If you have ever been on a safari in Southern Africa, you may have noticed that when your guide and the tracker speak or the guide uses the radio to speak with other guides on the reserve, they often use the local African language, mixed in with English to communicate with each other. Quite often they do this when speaking about certain animals that may or may not be in the area.

The reason that they do it in the local language is so that they don’t give you the guests too high an expectation of what you may or may not find. Let me explain: Lets say for example your guide is speaking to another guide on the radio who is a 15 minute drive away and that guide says that he has just seem some lions, but they are mobile. (moving) If he was to do that in a language that everyone on the vehicle understands it may give the gusts an unrealistic expectation of definitely seeing those lions. If it is in a local language, the guide can then make his own mind up if it is worth driving there on the off chance that they may see the lions, but they may also not, without the pressure from the guests. I would often head in that direction still on the look out for other game and if we found the lions in the end, fantastic and if not because I had used the Shangaan name for lion (Nghala) no one on the vehicle other than myself would have been disappointed, but we still managed to see Nyari (buffalo), Hlongo (Kudu) and Mhala (Impala) along the way.

Now that I have given that secret away, I may as well tell you the animal names in some of the local Southern African Languages:

The Big 5 Animals

Lion
Afrikaans: Leeu
Zulu: Ngonyama
Shangaan: Nghala
Tswana: Tau
Swahili: Simba
Shona: Shumba
Ndebele: Isilwane
Venda: Ndau
Siswati: Ngwenyama
Sotho: Tau
Lozi: Tau
Yei: Undavu

Elephant
Zulu, Siswati, Xhosa: Ndhlovu
Shangaan: Ndlopfu
Sotho: Tlou
Venda: Ndou
Lozi: Tou
Yei: Unjovo
Shangaan – Ndlopfu
Tswana – Tlou
Swahili – Tembo

Buffalo
Afrikaans: Buffel
Zulu, Xhosa: Nyathi
Siswati: Inyatsi
Sotho: Nare
Venda: Nyati
Shangaan: Nyari
Tswana: Nari
Shona: Nyati
Ndebele: Inyathi
Lozi: Nali
Yei: Unyati
Swahili: Nyati

Leopard:
Zulu, Ndebele, Siswati, Xhosa, Shangaan, Tsonga, Venda: Ngwe, Ingwe
Shangaan: Ingwe
Swahili: Chui
Afrikaans: Luiperd
Lozi: Ngwe

Black Rhinoceros
Afrikaans: Swartrenoster
Xhosa: Mkhohombe
Shona: Chipenbere
Zulu: uBhejane / Ubejane
Venda: Thema
Tswana: Tshukudu
Lozi: Sukulu
Sotho: Makgale
Shangaan – Mhelembe
Swahili – Faru

Other Large African Animals:

White Rhinoceros
Afrikaans: Witrenoster
Shona: Chipenbere
Zulu: Mkhombe / Nkombe
Venda: Tshuguly
Tswana: Tshukudu
Sotho: Tshukudu
Shangaan – Mkhumbi

Hippopotamus
Afrikaans: Seekoei
Zulu, Xhosa, Siswati: Mvubu
Shangaan, Tsonga: Mpfubu
Ndebele: Imvubu
Sotho, Tswana: Kubu
Venda: Mvuvu
Shona: Mvuu
Lozi: Kubu
Yei: Unvuva
Tswana – Kubu
Swahili – Kiboko

Giraffe:
Afrikaans: Kameelperd
Shangaan: Nthutlwa
Ndebele: Htundla
Zulu: Ndhulamithi
Venda: Thuda
Tswana: Thutlwa
Lozi: Tutwa
Sotho: Unveweshe
Swahili – Twiga

Burchell’s Zebra
Afrikaans: Bontsebra
Shangaan: Tsonga / Mangwa
Ndebele: Idube
Zulu, Xhosa: Dube
Tswana, Sotho: Pise ya naga / Phiri
Siswati: Lidvubu
Lozi: Pizi
Yei: Umbiyi

Blue Wildebeest:
Afrikaans: Blouwildebees
Ndebele, Zulu, Xhosa: Nkhonhoni
Shangaan: Hongonyi
Siswati: Ngongoni
Shona: Ngongoni
Sotho: Kgokong
Tswana: Kgokong
Venda: Khongoini
Lozi: Kokonu
Yei: Unzonzo
Swahili – Nyumbu

