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Xhosa Heritage - Literature

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Idiom	Meaning
Ukuba yinyoka	To be untrustworthy
Ukuba lilulwane	H/Se cannot be trustred; takes all sides and is deceitful
Ukuba yinkuku	To go to bed early
Ukuba yingwenya	Good, powerful, famous person, of many virtues
Ukuba liphela	To be very greedy
Ukuba yincukuthu	To live off other people
Ukuba yingonyama	To be brave and strong
Ukuba sisikhova	To be lonely or to like to go out at night(Commonly used for people doing night duties)
Ukuba lilitye	To be a very hard nut to crack or to be very slow at understanding
Ukuba yigusha	To be humble
Ukuba luhlaza/krwada	To be rude
Ukuba bomvu	To be illeterate
Ukuba lukhuni	To be dull (intellectually)
Ukuba nzima	To be pregnant
Ukulumka okwenyoko	To be as wise as a serpant
Ukusinda okwengxowa yetyuwa	To be as heavy as a bag of salt
Ukuba nenzondo okwemfene	To bear grudge like a baboon
Ukuba nentaka	To be scared
Ukuba nesandla	To be artistic/very good with hand work
Ukungabi nasifuba	To be unable to keep a secret
Ukuba nomlomo	To be talkative
Ukuba neminwe emide	To be a thief
Ukungabi nantloko	To be inconsiderate
Ukubetha emlonyeni	To take the words out of somebody's mouth while talking or to interrupt
Ukukhala ngaphantsi	To fail/lose
Ukucela izandla	To ask to be given a hand/help
Ukucela amehlo	To show off
Ukucela iindlebe	To ask for attention
Ukuxhentsa uzombelela	To have no assistance from anyone
Ukukhotha uxathula	To praise and criticise in the same breath
Ukukhula uxhuma	To have a hard time
Ukukhatywa yinkawu	To be hungry
Ukuhlekwa naziintaka	To be a laughing stock
Umthi kanomyayi	To be lucky(in escaping danger)
Urhatya lwemivundla	Early evening
Ukutya kweendlebe	Good news or music
Inkani yesele	Too stubborn
Inyoka nesele	Enemies
Umtya nethunga	Very close friends