Synonyms and Antonyms are a major part of the way that isiZulu is examined in school, and they are a particularly important aspect of the way that the language works with meaning-making.
The following tablse shows the most common synonyms and antonyms, although it is not an exhaustive list. Please comment with any that I have missed!
Examples from 2024 IEB are in RED, from 2023 are in PURPLE, from 2022 are in BLUE and from 2021 are in ORANGE.
A. Adjectives & Relatives
| word | umqondofana | umqondophika |
| -khulu big, old | -dala old | -ncane small, young -sha young |
| -ncane small, young | -sha young | -khulu big, old -dala old |
| -de tall, long | / | -fushane -fuphi short, brief |
| -fushane short, brief | -fuphi short, brief | -de tall, long |
| -ningi many, much | / | -mbalwa few, numbered |
| -mbalwa few, numbered | / | -ningi many, much |
| -mnyama black, dark | -nzima dark (heavy, difficult) | -mhlophe white, bright |
| -mhlophe white, bright | / | -mnyama black, dark -nzima dark (heavy, difficult) |
| -manzi wet, moist | / | -omile dry |
| -omile dry | / | -manzi wet, moist |
| -lukhuni hard, brittle, difficult | -nzima heavy, difficult, dark | -lula light, easy |
| -lula light, easy | -lukhuni hard, brittle, difficult -nzima heavy, difficult, dark |
B. Verbs
| word | umqondofana | umqondophika |
| ukukhula growing aging increasing | ukwanda increasing (multiplying) | ukuncipha shrinking decreasing |
| ukuncipha shrinking decreasing | ukukhula growing aging increasing ukwanda increasing (multiplying) | |
| ukukhathala become tired | ukukhuthala become energized | |
| ukusiza help, assist | ukunceda help, assist ukwelekelela help, assist | ukulimaza harm ukuhlupha afflict |
| ukusutha to be full of food -suthi full of food | ukulamba to be hungry -lambile hungry |
C. Nouns
| word | umqondofana | umqondophika |
| umsindo noise, commotion | uxolo peace ukuthula quiet, peace | |
| ikhaya home | umuzi homestead indlu house, room, dwelling | |
| ifoni a phone | umakhalekhukhwini a phone | |
| indlu house, room, dwelling | igumbi room | |
| indodana son | indodakazi daughter | |
| inkosikazi queen, mrs | inkosi king umnumzane mr | |
| ubumnyama darkness, blackness | ubumhlophe whiteness ukukhanya light | |
| ubusuku night-time | imini day-time | |
| usuku day, date | ilanga day (sun) um(u)hla day, date | |
| ilanga day sun weather | izulu (sky) weather (lightning) | inyanga moon (herbalist) (month) |
| iningi majority, crowd | isixuku crowd | idlanzane minority |
| isitha enemy | umngane friend umhlobo friend | |
| idlanzane minority | iningi majority crowd isixuku crowd | |
| ingane child | umntwana child | |
| inzondo hatred, jealousy | umona hatred, jealousy | uthando love umusa kindness |
D. Adverbs
| word | umqondofana | umqondophika |
| phakathi inside | phandle outside | |
| phansi underneath, below | phezulu on top, above | |
| phambili in front of, before | emuva behind, after | |
| kude / ekudeni distant | emajukujukwini in distant places emaphandleni in outer places | eduze close by |