Warthog:
Afrikaans: Vlakvark
Zulu: Ndlovudalana
Ndebele: Ngulube
Shangaan: Ngulube
Venda: Phangwa
Tswana: Kolobe
Siswati: Budzayikatana
Sotho: Kolobe
Lozi: Kolobe
Yei: Ungili
Swahili – Ngiri

Bushpig
Afrikaans: Bosvark
Zulu: Ngulube
Ndebele: Ngulugunda
Shangaan: Khumba
Venda: Nguluvhe
Tswana: Kolobe ya naga
Siswati: Ingulnbe ye siganga
Sotho: Kolobe
Lozi: Ngili
Yei: Unkutula

African Carnivores and Omnivores

Cheetah
Ndebele, Zulu: Ihlosi, Hlosi
Shangaan – Khankankha
Tswana, Sotho: Lengau
Swahili – Duma
Afrikaans: Jagluiperd
Venda: Dagaladzhie
Siswati: Lihlosi
Lozi: Linau
Yei: Unqaba

Caracal
Afrikaans: Rooikat
Xhosa: Nghawa
Shona: Hwang, Twana
Ndebele: Intwane
Zulu: Ndabushe
Venda: Thwani
Tswana: Thwane
Siswati: Indabushe
Lozi: Twani

Serval
Xhosa: Hlosi
Shona: Nzudzi
Ndebele: Inhlozi
Zulu: Ndlozi
Venda: Didingwe
Tswana: Tadi
Siswati: Indloti
Lozi: Nwela

African wild cat
Afrikaans: Vaalbokat
Shangaan: Mphaha
Ndebele: Igola
Zulu: Mpaka
Venda: Phaha
Tswana: Phage
Xhosa: Ngada
Siswati: Imbodla
Sotho: Tsetse
Lozi: Sinono
Yei: Uqhumu

Wild Dog:
Zulu – Inkanshane
Shangaan – Mohlolwa
Tswana – Lethalerwa
Swahili – Mbwa mwitu

Spotted Hyena:
Zulu – Mpisi
Shangaan – Mhisi
Tswana – Piri / Phiri
Swahili – Fisi
Afrikaans: Gevlekte Hiena
Shona: Bere
Venda: Phele

Jackal:
Zulu – Npungashe
Shangaan – Mangawana
Tswana – Phokoje
Swahili – Bweha

Aardwolf
Afrikaans: Aardwolf
Shona: Mwena
Ndebele: Inthuhu
Zulu: Nehi
Venda: Tshivingwi
Tswana: Thukwi
Siswati: Ngci
Lozi: Mutosi

African Antelope

Impala:
Afrikaans: Rooibok
Shangaan: Mhala
Ndebele, Zulu, Siswati: Mpala
Venda, Sotho, Tswana: Phala
Lozi: Pala
Yei: Umpala
Swahili – Swala pala

Kudu:
Zulu – Mgankla / Tshabalala
Shangaan – Hlongo
Tswana – Tholo
Swahili – Tandala

Sharpe’s Grysbok
Afrikaans: Sharpe se Grysbok
Shona: Himba
Ndebele: Isanempa
Shangaan: Pitsipitsi

Klipspringer
Afrikaans: Klipspringer
Shangaan: Ngululu
Ndebele: Igogo
Sotho: Kome
Shona: Ngururu
Tswana: Kololo
Siswati: Ligoka

Common Duiker
Afrikaans: Duiker
Zulu, Xhisa, Siswati: Mpunzi
Ndebele: Impunzi
Shangaan: Mhuti
Venda: Nfsa
Tswana: Phuti
Shona: Mhembwe
Sotho: Phuthi
Lozi: Puti
Yei: Unsa

Red Duiker
Zulu: Ncobo

Steenbok
Afrikaans: Steenbok
Zulu: Qhina
Ndebele: Ingina
Shangaan: Shipene
Venda: Phuluvhulu
Siswati: Lingcina
Sotho: Thiane
Lozi: Kabu
Yei: Ughwi
Tswana: Phuduhudu
Shona: Mhene
Xhosa: Shabanga

Reedbuck
Afrikaans: Rietbok
Xhosa: Ntlangu
Zulu: Nxala / Mziki
Shangaan: Nhlangu
Ndebele: Umziki
Tswana: Sebugatla
Sotho: Lekwena
Venda: Dahvu
Shona: Bimha
Lozi: Mutpobo
Yei: Unvwi

