isiXhosa
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Rhyme Library

Singing songs, saying rhymes and playing games are natural ways to develop children’s language skills. They are enjoyable activities that help children to relax and learn more easily. When adults do these things with children, it builds a sense of trust and strengthens the bond between them. Try our multilingual rhymes below.

isiXhosa

1. Phaya entilini

Phaya entilini,

Esaph’ ezadungeni.

Kukho amasele,

Yiva ayangxola.

Thath’ezakh’intonga,

Uyokuzivela,

Athi tsi gxada,

Tsi-tsi-tsi.

Athi tsi gxada,

Tsi-tsi-tsi.

2. Umvundlana othile

Umvundlana othile,

Wangena entsimini.

Waqakatha, waqakatha,

Wadibana nembotyi.

Wayitya kwasemini.

Wanyantsula, wanyantsula,

Wagoduka ehluthi. 

3. Iintakana

Khanikhangele ezontakana,

Ziphaphazela ngamaphikwana.

Zithi, “tsiyoyo, tsiyoyo”,

Zithi, “tsiyoyo” ngemilonyana yazo. 

4. Inja uToki

(Esi sicengcelezo zingenziwa ngazo zombini iindlela. Singanenkokheli okanye wonke umntu abandakanyeke kumgca ngamnye.)

 

Inkokheli: Ndabona umhambi!

Bonke: Ndabona umhambi!

Inkokheli: Edlula ngendlela,

Bonke: Edlula ngendlela,

Inkokheli: Wagragram’uToki!

Bonke: Wagragram’uToki!

Inkokheli: Ebona umhambi,

Bonke: Ebona umhambi,

Inkokheli: Edlula ngendlela.

Bonke: Edlula ngendlela. 

5. Iphi inja yam?

Iphi inja yam encinane?

Iphi inja yam encinane?

Enendleb’ezinde.

Nomsil’omfutshane.

Nomsil’omfutshane.

Iphi inja yam, iphi?

6. Ikati

Katana katana!

Katana katana!

Uvelaphi katana?

Ndivel’ edolophini,

Ubuyothenga ntoni?

Bendiyotheng’umnqwazi.

Umnqwazi! Umnqwazi! 

Yho! Ndaza ndayibon’ikat’ethwel’umnqwazi.

Yho! Ndaza ndayibon’ikat’ethwel’umnqwazi.

7. Isele

Nalo isele!

Emva kwendlu kabawo,

Litya lichola chola,

Lithi ndakuligxotha,

Lithi tsi-gxada, tsi-gxada, tsi.

8. Iintaka ezintlanu

Iintaka ezintlanu zihleli emthini,

Yathi enye: “Masizimeleni”

Yathi enye: “Masibalekeni”

Yathi enye: “Masigodukeni”

Yathi enye: “Masibhabheni”

Yathi enye: “Masi …”

Gqum!Satsh’isibham!

Gqum!Satsh’isibham! 

9. Iminwe yesandla

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. 

10. UNogayoyo

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. 

11. UNomathemba

(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!

 

12. Imoto endleleni

Phaya endleleni yafik’imoto,

Yathi pip–pip–pip!

Gololo pop-pop-pop!

Yathini?

Yathi pip-pip-pip!

Gololo pop-pop-pop!

13. Eyokuqingqa

(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. 

14. Incede

(Esi sicengcelezo zibungonyana, kwaye kudlaliswa ngamagama)

Tyelele tyelele

Ngqwang’inanqilo,

Mntaka Mlanjana,

Goduka ncede

Ncede ncikane

Wafa yindlala

Yokophisela

Yokophisela

15. Itipoti

(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 

16. UNomaza

Yintomb’enjani?

Yintomb’emhlophe;

Wendele phi na?

Wendel’egqwetheni

Zingaph’iinkomo?

Sibhozo kuphela;

Bathin’abazali?

Akho kuthetha;

Wendile! Wendile!

17. Izinyo

Mama ndinezinyo,

Lithini mntwan’am?

Lithi ndo-ndo, lithi ndo-ndo-ndo

18. Iimpuku nekati

Impuku nekati ziyawaleqana

Impuku nekati ziyawaleqana

Zisithi nyawu-nyawu,

Zisithi nyawu-nyawu-nyawu. 

19. UNomaza

Unomaza, shunqu

Wandophula, shunqu;

Esinqeni, shunqu;

Esikabani? shunqu;

EsikaJoni, shunqu;

Joni bani? shunqu;

Joni Maqanda, shunqu;

Ndize, ndize,

Ndize bantwana,

Ngapha kolwandle.

20. Imvula

We machaphaz’ emvula

Nivela phi na?

Nisihla ninyuka

Ngecala lefestile?

Kodwa wona awahlali,

Koko amana esithi:

Sinokudlala ngecala,

Sinokudlala ngecala. 

21. Thula Bhabhana

(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