYMEBANK "SAVE WHAT MATTERS" directed by ZIPHO DLANGAMANDLA, Katrina Esau (actor):


ǃqhaa

na si ǂhâu ǃqhaa


buksi

From Afrikaans boek (“book”) + -si (“singular marker”)


gega

alternative form of dyee ka ("how to say")


ǁʼa

ǃui ǁʻa


ǃʻhoangkiki

greeting used for someone who is nearby; hello there!


ǂoo

ǃQhoe ǂoo


dyaqn

dyaqna (participle past)
jaqn (alternative)
djaqn (alternative)

Na dyaqn.


ǀe ke ʘʻuiʻi

Ng ǀe ke ʘʻuiʻi


ǂxoa

Na ǂxoa Nǀuu

ǂoo a ke ǂxoa nǀa ng anci

ǂi ǂxoa a mos gǀuu


ǂoro

ǂOro ke gǃuni.


kxʼam

ǁAru ke kxʼam ǀʻaa


sîisen

Kinke si ǃhaeka sîisen.


nǁng

nǁâi (plural)
kanǁâi (plural)
nǁâe (plural)

Na ǁʻaa nǁng

Gǀa nǀii a nǁng?


nǀuu

to speak bushman language; to speak Nǀuu language.


kebeke

cebece (alternative pronunciation-spelling)
kjebekje (alternative)
kebe-ke (alternative)


ǂi

ǂI ǃaia!


xainki

Ng xainki ke ǃxama âki.


nǁaa

ǂOo nǁaa


ʘoo

ʘOo ke.

ʘOo ke ǁae.

ʘOo stampersi

ǀʻii sûi ng ʘoo

ǂXaeke ke ǁxʼoo ʘooke


ʘʻuiʻi

Kua ʘʻuiʻi.


garea

Piri ke garea

alternative form of gaarea (“to be stupid, to be dumb”)


dyee

Ku dyee ng ǁʻaa ng Kaapstad?

Gǀa dyee ng khuǁʻng?

ǂi dyee ka ng mʘôa ng mana?


-uwe

From u (“you pl.”) + -we (“imperative pl.”).

ǃai-uwe!

Nǀaa-uwe

Imperative when saying to 2nd plural pronouns.


ǂao

Ng ǂao ng ǁxaǁxa Nǀuu.


mʘôa

Mʘôa ke ǃqhûia.


tsʼaa

to be like, to look like, to taste like.


ǃauke

na ǃaukea ng gǀa ǂhun


ǃxoo

ng xa ǃxooa ng Gǀui.


gǀa kaǀî gega

alternative form of gǀa kaǀî dyee ka (“what is your name”)?


gǀa kaǀî dyee ka

gǀa kaǀî gega (alternative)
gǀa kaǀî jee ka (alternative)

/ᶢǀɑ kəǀĩ ɟee kɑ/


ǂheeke

Kua ǁu ǂheeke.


ǀʻaa

ǂi ǀʻaaa!


blaarsi

From Afrikaans blaar (“leaf”) + -si (“singular marker”)


ǃâqisi

Kua ǃâqisi sîisen.

ǃâqsi dyaqna


ǀxaa

ǀoba tyxaa ǂxanisi ǀxaa.


ng kaǀî ke ng

/ŋ̩ kəǀĩ ke ŋ̩/

Ng kaǀî ke ng Elsie

!Honkia, Ng kaǀî ke ng Katrina Esau.

2021 September 10, 00:08:50 from the start, in Afrique du Sud : avec ses 112 sons et 45 claquements, la langue nluu veut survivre • FRANCE 24:


jhisixe

Jhisixe a ǁu ʘuna nǁaa?


âki

From â (“eat”) + -ki (“nominalization”); Literally, “eating”

Ng xainki ke ǃxama âki.


