kwela

Questions

What does kwela mean?

A style of music, first played in the townships, whose principal instrument is the penny whistle.

Where does kwela come from?

Etymology tree Proto-Bantu *-kóɪda Zulu -khwéla English kwela From Zulu -khwéla (“get up”).

How to pronounce kwela

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “kwela”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “kwela”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “kwela” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.