Explore our growing collection of rhymes in many South African languages, perfect to sing, say, and share together at home.
Olke bolke Riebeeck stolke,
olke bolke knol.
Êrie tjêrie tjiekerie tjêrie,
êrie tjêrie tjor!
Uittelrympie: Elke kind hou twee vuiste voor hom uit en die hand waar “tjor” val, moet agter die rug gesit word. As altwee jou hande agter jou rug is, is jy uit.
Paddatjie, paddatjie,
wat maak jy daar?
Kwaak-kwaak-kwaak,
kwaak-kwaak-kwaak,
daar op ‘n blaar.
Hier kom die eendjies
uit onder die brug.
Paddatjie skrik so
hy val op sy rug.
Ek en my vroutjie bly stoksielalleen
in die vale pondokkie wat lek as dit reën.
Vra hulle my waarom dek ek hom nie,
dan sê ek: “As die son skyn dan lek hy mos nie.”
Alla wiep, alla wap,
hoe kook jy die pap?
Sonder suiker, sonder melk,
‘n groot bord vir elk.
Oom Olifant, jou reuse dier
die mense lag vir hul plesier,
want waar het jy al ooit gehoor
van ‘n stertjie van agter en ‘n stertjie van voor?
‘n Kat sê eendag vir ‘n muis:
“Ek voel tog so alleen,
kom speel hier met my in die huis,
dan gee ek jou ‘n been!”
“Nee dankie,” sê die slimme muis,
“ek bly maar weg van jou −
by katte voel ek glad nie tuis,
hulle wil my beentjies kou!”
Duimpie het in die water geval,
Duimpie se maat het hom uitgehaal,
Langeraat het hom huis toe gedra,
Fielafooi het hom neergelê,
en Pinkie het vir Ma gaan sê.
Druk vir elke reël op die regte vinger.
Hasie in die holte
sit en slaap.
Arme hasie, is jy bang?
Kyk net hoe jou ore hang.
Hasie hop!
Hasie hop!
Hasie hop, hop, hop!
Duimpie,
Duimpie se maat,
Langeraat,
Fielafooi,
Vang ‘n vlooi!
Druk vir elke reël op die regte vinger.
Wielie, wielie, walie,
die aap sit op die balie.
Tjoef-tjaf val hy af,
wielie, wielie, walie.
This little piggy went to market.
This little piggy stayed at home.
This little piggy had roast beef.
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy cried, “Wee, wee, wee!”
All the way home.
Point to thumb as you say line one. Then, point to index finger, middle finger, ring finger and finally the little finger as you say each line.
Two little dickey birds sitting on a wall,
One named Peter, one named Paul.
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul.
Come back Peter, come back Paul!
There was a little frog,
That lived in a bog,
Who climbed on a lilypad
And jumped on a log.
It snapped at a mosquito,
It snapped at a bee,
It snapped at a cricket,
And it snapped at me!
It caught the mosquito.
It caught the bee.
It caught the cricket.
But it didn’t catch me!
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
And bring their tails behind them.
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
The house is burning, the house is burning.
Fetch the engines, fetch the engines.
Fire, fire, fire, fire!
Pour on water, pour on water.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more!
One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, knock at the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big, fat hen.
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man,
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Pat it and prick it, and mark it with B
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
Do simple hand-clapping with your child as you say the rhyme.
Unomaza, shunqu
Wandophula, shunqu;
Esinqeni, shunqu;
Esikabani? shunqu;
EsikaJoni, shunqu;
Joni bani? shunqu;
Joni Maqanda, shunqu;
Ndize, ndize,
Ndize bantwana,
Ngapha kolwandle.
(Le yingonyana eculwa ngulowo ubeleke usana xa efuna lulale emqolo. Atsho elumbambazela de lulale ke ngolo hlobo)
Thula bhabhana,
Mus’ukulila,
umam’uyeza nedinal’ omntwana.
Ngubani na lo?
Ngubhabha wam,
Wenzani na?
Uyadlala, dlala, dlala
Uyadlala, dlala, dlala
Uyadlala.
Wenzani na?
Uyahleka, uyahleka, uyahleka,
Uyalila, uyalila, uyalila,
Uyaqingqa, uyaqingqa, uyaqingqa
(Esi sicengcelezo zingenziwa ngazo zombini iindlela. Singanenkokheli okanye wonke umntu abandakanyeke kumgca ngamnye.)