ǃʻama

tya ǃʻama ke…

tya ke ng ǃʻama. Na ǀaqra.


quaqî

kqôaqʻî (alternative)
qôqaʻî (alternative)
qôqaî (alternative)
qôqeʻî (alternative)
qôqeî (alternative)
kqôqe î (alternative)
qôqʻî (alternative)
qôqî (alternative)

to be very hungry, to be famished, to dead hungry.


kqôaqʻî

"Kua, kqôaqʻî! Ng ǀʻhǔu, kua kqôaqʻîng ǀʻhǔu. ku jee ka?"

"He is starving, Boer! I'm starving, man. How is that?"


îǁaa

Kua îǁaa sîisin.


ǃʻhûuuwe

(Western) A greeting used for more than one person, can be used at anytime of the day


na ke ǃaba

Gǀa kye ǃaba? — Na ke ǃaba


tiiviisi

Ng ǁâu ke ǂaqe tiiviisi.


cxan

alternative form of tyxan (“to poo, to defecate”)


ǃuiki

ǃuuki (alternative)
ǃuici (alternative)
ǃuuke (alternative)

Ng ǃuiki ke ǀx’ee sa guuke ni kuria.


ǀee

Possible cognate with the ǃXóõ ǀàˁli (“gnu”), ǃXóõ ǀqhíi (“buffalo”). or Juǀ'hoan ǀáín (“praise name”), Juǀ'hoan ǀàò (“buffalo”)

cog

ǃXóõ ǀàˁli (“gnu”)


ǁʻoe

Probably,
#Cognate with the Juǀ'hoan nǀè'é (“one”)
#Cognate with the ǃKung nǀe'e (“one, only”) (Okongo ǃXung)
#Cognate with the ǀAkhwe ǃXoan nǀè, nǀè'è ("one")

na xa ng nǀaa ǂoo ǁʻoe


ǃʻuu

ǃʻu (alternative)
ǃ'u (alternative)
ǃu (alternative)


ʘun

Ng ainki ke ʘuna.


nǃoana

Probably, borrowed from Khoekhoe ǃnona (“three”), or from Tuu into Khoe.

Kua nǀii ǃaeke ni nǃoana.


ǂon

Na ǂon ǂaoa ng ǁ'ae.


ǀxaquka

alternative form of ǀhaqoka (“to be beautiful”)


ǂʻîa

ǃxoe he ǂʻîa


ǁxaǁxa

Na ǁxaǁxa Nǀuu.


gǂii

ǀoba ke ǀʻhoo ǁhoo boeksi nǀa ǂoo gǂii nǀaa ki.

The child hides the book so that the man doesn't see it


ǃûu

Kua si ǃûu see na si ǃxama.


ǃûu

Koos ke ng Jakobus se ǃûu.


ǂxaqake

Hng tsee hng ǂxaqake si.


katelsi

From English katel (“bedstead”) + -si (“singular marker”)


nǃai

Nadine ke ng nǁng ǃui nǃai.


ǀxʼaba

to to be reddish brown, to be chestnut-color.


kxʼu

Si kxʼu ǃqam.

Na si kxʼu nǁng.


ǀeeki

ǀEeki ke âi ʘoe.

ǂOo ke ǀau "ǂʻhaqbe". ǀEeki a ǀau !uu.

Man wears man's traditional loincloth. The woman wears traditional woman's apron.


ǁxaaǁxaa

ǁxaaǁxaa ng ng Nǀuuki!


kxʼu ǁxaǁxa

From kxʼu (“to make”) + ǁxaǁxa (“to learn”)


ǂxoaki

From ǂxoa (“to speak, to talk”) + -ki (“nominalization”)

nǀa ng ǂxoa ng xainki ǂxoaki


huniki

ɦunici (alternative)
hunikje (alternative)


ǁxʼoenǀukyu

From ǁxʼoe (“vagina”) + nǀukyu (“nose”), Literally, “vagina's nose”


ǁʻûi a

/ŋ̊ǁˀuⁿiⁿ ʔɑ/


ʘʻuiʻiki

From ʘʻuiʻi (“to be sick”) + -ki (“nominalization”)


ǁu

Possible cognate with the ǃXóõ ǁqhúa (“not”)

U ǁâu ke ǁu ǀqhôqo


nǂoqno

Hng sii hng ǃʼhaun ǁuruke, hng sii ng ǃʼhaun ka nǂoqno.

