Basic Shona Lessons
Here are some of the Shona phrases that you might want to learn. Shona is the widely spoken language of Zimbabwe.The following are Shona phrases used in everyday life and
their translation. To make it easier, I have divided the phrases into four
categories - Greetings, Questions, Relationships & Family and About Oneself
(First Person phrases).
Greetings
- Mamuka sei – (Good morning) – You start with Ma when you are greeting an elderly person, senior or someone of importance.The opening is used to show respect.
- Wamuka sei – (Good morning) – You start with Wa when you are greeting a youth, friend, sibling or somebody at your level.
- Mangwanani - (Good Morning) - General term for greeting anybody in the morning. Apparently there is a South African Spa with this name - Mangwanani.co.za
- Masvera sei – (How was your day?) – The opening Ma is used to show respect to an elder
- Wasvera sei – (How was your day?) – The opening Wa is used when it’s a casual greeting i.e. when greeting a youth, friend, sibling or somebody at your level.
- Mhoro – (How are you?) – A casual greeting. Used when greeting a friend, sibling, youth or somebody at your level.
- Mhoroi – (How are you?) – You end with i when greeting an elder or senior person to show respect.
- Wakadini – (How are you?) – Once again Wa is used when casually greeting a friend, youth, sibling or somebody at your level.
- Makadini – (How are you?) – Once again Ma is used to show respect to an elder.
- Titambirei – (Welcome) – Used when welcoming a visitor who arrives at your home.
- Titambirei vaMambo – (Welcome Sir) – If you know the surname or totem of the guest, you can mention it. Here I assumed the guest's surname or totem is Mambo.
- Tigashire – (Welcome) – Used when welcoming a visitor who arrives at your home. This is usually a visitor whom you have not seen for a long time. When a visitor is coming from a faraway place, they are usually carrying luggage and parcels.Tigashire means let me carry your luggage and at the same it’s a greeting to welcome the guest.
- Tisvike - (We Have Arrived) – When you are visiting somebody at their home, you greet them with this phrase.
- Gogogoi - (Knock Knock Knock) – A greeting used when you are visiting somebody at their home.
- Nematambudziko - (We pass on our condolences)
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- Good afternoon - (Masikati)
- How are you doing? or Are you okay? - (Uribho?)
- How is it going? or Any progress? - (Zvirikufamba sei?)
- Good night - (Rara zvakanaka) singular
- Good night - (Rarai zvakanaka) plural
- Good night - (Rarai zvakanaka) Also used when talking to an elderly person.
- Good night - (Worara zvakanaka) alternative / singular
- Good night - (Morara zvakanaka) alternative / plural
- Good night - (Morara zvakanaka) alternative / also used when talking to an elderly person
- Good evening - Manheru .A greeting used when meeting, visiting or seeing someone at night or dusk. This is different from Good Night which is used to bid farewell (i.e. a goodbye).
- I am fine - (Ndiripo) or slang (Ndiri bho)
- I am good - (Ndiripo) or slang (Ndiri bho)
- Good morning my love - (Wamuka sei mudiwa?)
- Goodnight my love - (Rara zvakanaka mudiwa)
- Goodbye - (Sara zvakanaka)
- Sleep well - (Rara zvakanaka)
- Sweet dreams - (Hope dzakanaka)
- Sweet dreams my love - (Hope dzakanaka mudiwa)
- I miss you - (Ndakusuwa)
- I miss you so much - (Ndakusuwa zvechokwadi) or slang (Ndakusuwa stereki)
- I miss you my friend - (Ndakusuwa shamwari)
- My love - (Mudiwa)
- Hello - (Mhoro) or (Mhoroi) - Used when speaking to an elderly person like your father, mother, uncle, grandmother or grandfather.
- Thank you - (Ndinotenda) or (Ndatenda) or (Maita basa)
- Thank you very much - (Ndatenda zvikuru)
- It's appeciated - (Zvinoyemurwa) or (Ndatenda)
- Have a safe journey - (Wofamba zvakanaka) singular
- Have a safe journey - (Fambai zvakanaka) plural. Also used when talking to an elderly person, senior or someone of importance.
