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.
Sakke, pakke,
sout en peper;
gee my stoom
dan loop ek beter!
Kiepie, Kiepie, kom tog gou.
Hier is lekker kos vir jou.
Maar dan moet jy my eers sê
waar jy tog jou eiers lê.
Die wind die waai,
die haan die kraai,
die dag breek aan −
dis tyd om op te staan!
Die hik en ek
gaan oor die see;
die hik bly daar,
en ek kom weer.
My liewe neef Louw,
my neus jeuk nou.
Jeuk liewe neef Louw
se neus ook nou?
Handjies klap,
voetjies stap,
ogies kyk,
neusie snuit,
mondjie fluit,
kennebak,
gorrelgat,
doedelsak!
Raak aan die verskillende liggaamsdele terwyl jy die woorde sê.
Een, twee, drie,
al die voëltjies vlie.
Vier, vyf, ses,
elkeen na sy nes.
Is jy boos,
pluk ’n roos,
steek dit op jou hoed,
dan is jy môre weer goed.
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!
Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.
Place the thumb of one hand on the little finger of the other hand. Swap thumb and little finger as you say the first and last line.
It’s raining, it’s pouring,
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed and bumped his head,
And couldn’t get up in the morning.
Jack and Jill went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down, and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
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.
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
Bonts’omkhulu, bonts’omkhulu uphi na?
Ndim lo, ndim lo, ndiphilile enkosi.
Wokolatha, wokolatha uphi na?
Ndim lo, ndim lo ndiphilile enkosi.
Mnwe omde, mnwe omde uphi na?
Ndim lo, ndim lo ndiphilile enkosi.
Womsesane, womsesane, uphi na?
Ndim lo, ndim lo ndiphilile enkosi.
Cikicane, cikicane uphi na?
Ndim lo, ndim lo ndiphilile enkosi
Minwe yonke, minwe yonke niphi na?
Sith’aba, sith’aba siphile sonke.
Wena Nogayoyo,
Uyawaphethe ni?
Ndiyawapheth’inja
Uyawa yisaphi?
Ndiyawa yisendle,
Kunan’uyekhaya
Ndoyik’uGayoyo
Ekhal’engxoweni
Esithi, tsiyo-tsiyo
Ndafika kumoni
Entlantlath’inkobe.
Nathi ndikhongoze
Wathi zingeziko
Ndaya ndalinga
Wandibetha ngazo
Nam ndaphindisa
Xhoba labayeni
Bebefik’izolo
Bebefik’ izolo
Baxhelelw’ encinci
Encinci bayala
Baxhelelw’imvubu
Yona nyam’inkulu.
(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.
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.
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!
E mmelemele, e na le mahlo
Mohatla o monyane
Molomo ke thupa,
Ditsebe ke kobo,
E a hatika, E a hatika
E jara bana, E jara bana
E ba isa kwana hole,
E ba isa kwana hole.
E nngwe too ka hokanweng,
Mme ka ho qetwa ke bodutu,
ke eo e tswa.
Kgoho koo, koo, o ya kae?
Katse; ngao, ngao, o tla tshwarwa.
Nku; mee, mee, ntja ke eo.
Ntja; hobu, hobu, ke tla o ja ditsebe!
Hokinyana ya batho
Ya nka ka sekaja.
Hoyi, hoyi, ka hokwaneng tjhobe!
Nonyana tse hlano
Di dutse sefateng
E nngwe ya re: bona mane
E nngwe ya re: ke monna ka sethunya
E nngwe ya re: ha re ipateng
E nngwe ya re: ha re baleheng,
E nngwe ya re: ha re mo tshabe rona,
Ha re mo tshabe rona.
Qhuu sethunya sa lla!
Qhuu sethunya sa lla!
Katsekatse ya nkgono,
E ne e le kgunwana,
A e kwalletse ka mokgorong,
Nnyao! Nnyao!
Ekare e lapile.
Ka e fa lebese,
Ya le qapha, ya le qapha
Ya le nyametsa!
(Bashemane ba botsa potso, banana ba a araba, ebe banana ba a botsa ha bashemane ba araba. Bana ba supa dikarolo tsa mmele ha ba ntse ba di bolela)
Ntatemoholo, o tswa kae kajeno?