Okhokhelayo: Wena Nomathemba, ubethwe ngubani?
Abaphendulayo: Yila ndoda!
Okhokhelayo: Iphi ngoku?
Abaphendulayo: Nants’ esapha!
Okhokhelayo: Khawuyibiz’ izapha.
Abaphendulayo: Owu, Hayi ndiyonqena
Okhokhelayo: Khwel’ihashe
Abaphendulayo: Owu, hayi ndiyonqena
Okhokhelayo: Khwel’idonki
Abaphendulayo: Owu hayi ndiyonqena
As’ke ehla amathmb’ ukubhek’ ezantsi, as’ke ehla amathamb’ ukubhek’ ezantsi.
Retold by Sindiwe Magona
Okhokhelayo:Wena Nomathemba,Ubethwe ngubani?
Abaphendulayo:Yilaa ndoda!
Okhokhelayo:Iphi ngoku?
Abaphendulayo:Nantsi ixoxa
Okhokhelayo:Ixoxa ntoni?
Abaphendulayo:Ixoxa ityala!
Okhokhelayo:Layithini ityala?
Abaphendulayo:Layilahla ityala
Okhokhelayo:Ifunde isifundo
Abaphendulayo:Ifunde isifundo
Umfaz’ akayongqongqo!Umfaz’ akayongqongqo!
Phaya endleleni yafik’imoto,
Yathi pip–pip–pip!
Gololo pop-pop-pop!
Yathini?
Yathi pip-pip-pip!
Gololo pop-pop-pop!
(Apha umama okanye lowo umpeleze umntwana uculela ze aqhwabele umntwana kuba emkhuthaza ukuba makazimele xa efunda ukuma.)
Wema yedwa, yedw’ umntwana yedwa
Wema yedw’ umntwana, yedwa.
(Esi sicengcelezo zibungonyana, kwaye kudlaliswa ngamagama)
Tyelele tyelele
Ngqwang’inanqilo,
Mntaka Mlanjana,
Goduka ncede
Ncede ncikane
Wafa yindlala
Yokophisela
Yokophisela
(Esi sicengcelezo sihambisana nokwenziwa ngamalungu omzimba. Umzekelo, umqheba sisandla esigotyiweyo. Kukhonjwa entloko xa kubonakaliswa isiciko, njalo-njalo.)
Mna ndiyitipoti
Esi sisiciko
Lo ngumqheba
Lo ngumlomo
Ndiyithulule
Ndiyithulule
Phaya entilini,
Esaph’ ezadungeni.
Kukho amasele,
Yiva ayangxola.
Thath’ezakh’intonga,
Uyokuzivela,
Athi tsi gxada,
Tsi-tsi-tsi.
Athi tsi gxada,
Tsi-tsi-tsi.
Mama ndinezinyo,
Lithini mntwan’am?
Lithi ndo-ndo, lithi ndo-ndo-ndo
Umvundlana othile,
Wangena entsimini.
Waqakatha, waqakatha,
Wadibana nembotyi.
Wayitya kwasemini.
Wanyantsula, wanyantsula,
Wagoduka ehluthi.
Ke nna ketlele,
Hona ke mohele,
Hona ke molomo,
Ke bedisa metsi,
Metsi a tjhesang.
Ntshelle bo, ntshelle bo!
Ntshelle bo!
Tjhukutjhuku, tjhukutjhuku
Ke tjhutjhumakgala
Terene e telele,
E tswa hokae, e lebile kae?
E tswa makgoweng,
E lebile mahaeng.
E tlisa bontate hae
Ba tlo bona bana hae.
Tjhuku, tjhuku, tjhuku!
Tlou ela, e na le nko
E telele hakaakang
Tlou ela, e na le nko
E telele hakaakang.
Ya nka tweba,
Ya nka mokgodutswane,
Ya di tlamella sefateng.
Ke eng hona hoo?
Ho ho putswanyana?
Be, ke lengana,
Le babetsa lehano.
Thiya! Thiya! O tshwerwe ke sefuba
Harola o phehe.
Subela ka nkong,
O tla hlaphohelwa.
Habu, habu, habu!
