Locale Zu 001

Reference data for the Zulu locale — endonym isiZulu, written in the Latin script, left-to-right (LTR).

Identifiers

• BCP 47 tag: zu-001
• ISO 639-1: zu
• ISO 639-3: zul
• Script: Latn (Latin)
• Region: 001 (World)
• Text direction: ltr — left-to-right (LTR)

Speakers (approximate)

• L1 (native): 12,000,000
• L2 (additional): 16,000,000
• L1+L2 (total): 28,000,000

Regional variants

This is the base/macro locale for Zulu. Region-specific variants in this dataset:

• Locale Zu Za (Zulu (South Africa))

Pluralization

CLDR plural categories for this locale: one, other (2 forms).

• one — i = 0 or n = 1 (e.g. 0, 1)
• other — everything else (e.g. 2~17, 100, 1000, 10000, …)

See Unicode Messageformat for writing plural messages using these categories.

Translating into this locale

Zulu (isiZulu) is a Nguni Bantu language of South Africa, with noun classes, a rich verb system, and click consonants. It is written conjunctively: prefixes, stems, and suffixes form single long words. See Locale Zu Za.

Translate ideas, not words.

• Zulu verbs carry subject, tense, object, and mood in a single word: Ngilondoloze ifayela (I have saved the file). Restructure English sentences; do not translate word for word.
• Nouns belong to noun classes (umu-/aba-, isi-/izi-, i(li)-/ama-, in-/izin-, ubu-, uku-, and others). The class governs agreement on adjectives, verbs, possessives, and demonstratives. A class error shows up in every agreeing word.
• Use established Zulu terms (from the Zulu National Lexicography Unit and PanSALB's terminology work) rather than raw English borrowings where one exists; adapt loanwords to Zulu spelling.
• Re-express idioms and proverbs (izaga) by meaning.

Grammar that trips translators.

• Concord prefixes must match the class of the subject and object in the verb, adjective, and possessive.
• Writing is conjunctive: write ngiyakuthanda as one word and do not split the prefixes. Splitting words is an error (compare disjunctive Sotho-Tswana languages such as Locale Tn Za).
• The locative is formed with the prefix e- and a suffix -ini or by other patterns (ekhaya, ebhukwini).
• Plurals: one and other categories (the plural is shown by the class prefix). See Unicode Messageformat.

Register.

• Wena is "you" (singular) and nina is the plural. Politeness is carried by the plural forms for elders (Sawubona to one person, Sanibonani to more than one), titles (Baba, Mama, Mnumzane, Nkosikazi), and the traditional avoidance of certain words (ukuhlonipha). Use polite plural forms in public text.
• UI commands use the imperative; the plural imperative ends in -ni (Gcinani).

Orthography and typography.

• Click consonants are written c, q, x (and their combinations gc, nc, ngc, ch, qh, xh); do not substitute them with English sounds. Tones are not written.
• Dates 17 Okthoba 2026; currency rand (R); 24-hour clock; check CLDR for number separators in South Africa.

Common pitfalls

• Splitting conjunctive words.
• Wrong noun-class concords.
• Replacing click letters.
• Keeping English word order.

Learn more

• Locale for BCP 47 identifiers, locale-sensitive formatting, pluralization, and text-direction concepts that apply across all locales.
• Unicode Messageformat for writing plural/selection messages correctly for this locale's grammar.
• Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the statutory body for the official languages of South Africa
• Zulu National Lexicography Unit and the Dictionary of the Zulu language