Weather & Climate

1. Imfula ileloka.

   It is raining.

   Usage

   The basic sentence for saying it is raining

   Grammar Note

   The root -loka means "to rain". The -le- marks an action in progress, and the initial i- agrees with imfula (rain). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Imfula yalokele mailo.

   It rained yesterday.

   Usage

   For talking about yesterday's weather

   Grammar Note

   Mailo means both "yesterday" and "tomorrow", and the verb tense tells them apart; here the past form yalokele makes it yesterday. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Bushe imfula ikaloka mailo?

   Will it rain tomorrow?

   Usage

   Ask before planning an outing

   Grammar Note

   Bushe at the start of a sentence marks a question. The -ka- marks the future, so mailo reads as "tomorrow". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Imfula ileloka sana.

   It is raining heavily.

   Usage

   For a downpour, as a lead-in to changing plans

   Grammar Note

   Sana placed after a verb means "very" or "a lot". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Kuli umwela uukalamba.

   There is a strong wind.

   Usage

   On a windy day, when talking about boats or outdoor plans

   Grammar Note

   Umwela means "wind" and also "air". The initial uu- of uukalamba agrees with umwela. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Mu muulu muli amakumbi.

   There are clouds in the sky (it is cloudy).

   Usage

   For describing a cloudy day

   Grammar Note

   The pattern "place + muli + noun" means "there is a ... in ...". Muulu means "sky" and is also the usual word for "heaven". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Kwatalala sana.

   It is very cold.

   Usage

   When it feels cold, such as in the early morning or at night

   Grammar Note

   The root -talala means "cold". The initial ku- refers to "the place" in general. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Imfula

   Rain

   Usage

   The word for rain

   Grammar Note

   The form mfula, without the initial i-, is also common. As a stand-alone word, Imfula is the standard form

9. Akasuba

   Sun

   Usage

   The word for sun; it is also used for "daytime"

   Grammar Note

   A noun starting with aka- (class 12). The same word covers both "sun" and "daytime"

10. Umwela

    Wind

    Usage

    The word for wind; it also means "air"

    Grammar Note

    A noun starting with umu- (class 3). A windstorm is said as icikuuku ca mwela

11. Amakumbi

    Clouds

    Usage

    The word for clouds, for talking about the sky

    Grammar Note

    A plural form starting with ama- (class 6). The singular is ikumbi

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