Ok, so I want to learn an African language. I thought Xhosa was the way to go, since that's what Mbeki speaks, but our next president speaks Zulu... So which one? Zulu or Xhosa? What will help me the most in the business world? And on the street?
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Learning an African language - which one?
- Thread starter EtienneK
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Albereth
Honorary Master
English will help you most in the business world.
As for a "street" language - where do you live?
Afrikaans is an african language too.
As for a "street" language - where do you live?
Afrikaans is an african language too.
Both I believe. They are related anyway.
It depends where you are. If you want to do business in:
Eastern or Western Cape, then Xhosa
KZN - Zulu.
Gauteng - Zulu or Sotho, even Xhosa
North West - Setswana
... etc
I know/understand almost all SA indigenous languages.
It depends where you are. If you want to do business in:
Eastern or Western Cape, then Xhosa
KZN - Zulu.
Gauteng - Zulu or Sotho, even Xhosa
North West - Setswana
... etc
I know/understand almost all SA indigenous languages.
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dlk001
Executive Member
Zulu is the language to go for. Sotho is next language. Xhosa and Zulu are related but I personally think Zulu is easier to learn and the most spoken/understood.
Its easier to say "umshini wam" than "umtshini wam"
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slayerza
Senior Member
I would think that for "on the street" usage your location would the largest factor as most of the African languages are bound by region, for example Zulu in KZN.
Well, I live in Gauteng. I would like to understand people when they are talking to each other in their native language.
dlk001
Executive Member
Both I believe. They are related anyway.
It depends where you are. If you want to do business in:
Eastern or Western Cape, then Xhosa
KZN - Zulu.
Gauteng - Zulu or Sotho, even Xhosa
North West - Setswana
... etc
I know/understand almost all SA indigenous languages.
I also think Zulu for KZN and Xhosa for EC are important. For most places, one can get away with Zulu if that's the only indigenous language they understand.
Pitbull
Verboten
nope
Which then?
Pitbull
Verboten
I might be completely off with this but here is my guess
Xhosa and Tswana is the largest. But afaik the Zulu's are not the biggest "Race" in SA if you want to call it that
brixton tower
Expert Member
Like others on here I would suggest you start learning to speak Zulu which is a lingua franca in most urban centres and is closely related to Xhosa sans the clicks.
dlk001
Executive Member
Zulu is the language you should learn.
MyWorld
Executive Member
First try and learn:
Corruption 101
All the rest will fall into place nicely.
Corruption 101
All the rest will fall into place nicely.
Kloofvreter
Honorary Master
Gam-Afrikaans, hos$ djy! 
Pitbull
Verboten
Sorry i guess you guys where right.
Here is the http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70183
this is from the 2001 census (SP?)
Here is the http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=70183
this is from the 2001 census (SP?)
Nice find
Had no idea afrikaans was 3de on the list
- Zulu 23.8%
- Xhosa 17.6%
- Afrikaans 13.3%
- Sephedi 9.4%
- Sstswana 8.2%
I think it makes more sense seeing that Zulu is spoken in the most populous provinces, i.e. KZN and Gauteng.
The good thing is that if you learn Zulu, you'll understand Xhosa, Ndebele, Swati as they are all related. Moreover the other ethnicities generally have some understanding of Zulu.
Why not just do business in English?