Ntjanyana borakana.
E bohola katse,
Katse nngao, nngao!
Ao katse eso,
E tshaba ntjanyana.
E bona sefate,
E rata ho tlola.
Ya re fela lako!
Ya ba ya re tsora!
Hodimo sefateng.
Nkgono Makalane a wela ka pitseng
A kgangwa ke tapole,
Katse ya mmona,
A ikutlwa a swabile,
A tswa, a tswa, a ketoha
A tswa, a tswa, a ketoha!
Dikotlolo hloohong!
Naledi phatleng!
Ditshepe thekeng!
Dirifi maotong!
Ke lekwatlakwatla feela!
Ke lekwatlakwatla feela!
Eitse ke dutse kgotla,
Ka utlwa molodi o lla.
Ka kopana le Raditedu,
A nkile selepenyana.
A nkomakoma ka sona,
A nkomakoma ka sona.
Ka ilo kgitla ka setsu,
Ka ilo kgitla ka setsu.
Tswii tswii tweba,
Ke tweba e nyenyane,
E ja bohobe,
Bohobe ba Masilo.
Tlong re e tshware,
Re e shape.
Ha e na tsebe.
Tswii, tswii tswii, haebo!
Tswii, tswii, tswii, haebo!
Tshepo wa Rakgomo,
O na hama kgomo.
A e hama e sa tlangwa.
Kgomo ya mo raha,
Fatshe a polana.
Lebese la qhalana
Hodima moraha,
Hodima moraha.
(Kungakuhle uma yaziwa ngekhanda, ukuze oyihayayo akwazi ukuyaluza, asikaze, agiye njengembongi.)
Thatha magqabhagqabha,
Nyoni engadlelwa nyama,
Ingani ezinye ziyosiwa,
Zizalele amaphuphu.
Ngikuthanda ugcogcoma,
Ugcobhoza ngomunwe
Ezimbizeni zodwani
Nasezinkambeni zembali.
Ngilandela ngamehlo
Laph’ ilanga liphuma,
Ngiguquke liyoshona,
Ngikukha, ngikubuka.
Woza luvemvane,
Ukhulu wath’ undiza
Ezigangeni njengembuzikazi
Engayibon’ ithwel’ umqhele,
Umqhele wakho ngamabala,
Ayizidindi ngathi mabi,
Kanti ayizizingelezi
Ngathi abekwe ngesandla.
Umuhle, vemvane ndini,
Umuhle ungahayi ngoma,
Ufiphaza abasinisi behubo,
Abasiki bezihlangu zifane nawe.
(Kungaba namaqembu amabili, elinye liyabuza, elinye liphendule. Kanti bangahlangana bonke, babuze, babuye baphendule.)
Obani bona?
Omantindane.
Bathweleni bona?
Bathwel’ imigqomo,
Bayisaphi bona?
Bayis’ esangomeni,
Sangom’ esinje,
Asigezwa ngenyandezulu
Yon’ eshay’ inyamazane
Ithungel’ emadevini,
Ochith’ ukhophe
Alufak’ edokweni,
Unogwaja mpe!
Isele bhakla! bhakla!
Umkhont’ etsheni hhu! hhu!
Izibankwa pheshe, pheshe!
(Nalapha kungaba ngamaqembu amabili, elinye liyaphawula noma libuze, elinye liphendule. Kanti bangahlangana bonke, babuze, babuye baphendule.)
Sawubona wethu.
Yebo wethu.
‘Phumaphi na?
KwaMatshekana.
Wadlani na?
Isinambathi.
Singani na?
Ngomcengezana.
Abantu pho?
Wo bhekle! Wo bhekle! Wo bhekle!
Ngiyabathanda abazali bami,
Nabo ngiyazi bayangithanda,
Bayangikhulisa futhi bangenzela konke okuhle.
Ngiyabathanda omkhulu nogogo,
Nabo bangithanda njengabazali bami,
Yibona abangikhulisela abazali bami,
Babakhulisa kahle.
Ngiyabathanda omalume nomalumekazi,
Bangiphatha kahle uma ngibavakashele.
Nabazala bami ngiyabathanda,
Sidlala kamnandi nabo.
Umnewethu nomnawami ngiyabathanda.
Nabo bayangithanda, bangikhonzile.
