uNhlaba

Zulu

Etymology

From u- (class 1a) +‎ inhlaba (“aloe”). Probably refers to the flowering of aloe plants. However, the native species of aloe flower about one to two months after this month.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /únɬâːɓa/

Noun

úNhlâba class 1a (plural ôNhlâba class 2a)

1. May

   Synonym: uMeyi

2. the eleventh month of the Zulu lunar calendar, beginning with the new moon in late April or early May

Inflection

Class 1a/2a (locative kuNhlaba)

	singular		plural
full form	uNhlaba		oNhlaba
simple form	Nhlaba		boNhlaba
locative	kuNhlaba		koNhlaba
copulative	nguNhlaba		ngoNhlaba
Possessive forms
	singular		plural
	modifier	substantive	modifier	substantive
class 1	kaNhlaba	okaNhlaba	woNhlaba	owoNhlaba
class 2	bakaNhlaba	abakaNhlaba	boNhlaba	aboNhlaba
class 3	kaNhlaba	okaNhlaba	woNhlaba	owoNhlaba
class 4	kaNhlaba	ekaNhlaba	yoNhlaba	eyoNhlaba
class 5	likaNhlaba	elikaNhlaba	loNhlaba	eloNhlaba
class 6	kaNhlaba	akaNhlaba	oNhlaba	awoNhlaba
class 7	sikaNhlaba	esikaNhlaba	soNhlaba	esoNhlaba
class 8	zikaNhlaba	ezikaNhlaba	zoNhlaba	ezoNhlaba
class 9	kaNhlaba	ekaNhlaba	yoNhlaba	eyoNhlaba
class 10	zikaNhlaba	ezikaNhlaba	zoNhlaba	ezoNhlaba
class 11	lukaNhlaba	olukaNhlaba	loNhlaba	oloNhlaba
class 14	bukaNhlaba	obukaNhlaba	boNhlaba	oboNhlaba
class 15	kukaNhlaba	okukaNhlaba	koNhlaba	okoNhlaba
class 17	kukaNhlaba	okukaNhlaba	koNhlaba	okoNhlaba

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “-nhlaɓa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “-nhlaɓa (2.3-8.9)”
• Koopman, Adrian (2002) Andrea Nattrass, editor, Zulu Names, Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press