Nature & Outdoors

1. Cilundu

   Mountain / hill

   Usage

   A mountain or hill; the plural is "zilundu"

   Grammar Note

   A class 7 noun (prefix ci-); the plural is the class 8 form "zilundu". "Mulundu" is also used for a hill

2. Mulonga

   River

   Usage

   A river; the plural is "milonga"

   Grammar Note

   A class 3 noun (prefix mu-); the plural is the class 4 form "milonga"

3. Izyiba

   Lake

   Usage

   A lake, meaning a large body of standing water rather than a flowing river

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun. After a preposition the initial i- drops, as in "azyiba" or "muzyiba"

4. Lwizi

   Large river / sea

   Usage

   A large river or the sea; in southern Zambia it can mean the Zambezi, and "Lwizi Lusalala" is the Red Sea

   Grammar Note

   A class 11 noun (prefix lu-); the locative form is "mulwizi" (in or on the river or sea)

5. Cisamu

   Tree

   Usage

   A tree; the plural is "misamu"

   Grammar Note

   A class 7 noun (prefix ci-); the plural is "misamu". "Musamu" also means medicine

6. Inyenyeezi

   Star

   Usage

   A star; in a sentence the initial i- drops and it is also written "nyenyeezi"

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun. The older spelling "inyenyezi" has short vowels, while the current spelling is "nyenyeezi" with a long vowel

7. Izuba

   Sun

   Usage

   The sun; also said "zuba"

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun. After a verb or preposition the initial i- drops, giving "zuba"

8. Mwezi

   Moon / month

   Usage

   Means both the moon in the sky and a calendar month

   Grammar Note

   A class 3 noun (prefix mu-). It is sometimes written with a long vowel as "mweezi"

9. Inswi

   Fish

   Usage

   A fish; in a sentence it often appears as "nswi" without the initial i-

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun, used for the fish caught in rivers and lakes

10. Inzoka

    Snake

    Usage

    A snake; in a sentence it often appears as "nzoka"

    Grammar Note

    A noun whose initial i- often drops

11. Sena kuli nzoka aano?

    Are there snakes here?

    Usage

    Asks whether there are snakes before you walk into bush or woods

    Grammar Note

    A question starts with "Sena". "Kuli" means "there is", so "Sena kuli ...?" asks "Is there ...?". "Aano" means "here". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

12. Ndiyanda kutanta acilundu.

    I want to climb the mountain.

    Usage

    Tells a guide or host that you want to climb a mountain or hill

    Grammar Note

    "Ndiyanda" is followed by a verb in the "ku-" infinitive. "Tanta" means "climb" or "get onto". "Acilundu" is "a-" (on) plus "cilundu" (mountain). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

13. Sena tulakonzya kutanta acilundu?

    Can we climb the mountain?

    Usage

    Asks whether you may, or are able to, climb a mountain or hill

    Grammar Note

    A question opened by "Sena". "Tulakonzya" is "we can" (tu- is "we", -konzya is "be able"). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

14. Inzovu

    Elephant

    Usage

    An elephant; useful when going to see wildlife

    Grammar Note

    Source: dictionary only; native review recommended

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