ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS
Why Learn Shona?
International travel is made easier and more pleasant when you know Shona. Four out of five new jobs in the US are created as a result of foreign trade. Creativity is increased with the study of Shona. Shona expand one's world view and limit the barriers between people: barriers cause distrust and fear.
Shona is a Bantu language by about 34 million Shona people of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. In Southern Africa, it has the highest number of native speakers of any Bantu language.Shona Alphabet & Pronunciation
a
[a]
[a]
e
[e]
[e]
i
[i]
[i]
o
[o]
[o]
u
[u]
[u]
b
[b]
[b]
bh
[b̤]
[b̤]
ch
[]
[]
d
[d]
[d]
dh
[d̤]
[d̤]
dzv
[]
[]
dy
[]
[]
f
[f]
[f]
g
[g/]
[g/]
h
[h]
[h]
j
[]
[]
k
[k]
[k]
l
[k]
[k]
m
[m]
[m]
mbw
[]
[]
mh
[m̤]
[m̤]
n
[n]
[n]
ng
[ŋ]
[ŋ]
p
[p]
[p]
r
[r]
[r]
s
[s]
[s]
sv
[]
[]
sw
[skw]
[skw]
t
[t]
[t]
ty
[]
[]
tsv
[]
[]
v
[]
[]
vh
[v]
[v]
w
[w]
[w]
y
[j]
[j]
z
[z]
[z]
zv
[]
[]
Basic Phrases in Shona
| Hello | Mhoro |
|---|---|
| Goodbye | Sara mushe |
| Yes | Ehe |
| No | Aihwa |
| Excuse me | Pamusoroi |
| Please | Ndapota |
| Thank you | Waita hako |
| You are welcome | Unogamuchirwa |
| Do you speak english | Unotaura Chirungu? |
| Do you understand | Unonzwisisa here? |
| I understand | Ndinonzwisisa |
| I do not understand | Handinzwisise |
| How are you | Makadii? |
| Fine thanks | Zvakanaka ndatenda! |
| What is your name | Zita rako ndiani? |
| My name is | Zita randu ndi |
| Pleased to meet you | Ndafara kukuziva (dafara kukuzia) |
Shona Grammar
Shona Nouns
| Man | |
|---|---|
| Woman | |
| Boy | |
| Girl | Musikana |
| Cat | |
| Dog | |
| Fish | |
| Water | |
| Milk | |
| Egg | |
| House | |
| Flower | |
| Tree | |
| Shirt | |
| Pants |
Shona Adjectives
Colors in Shona
| Black | Nhema |
|---|---|
| White | Chena |
| Red | Tsvuku |
| Orange | Orenji |
| Yellow | Yero |
| Green | Girinhi |
| Blue | Bhuruu |
| Purple | Pepuru |
| Pink | Pink |
| Gray | Girey (v) |
| Brown | Bhurawuni |
Numbers in Shona
| Zero | Zero |
|---|---|
| One | Imwe |
| Two | Vaviri |
| Three | Vatatu |
| Four | Mane |
| Five | Shanu |
| Six | Vatanhatu |
| Seven | Zvinomwe |
| Eight | Isere |
| Nine | Mapfumbamwe |
| Ten | Gumi |
| Eleven | Eleven |
| Twelve | Gumi nemaviri |
| Twenty | Makumi maviri |
| Thirty | Makumi matatu |
| Forty | Makumi mana |
| Fifty | Makumi mashanu |
| Sixty | Makumi matanhatu |
| Seventy | Makumi manomwe |
| Eighty | Makumi masere |
| Ninety | Makumi mapfumbamwe |
| Hundred | Zana |
| Thousand | Zviuru |
Shona Verbs
| To be | Kuva |
|---|---|
| To have | Kuva |
| To want | Kuda |
| To need | Kuda |
| To help | Kubatsira |
| To go | Kuenda |
| To come | Kuuya |
| To eat | Kudya |
| To drink | Kumwa |
| To speak | Kutaura |
Building Simple Sentences
More Complex Shona Sentences
| And | Uye |
|---|---|
| Or | Kana |
| But | Asi |
| Because | Nekuti |
| With | Na |
| Also | Zvakare |
| However | Zvisinei |
| Neither | Kana |
| Nor | Kana |
| If | Kana |
| Then | Ipapo |
Useful Shona Vocabulary
Shona Questions
| Who | Uyo |
|---|---|
| What | Chii |
| When | Riini |
| Where | Kupi |
| Why | Sei |
| How | Sei |
| How many | Zvingani |
| How much | Zvingani |
Days of the Week in Shona
| Monday | Muvhuro |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Chipiri |
| Wednesday | Chitatu |
| Thursday | China |
| Friday | Chishanu |
| Saturday | Mugovera |
| Sunday | Svondo |
| Yesterday | Nezuro |
| Today | Nhasi |
| Tomorrow | Mangwana |
Months in Shona
| January | Ndira |
|---|---|
| February | Kukadzi |
| March | Kurume |
| April | Kubvumbi |
| May | Chivabvu |
| June | Chikumi |
| July | Chikunguru |
| August | Nyamavhuvhu |
| September | Gunyana |
| October | Gumiguru |
| November | Mbudzi |
| December | Zvita |
Seasons in Shona
| Winter | Chando |
|---|---|
| Spring | Chitubu |
| Summer | Zhizha |
| Autumn | Autumn |
Telling Time in Shona
| What time is it | Inguvai? |
|---|---|
| Hours | Maawa |
| Minutes | Maminetsi |
| Seconds | Masekondi |
| O clock | O |
| Half | Hafu |
| Quarter past | Kota apfuura |
| Before | Zvisati zvaitika |
| After | Mushure |