Shona Dictionary

Amai

/a-ma-i/

Mother

Baba

/ba-ba/

Baba vangu vari mudzidzisi

Father

My father is a teacher

Bota

/bo-ta/

Thin porridge

Chikoro

/chi-ko-ro/

School

Dovi

/do-vi/

Peanut butter relish

Dumbu

/dum-bu/

Stomach

Dya

/dya/

Dya sadza

Eat

Eat sadza

Enda

/en-da/

Go

Fambai zvakanaka

/fam-ba-i zva-ka-na-ka/

Go well / Goodbye (to departing person)

Gumbo

/gum-bo/

Foot / Leg

Gumi

/gu-mi/

Ten

Hama

/ha-ma/

Relative / Family member

Hongu

/hon-gu/

Yes

Huku

/hu-ku/

Chicken

Imba

/im-ba/

Family / Household

Imba

/im-ba/

House / Home

Imi

/i-mi/

You (plural)

Ina

/i-na/

Four

Isu

/i-su/

We / Us

Ita

/i-ta/

Do / Make

Ivo

/i-vo/

They / Them

Iwe

/i-we/

You (singular)

Iye

/i-ye/

He / She / It

Kwete

/kwe-te/

No

Madhumbe

/ma-dhum-be/

Cocoyam / Taro

Maita basa

/ma-i-ta ba-sa/

Thank you (for the work/effort)

Makadii?

/ma-ka-dii/

How are you? (to one elder or group)

Makumi maviri

/ma-ku-mi ma-vi-ri/

Twenty

Mangwana

/mang-wa-na/

Tomorrow

Mangwanani

/mang-wa-na-ni/

Good morning

Mangwanani

/mang-wa-na-ni/

Morning

Manheru

/man-he-ru/

Good evening

Manheru

/man-he-ru/

Evening

Maputi

/ma-pu-ti/

Popcorn

Mari

/ma-ri/

Money

Masikati

/ma-si-ka-ti/

Afternoon / Midday

Masikati

/ma-si-ka-ti/

Good afternoon

Mauya

/ma-u-ya/

Mauya kumusha medu

Welcome

Welcome to our home

Mazai

/ma-za-i/

Eggs

Mbuya

/m-bu-ya/

Grandmother / Aunt (maternal)

Mhanya

/m-ha-nya/

Run

Mhoro

/m-ho-ro/

Mhoro, makadii?

Hello

Hello, how are you?

Moyo

/mo-yo/

Heart

Mugwagwa

/mu-gwa-gwa/

Road / Street

Mukadzi

/mu-ka-dzi/

Wife / Woman

Muriwo

/mu-ri-wo/

Vegetable relish

Muromo

/mu-ro-mo/

Mouth

Murume

/mu-ru-me/

Husband / Man

Musha

/mu-sha/

Village / Rural home

Musika

/mu-si-ka/

Market

Musoro

/mu-so-ro/

Head

Muto

/mu-to/

Soup / Broth

Mvura

/m-vu-ra/

Water

Mwana

/m-wa-na/

Child

Mwanakomana

/m-wa-na-ko-ma-na/

Son

Mwanasikana

/m-wa-na-si-ka-na/

Daughter

Mwedzi

/m-wed-zi/

Moon / Month

Ndapota

/n-da-po-ta/

Please

Ndatenda

/n-da-ten-da/

Thank you

Ndine urombo

/ndi-ne u-rom-bo/

I am sorry

Ndiri / Ini

/ini/

I / Me

Ndiripamwe

/ndi-ri-pa-mwe/

I am fine / I am together (reply)

Nezuro

/ne-zu-ro/

Yesterday

Nguva

/n-gu-va/

Time

Nhasi

/nha-si/

Today

Nhopi

/n-ho-pi/

Pumpkin (cooked)

Nomwe

/nom-we/

Seven

Nwa

/n-wa/

Drink

Nyama

/nya-ma/

Meat

Nzeve

/n-ze-ve/

Ear

Ona

/o-na/

See / Look

Pfumbamwe

/pfum-bam-we/

Nine

Piri

/pi-ri/

Two

Rara

/ra-ra/

Sleep

Rimwe

/rim-we/

One

Ruoko

/ru-o-ko/

Hand / Arm

Rwizi

/r-wi-zi/

River

Sadza

/sad-za/

Sadza nenyama ndizvo chikafu chedu

Thick cornmeal porridge (national dish)

Sadza with meat is our food

Sango

/san-go/

Forest / Wild bush

Sarai zvakanaka

/sa-ra-i zva-ka-na-ka/

Stay well (to person remaining)

Sekuru

/se-ku-ru/

Grandfather / Uncle (maternal)

Sere

/se-re/

Eight

Shamwari

/sham-wa-ri/

Friend

Shanu

/sha-nu/

Five

Svondo

/svon-do/

Week

Tanhatu

/tan-ha-tu/

Six

Tatu

/ta-tu/

Three

Taura

/ta-u-ra/

Speak / Talk

Terera

/te-re-ra/

Listen / Hear

Tii

/tii/

Tea

Usiku

/u-si-ku/

Night

Uya

/u-ya/

Uya pano!

Come

Come here!

Zana

/za-na/

One hundred

Ziso

/zi-so/

Eye (sing.) / Meso (pl.)

Zuva

/zu-va/

Sun / Day