Thina nabo sikhonzene siyathandana.
Kuhle ukuthandana uma nizalana.
Isiphiwo sokukhuluma
Siyisiphiwo sokuphila.
Thina bantu siyakhuluma,
Sikhuluma sibange umsindo.
Izilwane nazo ziyakhuluma,
Okwazo ukukhuluma
Thina kubuye kusidide.
Ukukhuluma isiphiwo sokuxhumana;
Bakhuluma ngezandla, amehlo, namakhanda
Thina saphiwa umlomo, ulimi namazinyo,
Ngakho sibanga umsindo sizwane.
Abanye abakhulumi, kabezwa, kababoni.
Thina esibonayo, esizwayo nesikhulumayo,
Kuhle simbonge ongabonwayo
(Lapha u-A, angashiwo ngumuntu oyedwa noma iqembu A. Ku-B, kwenanela abeqembu B.)
We Nokuthula!
Wu! Wu! Wu!
Igula lomntwana:
Wu! Wu! Wu!
Zaqheqhe zengane:
Wu! Wu! Wu!
We Nomsutho!
Wu! Wu! Wu!
Woz’ uthule:
Cha, cha, cha, bo!
(Lapha kungaba namaqembu amabili adedelanayo ngemigqa.)
We bafana!
Iyo!
Aph’ amathole?
Iyo!
Azodlani?
Iyo!
Umgqushumba.
Siyamthanda ugogo,
Ugogo naye uyasithanda.
Thina siyamnakekela,
Naye thina uyasinakekela.
Simphembela umlilo,
Simfudumezel’ amanz’ okugeza,
Asixoxel’ izinganekwane,
Thina silalelisise,
Ulwazi lwakh’ olunzulu.
Thina siyamthanda ugogo.
(Lapha kungadedelwana. Iqembu elinye lingade liphawula, libuye libuze. Elinye iqembu lingasho eminye imigqa esampendulo njengokuthi: “Yile ndoda,” nokuthi: “O, hhayi, ngiyesaba!”)
We Nomathemba!
Ushaywe ubani?
Yile ndoda.
Ibiz’ ize lapha,
O, hhayi, ngiyesaba!
Gibela nant’ ihhashi.
O, hhayi, ngiyesaba!
Ehl’ amathamb’
Ebhek’ ezansi,
Enyuk’ amathamb’
Ebheke phezulu.
Thiba mathiba, selashona!
Wawusus’ amaphepha antininize,
Namuhla akhela kuwe.
Wawunyathela izibankwa zibaleke,
Namuhla zicashelana kuwe.
Thiba, kade wawubona.
Izindimbane owawuzithutha kazibalwa,
Wena mshado, wena mngcwabo,
Wena ongembeswayo sewalala.
Nixoxelana ziphi nenyanga?
Mma o sepela ka lekeke,
Tate o sepela ka lekeke,
Makgolo o sepela ka lekeke,
Rakgolo o sepela ka lekeke,
Bana ba sepela ka lekeke,
Ka moka re sepela ka lekeke.
Retologela Borwa, retologela Leboa,
Retologela Bohlabela, retologela Bodikela,
Re ya pele ka lekeke,
Re boela morago ka lekeke.
Agee bana ba ka! Agee mma’rena!
Re sepela ka lekeke, re sepela ka lekeke.
Ke Ledimo, mee mee mee!
Ke Ratšimo, mee mee mee!
Ke ja tšohle, mee mee mee!
Ga ke kgethe, mee mee mee!
Ke ja le bana, mee mee mee!
Bana ba ka, etlang gae,
Re a tšhaba,
Le tšhaba eng?
Ratšimo mo tseleng,
Ratšimo o ja eng?
Bana ba bannyane,
Yo a nthatago a tšhabele gonna.
Ijoo tata’rena! Ijoo bana ba ka!
Ge ke be ke sa le letšobjana,
Ge ke be ke lala ke lla bošego bjohle,
Mma wa ka a lala a eme bošego bjohle,
A ntlhokosetša bošego bjohle.
Ge ke be ke longwa ke mala,
Ke inyoka-nyoka ke itshopa-tshopa,
Mma wa ka a lala a eme bošego bjohle,
A ntlhokosetša bošego bjohle.
