Xitsonga Idioms and their Meanings in English
On this page, you will find Xitsonga Idioms and Proverbs translated into English for easy understanding.
Welcome to our resource page dedicated to Xitsonga idioms and proverbs. Here, you will find a curated collection of these traditional sayings, thoughtfully translated into English for easy understanding. Whether you’re a student, educator, or simply a lover of language and culture, this page serves as a gateway to the wisdom and poetic expression embedded in Xitsonga heritage. Explore these translations and enrich your comprehension of this vibrant language and its profound cultural insights.
| A ndzi ku hi laha ku nga na mpfula ku sala ndzhongo | Direct – I thought it is where the rain has poured and left fertile soil ground Meaning – I thought it was good things |
| Baji ri talele hi moya | Direct – The jacket is full of air Meaning – Someone has passed away |
| Dyondzo i xitlhangu xa vutomi | Direct – Education is the key to a good life |
| Emahlweni ka nghala ku fambiwa na xisana | Direct – When you go in front of a lion you must take a fire Meaning – You must be prepared when you approach a difficult target |
| Fuwa hlolwa u tsema ndleve | Direct – When you domesticate a wild dog you must cut its ear Meaning – When you help someone and he or she later turns against you |
| Hambi wo famba enkoveni lundza ri ta vonaka | Direct – Even if you walk in a valley your head will be visible Meaning – There are no secrets |
| Hi ta ku i timangwa loko hi vona mavala | Direct – We will say it’s zebras when we see the stripes Meaning – I will believe something when I see it |
| Homu yo famba hi ndlela a yi heti nsimu | Direct – A cattle which eats as it moves by the roadside does not finish a field Meaning – A visitor will not finish your food |
| Huma mhiri se ku nghena mamba | Direct – A python should leave for the black mamba to go in Meaning – When you beat someone at something very important |
| Humba yi olele nkuma | Direct – The snail has collected ashes Meaning – Someone passed away |
| I kwakwa ra sekwa ma vonela e kule | Direct – The blessings of a duck is that it can see things which are far |
| I malebvu ya nghala | Direct – It is a lion’s beard Meaning – Something that is not as scary as it looks |
| I matutu vana va tavasi | Direct – It is plenty |
| I tihomu ta ka Sono ti gomolana exivaleni | Direct – Cattle fighting in a kraal Meaning – A family discussing family matters |
| Ku ba mati tingwenya ti tlela | Direct – To beat the water and the crocodiles sleep Meaning – To give a bribe |
| Ku dya ngopfu a hi ku hlula ndlala | Direct – Eating too is not to defeat hunger Meaning – Eating too much doesn’t defeat hunger |
| Ku pfuxiwa leyi ti pfuxaka | Direct – People only wake those who wake themselves Meaning – People only help those who help themselves |
| Ku tlula ka mhala swi letela n’wana wa le ndzeni | Direct – The way an impala jumps influences its unborn child Meaning – A child often takes after their mother |
| Ku tshama hi mavoko swi chela vusiwana | Direct – Lazy hands make a man poor |
| Kuwa ra le tshyakeni u dyisa hi n’wana | Direct – Only your child can feed you a dirty fig fruit |
| Kuwa ro tshwuka ri na xivungu endzeni | Direct – A fig fruit which is pink has a worm inside Meaning – A beautiful woman tends to have bad deeds |
| Kwembe ro hiwa a ri na murhu | Direct – A pumpkin which is given to you or you didn’t prepare yourself is usually dry |
| Laha ku nga ni tinhongani ku borile xilo | Direct – Where there are flies there’s something rotten |
| Laha ndlati yi nga ba kona yi tlhela yi vuya | Direct – Lighting will struck when it has struck in the past |
| Lexi xi nga heriku xa hlola | Direct – What doesn’t end is taboo Meaning – Everything has an end |
| Loko u nga fambi u ta teka makwavo | Direct – If you don’t travel you’ll marry your sibling |
| Loko u tsundzuka mhelembe khandziya nsinya | Direct – When you think of a rhino immediately climb a tree Meaning – When you remember something do it immediately |
| Mahlo ya kwahle ya tiva hi muyevuri | Direct – The eyes of lizard are only seen by the hunter who kills it Meaning – You don’t know something until you experience it |
| Makondlo ma mbirhi a ya celi mbovo wun’we | Direct – Two rats cannot dig the same hole |
| Mangwa yi pfumale timondzo hi ku rhumisa | Direct – A zebra doesn’t have horn because of sending others to do its work |
Source
https://www.xitsonga.org/proverbs