They come (and) sit down on the road, they come (and) sit down in the shade


ǀhaa

ku ke kxʼuu ǀhaa ng ng ǂhunn nǀa nǂona

Gǁain ke xa ǀhaa a gǂarusi.


-xa

ǁxan-xa


ǃʻui

to look after, to babysit, to guard, to herd, to protect


ǃoqe

ǃOqe ke nǁaa ǁuruke ǀxaa.

The tortoise stays on the side of the road.


ǁa

Kua si ǀqhôqo kua ǁa coe.

ǃUria ǁa ka jooke, ǃUria ǁa ka jooke.

(Can we date this quote?), “ǃUria ǁa ka jooke”:


ǁxʼaqike

to be very tired, to be weary, to be exhausted


Nǀaangkusi

a female given name meaning “look, you have come”, equivalent to Afrikaans Katriena


ǂqoa

ǂqoa ke ǂʻunna.

Ku ǂhaun ǀʻeea ǃkhaa ng ǂqoa, of ku ǂhaun ǁʻnga kike ng ǂqoa?

Did he pour the water into the pot, or did he pour it out of the pot?


ǃhari

Probably, borrowed from Khoekhoe ǃkhari-i (“beer”), or from Tuu into Khoe.


ǁae

Siso ke ǁae.


ǂaqe

ǂoo ke ǂaqe ǀoba.

Petrus ke xa ǂaqe ǂquisi

ǂaqe ǁxʼoqe


ǀoba

ǀoba ke ka nǁaa ng nǁng.


ǃqhoe

head

ǃqhoe (singular ǃqhoesi, plural ǃqhoeke or ka ǃqhoeke)

ǃqhoesi (singular)
ǃqhoeke (plural)
ka ǃqhoeke (plural)

Possible cognate with Juǀ'hoan nǃhaì (“Panthera leo”)


treklefirsi

From Afrikaans trekklavier (“accordion”) + -si (“singular marker”)


skartisi

From English skirt + -si (“singular marker”)


fotusi

From Afrikaans foto (“photo”) + -si (“singular marker”)


nǁʻngke

(Eastern) to tie, to attach by tying, to fasten, to tie up.


gumǁqhoesi

From gum (“head of cattle”) + ǁqhoesi (“horn”)


zeqe

Kua ke zeqea nǀa ǀurisi ǀqhuisi.


ǂxʼâqa

/ǂ͡χʼɑ𐞴ⁿɑ𐞴ⁿ/


kxʼ

A letter of the Nǀuu alphabet, written in the Latin script.


khôea

alternative form of kôea (“to be happy”)


gǀuu

A ǁu si suin, a ǀkxʼaea dya gǀuuki.

You should not sit and be telling lies to us.

… want ng ǁu gǀuu ba

A gǀuu si ke ka gunu


ǃae

Kua nǀii ǃaeke ni nǃoana.


nyebeke

ng nyebeke a


ǀʻi

ǀʻI ke ǃxao.


ǃʻhoangkica

/ᵑ̊ǃʰoəŋkicə/

ǃʻHoangkica. Ng ke ng Katrina Esau, ǁa ka Nǀaangkusi ng nǀng kaǀî. Ng kaǀîa ng Nǀaangkusi.