Ke tswa kwana sepetlele
Haufi le lebenkele
O jewa ke eng?
Hlooho, mahetla, nko le molomo
Sefuba, letheka, mangwele le menwana,
Mangwele le menwana.
Tlhaku ya ho qala sekolong ke ‘A’
Ke tla o fa apole ha o ka ngola ‘E’
Ho teng ho lebidi , ke bolela ‘I’
Ntswe lena ‘po’, le qetela ka ‘O’
Ka letsopa mobu, nka ngola ‘U’
Ka letsopa mobu, nka ngola ‘U’.
(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
(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.
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?
Culani bantwana besikole,
Cikozani ngamaphimbo amtoti.
Culani ngobunono, manono.
Umculo wenu umnandi,
Umnandi njengowezinyoni,
Ezicula kamnandi emahlozini.
Culani nani zinyoni,
Culani kamtoti emahlanzeni,
Cwengani ngengcwenga yamaphimbo,
Majuba nithi: “Amdokwe! Amdokwe,
Amabele avuthiwe ehlanzeni!”
Cikozani nize nicimeze.
Culani nani bophezukomkhono:
“Phezu komkhono! Phezu komkhono!
Mfazi wadl’ imbewu!”
Bavuseni nalab’ omama
Abangakayidl’ imbewu, balime,
Batshale selethwese!
Lethwese ihlobo,
Kuhluma utshani nezihlahla,
Amagquma nezintaba kuhle,
Konke kuncwaba ngoNcwaba.
Lingene ihlobo,
Izihlahla notshani kuhlobile,
Yizimbali namacemb’ ayimibalabala,
Kuhle konke kudelile.
Sekungene ukwindla,
Indlala isingen’ indlela,
Yaqhela yashabalala,
Sesifinya ngezindololwane.
Sebufikile ubusika,
Namakhaz’ ashubis’ umnkantsha
Kasinandaba thina nawo,
Ayohamb’ asishiye sinjalo.
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.
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!
Ke nna ketlele, ke nna ketlele.
Se ke mokgoko, se ke molomo.
Tšhela ka moo! Tšhela ka moo!
Ke nna komiki, ke nna komiki.
Mo ke mahlare, mo ke swikiri.
Tšhela ka moo! Tšhela ka moo!
Ke nna pitša, ke nna pitša.
Mo ke meetse, mo ke bupi.
Se ke lefehlo, se ke leho.
Tšhela, Fehla, Thepela ka mo!
Mapimpana, Mapimpana samma,
Tsoga bosele samma.
Mapimpana, Mapimpana samma,
A re itokišetše go ya sekolong.
Mahlo ke hlapile,
Meno ke hlapile,
Matsogo ke hlapile,
Maoto ke hlapile,
Hlogo ke kamile,
Motepa ke jele.
Naa go šetše eng fela?
A! a! a! puku ya ka e kae?
A! a! a! pene ya ka e kae?
Ke di lebetše! Ke di lebetše!
Ka ka hwetša,
Bomma ba ja lewa,
Ka sweta-sweta, ka sweta-sweta,
Le nna ka ja nabo, le nna ka ja nabo.
Pudi ya phooko, namela mokalakata,
O namele botse, ka moso re ya borwa.
Tsejana tša Borwa,
Bosesi ga ba di tsebe,
Le nna ga ke di tsebe.
Mohla ke di tseba,
Ke tla re phurr Kalakata! ka re phurr kalakata!
Kolobe ye tee, Kolobe ye tee,
E eme sefateng.
Dikolobe tše pedi, Dikolobe tše pedi,
Di eme seporong.
Dikolobe tše tharo, Dikolobe tše tharo,
Di eme lešakeng.
Dikolobe tše nne, Dikolobe tše nne,
Di e eme sethokgweng.
Dikolobe tše hlano, Dikolobe tše hlano,
Di eme mohlakeng.
Nka tšea thipa, Nka tšea thipa,
Ka di re lai-lai-lai-lai! Ka di re lai-lai-lai-lai!
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 …