Tsessebe
Afrikaans: Basterhartbees
Shangaan: Nondo
Tswana: Tshesebe
Ndebele: Inkolomi
Sotho: Tshentshebe
Shona: Nondo
Siswati: Mzansi
Yei: Unsuru
Lozi: Sebesebe

Sable
Afrikaans: Swartwitpens
Zulu: Mpalampale
Shangaan: Mhalamhala
Tswana: Kwalata
Sotho: Phalafala
Ndebele: Ngwaladi
Venda: Phalafala
Shona: Mharapara
Siswati: Imphalampala
Lozi: Kwalata

Roan
Afrikaans: Bastergemsbok
Ndebele: Ithaka
Shangaan: Ndakadsi
Venda: Thavha-nda-lila
Siswati: Litagaezi
Sotho: Hlaba-ka-lela
Lozi: Kwalata
Tswana: Kunkuru
Shona: Ndunguza

Waterbuck
Afrikaans: Waterbok
Zulu, Siswati: Phiva
Shangaan: Mhitlwa
Ndebele: Isidumuka
Tswana: Pitlhwa
Sotho: Phitlwa
Venda: Phidwa
Shona: Dhumukwa
Lozi: Ngunguma

Bushbuck
Afrikaans: Bosbok
Shangaan: Mbvala
Ndebele, Zulu, Siswati: Imbabala
Sotho: Tshoso
Shona: Dsoma
Xhosa: Imbabala
Venda: Mbavhala
Tswana: Serolobotlhoko
Lozi: Mbabala
Yei: Ungulungu

Nyala
Afrikaans: Njala
Ndebele, Zulu, Shangaan, Venda: Inyala
Shona: Nyara
Siswati: Litagayezi

Kudu
Afrikaans: Koedoe
Zulu: Mgankla
Xhosa: Qudu
Siswati: Shongololo
Shangaan: Hlongo
Sotho, Venda, Tswana: Tholo
Shona: Nhoro
Ndebele: Ibhalabhala
Lozi: Tolo
Yei: Unzwa

Eland
Afrikaans: Eland
Zulu, Xhosa: Mpofu
Shangaan: Mhofu
Sotho: Phohu
Venda: Phofu
Shona: Mhofu
Tswana: Phofu
Mdebele: Impofu
Siswati: Impophi
Lozi: Pofu
Yei: Unshefu

Southern African Primates

Lesser Bushbaby:
Zulu – Nhlathini umntwana
Shangaan – Nwana kahina
Tswana – Kgajwanamasigo
Swahili – Komba

Baboon:
Zulu – Mfene
Shangaan – Mfenhe
Tswana – Tshwene
Swahili – Nyani

Vervet Monkey:
Zulu – Nkawu
Shangaan – Nkawu
Tswana – Kgabo
Swahili – Tumbili

Smaller African Mammals

Porcupine:
Zulu – Ngungumbane
Shangaan – Jelwana
Tswana – Noko
Swahili – Nungu

Slender Mongoose
Afrikaans: Rooimuishond
Shona: Hovo
Shangaan: Mangovo
Ndebele: Iwobo
Zulu: Chakide
Venda: Khohe
Tswana: Ramotsibodis
Siswati: Chakidze
Sotho: Kgano

Banded Mongoose
Afrikaans: Gebande Muishond
Shona: Sere,Tsere
Ndebele: Usikibhoror
Zulu: Buhala
Tswana: Letototo
Venda: Tshihoho
Shangaan: Nkala

Dwarf Mongoose
Afrikaans: Dwergmuishond
Ndebele: Iduha
Sotho: Motswitswane
Venda: Matswi

Aardvark
Afrikaans: Erdvark
Zulu: Sambane
Ndebele: Isambane
Shangaan: Xombana
Venda: Thagalu
Tswana: Thakadu
Siswati: Sambane
Sotho: Thakadu
Lozi: Takalo
Yei: Ungengu

Rock Dassie
Afrikaans: Klipdassie
Zulu, Xhosa, Siswati, Shangaan: Mbili
Ndebele: Imbila
Sotho: Pela
Venda: Mbila
Tswana: Pela

African Reptiles

Crocodile:
Zulu – Ingwenya
Shangaan – Ngwenya
Tswana – Kwena
Swahili – Mamba