lobola

English

Etymology

From Xhosa lobola, Zulu lobola (“pay dowry”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈləʊbələ/

Noun

lobola (countable and uncountable, plural lobolas)

1. (South Africa) The bride price among certain Bantu peoples of South Africa.
   • 1901 June 21, “The Rinderpest Outbreak”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎^[1], volume 4, number 8:

     The cattle of the second kaffir had been obtained from the first kaffir as lobola; all (three) have died from the disease.

   • 1948, Alan Paton, chapter 33, in Cry, the Beloved Country‎^[2], New York: Scribner, page 253:

     Some must give up their ground for trees, and some for pastures. And hardest of all would be the custom of lobola, by which a man pays for his wife in cattle, for people kept too many cattle for this purpose, and counted all their wealth in cattle, so that the grass had no chance to recover.

   • 1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage, published 1998, page 38:

     All the money he'd brought with him had gone into lobola – the dowry for a wife […].

   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 213:

     My sister Baliwe, who was older than Mabel, had been engaged to be married, and lobola had already been paid.

Translations

lobola

• Russian: выкуп, калым m (vykup, kalym)

Afrikaans

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

lobola

1. Alternative spelling of lobôla

Zulu

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

-lobóla

1. (intransitive) to pay the bride price

Inflection

Tone H
Infinitive	ukulobola
	Positive	Negative
Infinitive	ukulobola	ukungaloboli
	Imperative
	Simple	+ object concord
Singular	lobola	-lobole
Plural	lobolani	-loboleni
	Present
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyalobola, ngilobola	engilobolayo, engilobola	ngilobola	angiloboli	engingaloboli	ngingaloboli
2nd singular	uyalobola, ulobola	olobolayo, olobola	ulobola	awuloboli	ongaloboli	ungaloboli
1st plural	siyalobola, silobola	esilobolayo, esilobola	silobola	asiloboli	esingaloboli	singaloboli
2nd plural	niyalobola, nilobola	enilobolayo, enilobola	nilobola	aniloboli	eningaloboli	ningaloboli
Class 1	uyalobola, ulobola	olobolayo, olobola	elobola	akaloboli	ongaloboli	engaloboli
Class 2	bayalobola, balobola	abalobolayo, abalobola	belobola	abaloboli	abangaloboli	bengaloboli
Class 3	uyalobola, ulobola	olobolayo, olobola	ulobola	awuloboli	ongaloboli	ungaloboli
Class 4	iyalobola, ilobola	elobolayo, elobola	ilobola	ayiloboli	engaloboli	ingaloboli
Class 5	liyalobola, lilobola	elilobolayo, elilobola	lilobola	aliloboli	elingaloboli	lingaloboli
Class 6	ayalobola, alobola	alobolayo, alobola	elobola	awaloboli	angaloboli	engaloboli
Class 7	siyalobola, silobola	esilobolayo, esilobola	silobola	asiloboli	esingaloboli	singaloboli
Class 8	ziyalobola, zilobola	ezilobolayo, ezilobola	zilobola	aziloboli	ezingaloboli	zingaloboli
Class 9	iyalobola, ilobola	elobolayo, elobola	ilobola	ayiloboli	engaloboli	ingaloboli
Class 10	ziyalobola, zilobola	ezilobolayo, ezilobola	zilobola	aziloboli	ezingaloboli	zingaloboli
Class 11	luyalobola, lulobola	olulobolayo, olulobola	lulobola	aluloboli	olungaloboli	lungaloboli
Class 14	buyalobola, bulobola	obulobolayo, obulobola	bulobola	abuloboli	obungaloboli	bungaloboli
