Southern Ndebele language

Southern Ndebele
isiNdebele sakwaNdzundza noManala
isiNdebele seSewula
Native toSouth Africa
RegionMpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West
EthnicityamaNdebele
Native speakers
1.1 million (2011 census)
1.4 million L2 speakers (2002)
Latin (Ndebele alphabet)
Ndebele Braille
Signed Ndebele
Official status
Official language in
 South Africa
Language codes
ISO 639-1nr – South Ndebele
ISO 639-2nbl – South Ndebele
ISO 639-3nbl – South Ndebele
Glottologsout2808
S.407
Linguasphere+ 99-AUT-fj 99-AUT-fi + 99-AUT-fj
Ndebele
PersoniNdebele
PeopleAmaNdebele
LanguageIsiNdebele
CountryKwaNdebele

isiNdebele (English: /ɛndəˈbl/), also known as Southern Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Mbo group of Bantu languages, spoken by the Ndebele people of South Africa.

Northern Ndebele or Ndebele also known as isiNdebele is spoken in Limpopo in areas such as Polokwane (Bhulungwane), Ga-Rathoka (KaSondonga), Ga-Mashashane, Ga Maraba / Kalkspruit, Mokopane (Mghumbane), Zebediela (Sebetiela), which is closer to Southern Ndebele.