2017 August 30, 00:00:01 from the start, in N|uu: S. Africa's oldest San language on the edge of extinction:

Hello over there. I am Katrina Esau, like calling me "Nǀaangkusi". My name is Nǀaangkusi.


ng ǁu ǁxaea

/ŋ̩ ǁu ǁχəeə/


ǀhuikea

ǀHuikea, ǀhuikea! A ǁʻng kua si sûi n ǂxoa.

keep quiet, keep quiet! Get out! Sit there and speak!


gûn

(pre-2022) alternative form of guun (“things, stuff”)


ǂxoakiǂxanisi

ǂxoaki (“language, word”) + ǂxanisi (“book”)


xabasi

Xabasi ke xa ǂʼunn.

hollow container that can hold liquid (e.g. cup, mug (beaker), glass, and bowl)


ǃxaeka

ǃxaeka na ka ǃkxʼora nǀa ha.


gǀa dyee ka ng … ng Nǀuuki

/ᶢǀɑ ɟee kɑ ŋ̩ | ŋ̩ ᵑǀuuki/

how do you say … in Nǀuu
how do you say … in English


ǁqhaa

Na ǁqhaa sîisena.


ǃuria

ǃUria ǁa ka jooke, ǃUria ǁa ka jooke.


nǀng

Nǀng si dyee kxʼu?

Nǀng xae xae ǀii-e ku?

Nǀng ǁoqan xa ǁʻae kidya?

Nǀuu ke. ng nǀng.

"Ma, Na ǁu hoo gao, Nǀng si je kxʼu?"

2021, Chris Collins, Levi Namaseb, 00:16 from the start, in The Jackal, his Wife, his Daughter and his Mother, Griet Seekoei (actor):

"Mom, I couldn’t find anything, What should I do?"

personal pronoun
personal pronoun#English

(click form) first person singular personal pronoun; I, me, my


ǁxâa

sack, bag, quiver, purse, cross-body bag


ǀxʼee

Ng ǃuiki ke ǀxʼee sa guuke ni kuria


nǂona

kija xae nǂona


ǁʻorake

!qhoe ǁʻorake

"A si ǂûn stryk ng..."ǀʻhûusi ǁʻorake ǂûn ǂxoo na.

“You should iron...” the white madam just asked me.

Hhmm, au ǀ'hûusi ǁʻorake... kxʼu... ǁxʼam. Kee a. ǁXʼam, ǁxʼam, ǁxʼam, ǁxʼam.

Hhmm, the old white lady made me wash... That's it. Wash, wash, wash, wash.


beltsi

Ku beltsi ke ǃxaekya


ǁqorosi

na ǁu nǀaa ǁqorosi he na ka ǁabe kee

I say it's a leopard because I can't see no claws.


tsʼaxam

Ng ka ke cin hui nǀaa ng xuu ǀxʼubi ke tsʼaxam ǁu. Ce tsʼaxam g!oroke in Tweerivier.

I say together, help see, I really make a noise with no eyes. Yes blind eyes in Tweeriver.


kamaku

ǀqhuisi ke nǁaa kamaku nǁng


Saake

alternative form of Saasi (“San person, Bushman”)


ǂausi

tsamma melon, tsamma (Citrullus lanatus)


gǁoa

Xainki ke kxʼuu aan ǀoba nǀa gǁoa

The mother makes the child eat with a spoon


gǀa

Gǀa kaǀî dyee ka?

(click form) second person singular personal pronoun


zeqa

ǀQhuisi ke zeqa


kosestina

From Afrikaans konsertina (“concertina”)


ǃûi

Sa ǁʻâa si ǃûi


ǃaixa

alternative form of gǃaixa (“tradictional healer, doctor, healer”)


nǁngǂee

alternative form of nǁng ǂe (“people, family”)


ǀeǀhii

From ǀe (“heart”) + ǀhii (“to be sore”); Literally, “heart be sore”


nǀaa ʘone

Probably a calque of Afrikaans blomkoppe


nǀaa ǁʻûi

/ᵑǀɑɑ ᵑ̊ǁˀũĩ/

nǀaa (“to look”) + ǁʻûi (“sun”); Literally, “see the sun”