Class 15	kuyalobola, kulobola	okulobolayo, okulobola	kulobola	akuloboli	okungaloboli	kungaloboli
Class 17	kuyalobola, kulobola	okulobolayo, okulobola	kulobola	akuloboli	okungaloboli	kungaloboli
	Recent past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngilobolile, ngilobolē	engilobolile, engilobolē	ngilobolile, ngilobolē	angilobolanga	engingalobolanga	ngingalobolanga
2nd singular	ulobolile, ulobolē	olobolile, olobolē	ulobolile, ulobolē	awulobolanga	ongalobolanga	ungalobolanga
1st plural	silobolile, silobolē	esilobolile, esilobolē	silobolile, silobolē	asilobolanga	esingalobolanga	singalobolanga
2nd plural	nilobolile, nilobolē	enilobolile, enilobolē	nilobolile, nilobolē	anilobolanga	eningalobolanga	ningalobolanga
Class 1	ulobolile, ulobolē	olobolile, olobolē	elobolile, elobolē	akalobolanga	ongalobolanga	engalobolanga
Class 2	balobolile, balobolē	abalobolile, abalobolē	belobolile, belobolē	abalobolanga	abangalobolanga	bengalobolanga
Class 3	ulobolile, ulobolē	olobolile, olobolē	ulobolile, ulobolē	awulobolanga	ongalobolanga	ungalobolanga
Class 4	ilobolile, ilobolē	elobolile, elobolē	ilobolile, ilobolē	ayilobolanga	engalobolanga	ingalobolanga
Class 5	lilobolile, lilobolē	elilobolile, elilobolē	lilobolile, lilobolē	alilobolanga	elingalobolanga	lingalobolanga
Class 6	alobolile, alobolē	alobolile, alobolē	elobolile, elobolē	awalobolanga	angalobolanga	engalobolanga
Class 7	silobolile, silobolē	esilobolile, esilobolē	silobolile, silobolē	asilobolanga	esingalobolanga	singalobolanga
Class 8	zilobolile, zilobolē	ezilobolile, ezilobolē	zilobolile, zilobolē	azilobolanga	ezingalobolanga	zingalobolanga
Class 9	ilobolile, ilobolē	elobolile, elobolē	ilobolile, ilobolē	ayilobolanga	engalobolanga	ingalobolanga
Class 10	zilobolile, zilobolē	ezilobolile, ezilobolē	zilobolile, zilobolē	azilobolanga	ezingalobolanga	zingalobolanga
Class 11	lulobolile, lulobolē	olulobolile, olulobolē	lulobolile, lulobolē	alulobolanga	olungalobolanga	lungalobolanga
Class 14	bulobolile, bulobolē	obulobolile, obulobolē	bulobolile, bulobolē	abulobolanga	obungalobolanga	bungalobolanga
Class 15	kulobolile, kulobolē	okulobolile, okulobolē	kulobolile, kulobolē	akulobolanga	okungalobolanga	kungalobolanga
Class 17	kulobolile, kulobolē	okulobolile, okulobolē	kulobolile, kulobolē	akulobolanga	okungalobolanga	kungalobolanga
	Remote past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngālobola	engālobola	ngālobola	angilobolanga	engingalobolanga	ngingalobolanga
2nd singular	wālobola	owālobola	wālobola	awulobolanga	ongalobolanga	ungalobolanga
1st plural	sālobola	esālobola	sālobola	asilobolanga	esingalobolanga	singalobolanga
2nd plural	nālobola	enālobola	nālobola	anilobolanga	eningalobolanga	ningalobolanga
Class 1	wālobola	owālobola	ālobola	akalobolanga	ongalobolanga	engalobolanga
Class 2	bālobola	abālobola	bālobola	abalobolanga	abangalobolanga	bengalobolanga
Class 3	wālobola	owālobola	wālobola	awulobolanga	ongalobolanga	ungalobolanga
Class 4	yālobola	eyālobola	yālobola	ayilobolanga	engalobolanga	ingalobolanga
Class 5	lālobola	elālobola	lālobola	alilobolanga	elingalobolanga	lingalobolanga
Class 6	ālobola	ālobola	ālobola	awalobolanga	angalobolanga	engalobolanga
Class 7	sālobola	esālobola	sālobola	asilobolanga	esingalobolanga	singalobolanga