Ke go rata rati-rati mma wa ka montedi.
Koko-koko, ka gare,
Thobela malome wa tšona,
Dikgomo tša ka di kae?
Ke sa ja bogobe ka nama ye tsefago.
O jele dikgomo tša ka,
A di ja le Ratšimo,
Ratšimo wa gaMadiba,
GaMadiba wa boMadiba’majakgomo,
Majakgomo ba jele kgomokgolo,
Kgomokgolo sebata sa boSerišane,
Serišane sa Kotolo seokamela mathakeng,
Kotolo ke thaba ya badimo,
Badimo baji ba bjangbotala,
Kgomo-muu-muu! Kgomo-muu-muu!
Mantlapulele, pula ya medupi.
Dupelela fase, ke bine mantlapulele,
Mma mpulele, ke binele hlahlamedupi,
Ke binele hlahlamedupi ya boMapula
Se na ka boleta, se lota le monola,
Hlahlamedupi se tlatša madibamaso,
Madibamaso a bokubu le bokwena,
Mma mpulele ke binele hlahlamedupi,
Ke re maruru maebana, ngwana mošalela ka fase,
Bommage ba loya, ba loya ka tšhwene.
Matlapulele, pula ya medupi.
Rakgolo o tšwa kae?
Ke tšwa Bopedi ngwana’ngwanaka,
Bopedi ba ja eng?
Ba ja mafela le maraka,
Ba photla ditloo le dinyebu.
Makgolo o tšwa kae?
Ke tšwa sepetlele ngwana’ngwanaka,
Sepetlele sa kae?
Sa Bopedi ngwana’ngwanaka,
Makgolo o bolawa ke eng?
Ke bolawa ke hlogo magetla, hlogo magetla,
Sehuba le letheka, sehuba le letheka,
Mangwele le menwana, mangwele le menwana.
Ka bona mmutla
Ka re ke a o swara
Wa re sobe-sobe!
Wa re sobe-sobe!
Wa ya mmutla
Wa ya wa ya mmutla.
O sobeletše mmutla
O ile mmutla, o mphonyokgile.
Ka bona nonyana,
Ka re ke a e swara,
Ya re phurr-phurr!
Ya re phurr-phurr!
Ya fofa nonyana,
Ya fofa ya fofa nonyana,
E sobeletše nonyana
E ile nonyana, e mphonyokgile.
Serurubele, sa maruberube,
Fofela tlase, o yo nwa todi,
Todi ga e gona,
Matšoba a kgelwe ke Mokgadi,
Mokgadi ga a gona,
O ile nokeng go kga meetse,
Meetse ga a gona,
A nwelwe ke Phala,
E ile sethokgweng go yo fula,
Phala ga e gona,
E jelwe ke Tau,
Grrrrrrrr! Grrrrrrrr!
Tšhaba serurubele sa maruberube,
Fofela godimo o ikele.
Bana ba sekolo, bana ba sekolo,
Etlang sekolong, etlang sekolong.
Ekwang tšhipi ya lla, ekwang tšhipi ya lla.
Ting-tong-pele! Ting-tong-pele!
Bana ba sekolo, bana ba sekolo,
Etlang thapelong, etlang thapelong.
Ekwang moruti wa rapela, ekwang moruti wa rapela.
Amen-Amen, Amen-Amen.
Bana ba sekolo, bana ba sekolo,
Etlang sekolong, etlang sekolong.
Ekwang morutiši wa ruta, ekwang morutiši wa ruta.
Tee-pedi-tharo! Nne-hlano-tshela!
Ho-ho-ho! Ho-ho-ho, Ho-ho-ho!
Ga se nna tšhwene ke nna motho.
Antše seriba se,
Ga se seriba ke dikepisi tša masogana.
Antše dinala tše,
Ga se dinala ke diforoko tša masogana.
Antše maboya a,
Ga se maboya ke disutu tša masogana.
Antše ditsebjana tše,
Ga se ditsebjana ke difagwana tša masogana.
Ho-ho-ho! Ho-ho-ho! Ho-ho-ho!
Ga se nna tšhwene ke nna motho.
What could possibly happen when a starving cow is left alone with three fluffy little chicks? And what would happen when the cow comes home and finds a big pile of hay? What if she ate and ate and ate …
