Please be careful with the words marked with a * – they are considered rude or ‘swear-words’.
Human | Simple Solids | Simple Fluids | Complex Solids |
| none! | umzimba body | ikhanda head | isikhumba skin |
| umlomo mouth | ihlo eye | isandla hand | |
| umhlathi cheek, maxilla | izinyo tooth | isihlathi cheek, mandible | |
| umunwe finger | idolo knee, patella | isinqe buttock | |
| umsipha muscle | ihlombe shoulder | isibindi liver | |
| umthambo vein, nerve | ithambo bone | isisu stomach | |
| umhlane back | igazi blood | isifuba chest | |
| umlenze leg | iphimbo throat, larynx | isithupha thumb | |
| umgogodla spine | amakhala nose, nostrils | ||
| umqolo lumbar region | inyikwe, inyaka pancreas | ||
| umqala neck, cervical vertebra | amathumbu intestines | ||
| umkhono forearm | inanzi colon | ||
| umdidi anus | iphaphu lung | ||
| umthondo* penis | |||
| umsunu* vagina |
Seasonal | Complex Fluids  | Abstract | Actions |
| indlebe ear | unwele hair (single strand) | ubuso face | none! |
| inso kidney | ulimi tongue | ubuchopho brain | |
| inhliziyo heart | uzwani toe | ||
| indololwane elbow | unyawo foot | ||
| impama palm | ucabango solar plexus | ||
| ingalo arm | uzipho nail | ||
| ingqondo brain, mind | ubende spleen | ||
| inyongo gall-bladder | |||
| ingquza* anus |
What do you notice about this list? Which noun-classes are missing words entirely for this particular vocabulary-set?
Here are the two audio files to help you get the pronunciation right on the words for body-parts:
If there are words missing from this list, please let us know!