Class 8	zālobola	ezālobola	zālobola	azilobolanga	ezingalobolanga	zingalobolanga
Class 9	yālobola	eyālobola	yālobola	ayilobolanga	engalobolanga	ingalobolanga
Class 10	zālobola	ezālobola	zālobola	azilobolanga	ezingalobolanga	zingalobolanga
Class 11	lwālobola	olwālobola	lwālobola	alulobolanga	olungalobolanga	lungalobolanga
Class 14	bālobola	obālobola	bālobola	abulobolanga	obungalobolanga	bungalobolanga
Class 15	kwālobola	okwālobola	kwālobola	akulobolanga	okungalobolanga	kungalobolanga
Class 17	kwālobola	okwālobola	kwālobola	akulobolanga	okungalobolanga	kungalobolanga
	Potential
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngingalobola	—	ngingalobola	ngingelobole	—	ngingelobole
2nd singular	ungalobola	—	ungalobola	ungelobole	—	ungelobole
1st plural	singalobola	—	singalobola	singelobole	—	singelobole
2nd plural	ningalobola	—	ningalobola	ningelobole	—	ningelobole
Class 1	angalobola	—	engalobola	angelobole	—	engelobole
Class 2	bangalobola	—	bengalobola	bangelobole	—	bengelobole
Class 3	ungalobola	—	ungalobola	ungelobole	—	ungelobole
Class 4	ingalobola	—	ingalobola	ingelobole	—	ingelobole
Class 5	lingalobola	—	lingalobola	lingelobole	—	lingelobole
Class 6	angalobola	—	engalobola	angelobole	—	engelobole
Class 7	singalobola	—	singalobola	singelobole	—	singelobole
Class 8	zingalobola	—	zingalobola	zingelobole	—	zingelobole
Class 9	ingalobola	—	ingalobola	ingelobole	—	ingelobole
Class 10	zingalobola	—	zingalobola	zingelobole	—	zingelobole
Class 11	lungalobola	—	lungalobola	lungelobole	—	lungelobole
Class 14	bungalobola	—	bungalobola	bungelobole	—	bungelobole
Class 15	kungalobola	—	kungalobola	kungelobole	—	kungelobole
Class 17	kungalobola	—	kungalobola	kungelobole	—	kungelobole
	Immediate future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngizolobola	engizolobola	ngizolobola	angizulobola	engingezulobola	ngingezulobola
2nd singular	uzolobola	ozolobola	uzolobola	awuzulobola	ongezulobola	ungezulobola
1st plural	sizolobola	esizolobola	sizolobola	asizulobola	esingezulobola	singezulobola
2nd plural	nizolobola	enizolobola	nizolobola	anizulobola	eningezulobola	ningezulobola
Class 1	uzolobola	ozolobola	ezolobola	akazulobola	ongezulobola	engezulobola
Class 2	bazolobola	abazolobola	bezolobola	abazulobola	abangezulobola	bengezulobola
Class 3	uzolobola	ozolobola	uzolobola	awuzulobola	ongezulobola	ungezulobola
Class 4	izolobola	ezolobola	izolobola	ayizulobola	engezulobola	ingezulobola
Class 5	lizolobola	elizolobola	lizolobola	alizulobola	elingezulobola	lingezulobola
Class 6	azolobola	azolobola	ezolobola	awazulobola	angezulobola	engezulobola
Class 7	sizolobola	esizolobola	sizolobola	asizulobola	esingezulobola	singezulobola
Class 8	zizolobola	ezizolobola	zizolobola	azizulobola	ezingezulobola	zingezulobola
Class 9	izolobola	ezolobola	izolobola	ayizulobola	engezulobola	ingezulobola
Class 10	zizolobola	ezizolobola	zizolobola	azizulobola	ezingezulobola	zingezulobola
Class 11	luzolobola	oluzolobola	luzolobola	aluzulobola	olungezulobola	lungezulobola
Class 14	buzolobola	obuzolobola	buzolobola	abuzulobola	obungezulobola	bungezulobola
Class 15	kuzolobola	okuzolobola	kuzolobola	akuzulobola	okungezulobola	kungezulobola
Class 17	kuzolobola	okuzolobola	kuzolobola	akuzulobola	okungezulobola	kungezulobola
