isiZulu · also called Zulu
isiZulu: speak it, read it.
Voice typing and voice notes in isiZulu, spoken in South Africa's most spoken home language: KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and beyond. Most isiZulu chats slip into English mid-sentence. Bhala follows you both ways, so you never switch keyboards.
Free on Android 8.0+. No ads.
Try it with your own isiZulu voice note
Up to a minute, 3 tries a day. Decoded in your browser; only the audio is sent, read in memory, and not kept.
Or hear it work
Press play, and read what Bhala wrote. Unedited.
Bhala wrote
Bhala wrote
Bhala wrote
Example recordings: FLEURS (Google, 2022), CC BY 4.0, read aloud by volunteers. Transcribed by Bhala's live service, October 2026.
Writing isiZulu
Words are written joined
Ngiyabonga is one word: ngi- (I) + -ya- + -bonga (thank). Where English needs several words, isiZulu often writes one.
Three clicks: c, q, x
c is the soft “tsk” (ukucula, to sing), q the hollow pop (iqanda, egg), x the side click (ixoxo, frog). Each has more forms: ch, qh, xh with breath; gc, gq, gx voiced; nc, nq, nx through the nose; and ngc, ngq, ngx.
hl and dl are single sounds
hlala (sit, stay), -dla (eat, as in ukudla).
The prefix stays lowercase
The name takes the capital, not the prefix: isiZulu, eThekwini, eGoli.
On your phone
Voice typing
- 01Switch to the Bhala keyboard.
- 02Tap the mic and speak isiZulu, English mixed in is fine.
- 03Edit if you like, then send.
Voice notes
- 01Press and hold the voice note in WhatsApp.
- 02Tap Share, then Bhala.
- 03Read it. Tap a word to replay that part.
On the phone it all runs on the device, even offline. Nothing is uploaded.
Questions
Does Bhala understand isiZulu mixed with English?
Yes. Speak isiZulu, switch to English mid-sentence, and Bhala writes both. No keyboard switching.
How much does Bhala cost?
Nothing. Bhala Keyboard is free, with no ads.
Which phones does it work on?
Android phones with Android 8.0 or newer, from Google Play.
Does it work without data?
Yes. Typing, suggestions, voice typing and voice notes all work offline once Bhala is set up.