- We will see each other again - (Tozvowonana zvakare)
- I will see you tomorrow - (Ndichakuona mangwana)
- We will meet tomorrow - (Ndichawonana mangwana)
- We will meet tomorrow night - (Tichawonana mangwana manheru)
- We will meet tomorrow morning - (Tichawonana mangwana mangwanani)
- We will meet tomorrow at 7 o'clock - (Tichawonana mangwana na7 o'clock)
As you can see, the Shona language has a lot of different phrases
to greet somebody which more or less mean the same thing, depending on the
circumstances.
Questions
- Zita rako ndiani? – (What is your name?)
- Unogara kupi? – (Where do you stay?)
- Unonzi ani? – (What is your name?)
- Ndinokumbira kubvunza – (Can I please ask you something?)
- Unobva kupi? – (Where do you come from?)
- Kumusha ndekupi? – (Which village do you come from?) – The question refers to a person’s village of origin i.e. their grandparents’ or parent’s village.
- Unemakore mangani? – (How old are you?)
- Mutupo ndiani? – (What is your surname?)
- Unogara nani? – (Whom do you stay with?)
- Unodzidza kuphi? – (Which school do you go to?)
- Wakadzidza kupi? – (Which school did you attend?)
- Unoshanda kupi? – (Where do you work?)
- Unoita basa rei? – (What job do you do?)
- Wakadzidzira basa rei? – (What is your profession or which job are you qualified for?)
- Unoendepi? – (Where are you going?)
- Ndinokumbira undiratidze nzira yekumaShops – (Can you please show me the way to the shops?)
- Mukoma PicknPay Supermarket irikupi? – (Brother, where is PicknPay Supermarket?)
- Sisi PicknPay Supermarket irikupi? – (Sister, where is PicknPay Supermarket?)
- Shamwari, Harare Airport irikupi? – (My friend, where is Harare Airport?)
- Wati chii? – (What did you say?)
- Wati kudii? – (What did you say?)
- Urikuitei? - (What are you doing?)
- Urikuitei izvezvi? - (What are you doing now?)
- Urikuendepi? - (Where are you going?)
Relationships and Family
- Shamwari – (friend)
- Mai – (mother, mom, Mrs.)
- Baba – (father, dad, family man)
- Mukoma – (brother)
- Sisi – (sister)
- Ambuya – (grandmother, elderly woman)
- Sekuru – (grandfather, elderly man)
- Muzukuru – (grand child) – singular
- Vazukuru – (grand children) – plural
- Tete – (aunt)
- Baba mnini – (younger uncle)
- Baba mukuru – (older uncle)
- Mai nini – (younger aunt)
- Mai guru – (Older aunt)
- Madzimai – (wives or housewives) plural
- Mudzimai – (wife) singular
- Sahwira – (somebody you know on a friendly basis, someone whom you have a good relationship with but not a relative)
- Tsano - (big brother or friend)
- Mudiwa - (lover, loved one)
About Oneself (First Person Phrases)
- Handinzvisisi – (I don’t understand)
- Handinzvi – (I can’t hear)
- Ndinoziva – (I know)
- Ndamuona – (I saw him or her)
- Ndakuona – (I saw you)
- Ndinokuda – (I love you)
- Ndinogona – (I am capable of or I am capable)
- Ndinogara kuAvondale – (I stay in Avondale)
- Zita rangu ndiRobert – (My name is Robert)
- Ndinemakore 25 – (I am 25 years old)
- Ndinoshanda kuShoprite – (I work at Shoprite)
- Basa rangu ndiPharmacist – (My job is Pharmacist or I work as a Pharmacist)
- Ndakadzidzira Marketing – (I studied marketing)
- Ndinofamba ndega – (I walk alone)
- Ndakadzidza kuOxford University – (I graduated from Oxford University or I did my studies at Oxford University)
- Ndirikuenda – (I am going)
- Ndirikuenda kumaShops – (I am going to the shops)
- Ndinokumbira – (I am asking for)
- Ndinokumbira mvura yekumwa – (Can you please give me water to drink)
- Ndinokumbira chekudya – (Can you please give me something to eat?)
- Ndine nzara – (I am hungry)
- Ndinoda kudya – (I want to eat)
- Ndinotaura Spanish – (I speak Spanish)
- Ndipe – (Give me)
- Ndipe mari yangu – (Give me my money)
- Ndipe cellphone yangu – (Give me my cellphone)
- Ndichauya – (I will come)
- Ndirikuuya – (I am coming)
- Ndirikuuya izvezvi – (I am coming now)
- Ndirikuuya manje – (I am coming now)