	Remote future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyolobola	engiyolobola	ngiyolobola	angiyulobola	engingeyulobola	ngingeyulobola
2nd singular	uyolobola	oyolobola	uyolobola	awuyulobola	ongeyulobola	ungeyulobola
1st plural	siyolobola	esiyolobola	siyolobola	asiyulobola	esingeyulobola	singeyulobola
2nd plural	niyolobola	eniyolobola	niyolobola	aniyulobola	eningeyulobola	ningeyulobola
Class 1	uyolobola	oyolobola	eyolobola	akayulobola	ongeyulobola	engeyulobola
Class 2	bayolobola	abayolobola	beyolobola	abayulobola	abangeyulobola	bengeyulobola
Class 3	uyolobola	oyolobola	uyolobola	awuyulobola	ongeyulobola	ungeyulobola
Class 4	iyolobola	eyolobola	iyolobola	ayiyulobola	engeyulobola	ingeyulobola
Class 5	liyolobola	eliyolobola	liyolobola	aliyulobola	elingeyulobola	lingeyulobola
Class 6	ayolobola	ayolobola	eyolobola	awayulobola	angeyulobola	engeyulobola
Class 7	siyolobola	esiyolobola	siyolobola	asiyulobola	esingeyulobola	singeyulobola
Class 8	ziyolobola	eziyolobola	ziyolobola	aziyulobola	ezingeyulobola	zingeyulobola
Class 9	iyolobola	eyolobola	iyolobola	ayiyulobola	engeyulobola	ingeyulobola
Class 10	ziyolobola	eziyolobola	ziyolobola	aziyulobola	ezingeyulobola	zingeyulobola
Class 11	luyolobola	oluyolobola	luyolobola	aluyulobola	olungeyulobola	lungeyulobola
Class 14	buyolobola	obuyolobola	buyolobola	abuyulobola	obungeyulobola	bungeyulobola
Class 15	kuyolobola	okuyolobola	kuyolobola	akuyulobola	okungeyulobola	kungeyulobola
Class 17	kuyolobola	okuyolobola	kuyolobola	akuyulobola	okungeyulobola	kungeyulobola
	Present subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngilobole	ngingaloboli
2nd singular	ulobole	ungaloboli
1st plural	silobole	singaloboli
2nd plural	nilobole	ningaloboli
Class 1	alobole	angaloboli
Class 2	balobole	bangaloboli
Class 3	ulobole	ungaloboli
Class 4	ilobole	ingaloboli
Class 5	lilobole	lingaloboli
Class 6	alobole	angaloboli
Class 7	silobole	singaloboli
Class 8	zilobole	zingaloboli
Class 9	ilobole	ingaloboli
Class 10	zilobole	zingaloboli
Class 11	lulobole	lungaloboli
Class 14	bulobole	bungaloboli
Class 15	kulobole	kungaloboli
Class 17	kulobole	kungaloboli
	Past subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngalobola	ngangalobola, angalobola, angangalobola
2nd singular	walobola	wangalobola, awalobola, awangalobola
1st plural	salobola	sangalobola, asalobola, asangalobola
2nd plural	nalobola	nangalobola, analobola, anangalobola
Class 1	walobola	wangalobola, akalobola, akangalobola
Class 2	balobola	bangalobola, abalobola, abangalobola
Class 3	walobola	wangalobola, awalobola, awangalobola
Class 4	yalobola	yangalobola, ayalobola, ayangalobola
Class 5	lalobola	langalobola, alalobola, alangalobola
Class 6	alobola	angalobola, awalobola, awangalobola
Class 7	salobola	sangalobola, asalobola, asangalobola
Class 8	zalobola	zangalobola, azalobola, azangalobola
Class 9	yalobola	yangalobola, ayalobola, ayangalobola
Class 10	zalobola	zangalobola, azalobola, azangalobola
Class 11	lwalobola	lwangalobola, alwalobola, alwangalobola
Class 14	balobola	bangalobola, abalobola, abangalobola
Class 15	kwalobola	kwangalobola, akwalobola, akwangalobola
Class 17	kwalobola	kwangalobola, akwalobola, akwangalobola

Derived terms

• ilobolo

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “loɓola”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “loɓola (3.2.9)”