Lesson 006 - Question Words

Posted by kudzai on Sep 18, 2009 in Lessons • 33 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:05 — 20.2MB)

Today we’re going to be learning some Shona question words and phrases.

First, lets go over the words sent via twitter since our last lesson. If you haven’t already signed up, visit www.twitter.com/kudzaidotnet, and begin following the kudzai.net tweets, so you can receive Shona words and phrases that are sent in-between lessons. Let’s begin.

Twitter Review

Pisa – Hot
Mvura iriku pisa - The water is hot.

Handizive - I don’t know.
Handizive kune chikafu. I don’t know where the food is.
Handizive munhu uyo. I don’t know that person.

Gara - Sit.
Gara pasi. Sit down.
Ndakagara pasi. I am sitting down.

Gara also means “Live.”
Ndinogara Kumba. I live at home.

Mazvita - Thank you. (To adult).
Wazvita – Thank you (To youth / close friend).
Mazvita Amai - Thanks Mom.
Wazvita Tsitsi - Thanks Tsitsi.

Kuswera mangwana - The day after tomorrow. (Kuswera is pronounced ku-square-rah).
Ndichauya kuswera mangwana - I will come the day after tomorrow

Verenga - Read.
Kuverenga bhuku - To read a book.

Dzoka - Come back
Dzoka kuno - Come back here
Ndadzoka ne mota - I came back with the car.
Amai vadzoka - Mom is back.

Shamwari – Friend
Musikana uyo ishamwari yangu - That girl is my friend
Ndine shamwari inonzi Rumbi - I have a friend named Rumbi.

Today’s Lesson: Question Words

There are many ways of saying certain things in Shona; therefore you may hear multiple versions of the same words during your language-learning journey. The good news is, once you know at least one way of saying something, you can use it to communicate to most Shona speakers. This is the case with some of the question words and phrases we will learn today. Let’s begin!

Ani? - Who
Ndiani? - Who is it?
Ndiani anoda chikafu? - Who wants some food?

Chinyi? - What. This is more commonly abbreviated “Chii?” - What
Une chinyi muBag mako? - What do you have in your bag?
Chii chiri mupoto? - What’s in the pot?

Kupi? - Where
Mota irikupi? - Where is the car?
Amai vaenda kupi? - Where did mom go?

Riinhi? - When
Tichaenda riinhi? - When will we go?
Masvika riinhi? - When did you arrive?

Sei? - Why
Sei urikudzidza Shona? - Why are you learning Shona?
Sei watora zvinhi zvangu? - Why did you take my things?

Sei? - How

Notice that the questions “why” and “how” are both “sei” in Shona. Its easy to determine which is being used, based on the context of the sentence and the position of the word “sei” in relation to the subject of the sentence. Notice in the following examples that when the word “sei” is before the subject the question is “why.” When “sei” comes after the subject, the question is “how?”

Hwauya sei? - How did you come?
Sei wauya? - Why did you come?
Mandiona Sei? - How did you find me?
Sei mandiona? - Why did you find me?
Tinofamba sei? - How to we walk?
Sei tafamba? - Why did we walk?

Below is a telephone conversation between 2 people.

Person A - Hello? - Hello?
Person B - Masikati Maswera sei? - Good afternoon, How have you spent the day?
Person A – Ndaswera. Ndiani ari kutaura? - I’ve spent the day well. Who is speaking?
Person B - Ndi Rufaro - Its Rufaro
Person A - Chii chendinga kuitire Rufaro - What can I do for you Rufaro?
Person B - Ndiri kutsvaga imba yenyu. Irikupi? - I am looking for your house. Where is it?
Person A - Imba yedu iri pana Samora Machel Avenue. Ko, sei urikuda kuuya kuno? - Our house is on Samora Machel Avenue. Why do you want to come here?
Person B - Nekuti ndine nzara - Because I’m hungry.
Person A - Hucha svika riinhi? - When will you arrive?
Person B - Ndicha svika na 5. Sei mabvunza? I will arrive at 5. Why did you ask?
Person A - Nekuti ndicha bika. Because I’m going to cook.

Now you have a good start, and can begin forming some questions of your own. Hey how bout emailing me a question in Shona that you put together by yourself. I’ll reply to you with the answer in Shona, and also send you and English version of my answer. Send your message to Shona@kudzai.net, and be sure to reference to “Lesson # 6″ in your email. Look out for lesson 7, where we will continue our exciting journey into the wonderful world of Shona. Until next time. Toonana.


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33 comments

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  1. Steven Gedes on Sep 21, 2009, 9:10 pm:

    Hi Kudzai. Great lesson. My shona question sentance is “Sei chikafu chiri mupoto?” (I just put together words from your lessons :)

  2. Kudzai Herself on Sep 25, 2009, 12:36 pm:

    Steve this is a perfect sentance! It says “Why is the food in the pot?” Great work ;)

  3. Tanyaradzwa Masike on Oct 12, 2009, 11:51 am:

    Thannk u i came to america when i was 7 now am 12 and i have no idea how to write in shona anymore and i really want to teach my self to write it but i can read it and say it not write. but i did come from zimbabwe most people call me tanya but my name is tanyaradzwa masike

  4. Kudzai on Oct 12, 2009, 12:15 pm:

    Hi Tanya. Its good to hear you’re working to maintain your Shona. I came to America when I was young as well, at 9 years old. The good thing is, Shona is not hard to keep, as long as you try. About writing, my little sister was 3 when we came, and she taught herself how to write Shona. So you can definitely do it! Just remember that “a e i o u” in Shona is pronounced “Ah, Eh, Eee, Oh, Ooo” instead of the english way: “Ay, eee, eye, oh, you.” Putting words together is easy when you remember this. ;)

  5. Tanya Masike on Oct 13, 2009, 6:34 pm:

    Thanks zudzai think i can do it. makanaka shamwari yangu. God bless u all

  6. Mr. J Ashton on Oct 15, 2009, 11:45 pm:

    Hi, my name is Mr. Ashton. I teach language arts, and love your lessons. I enjoy teaching and learning languages, and appreciate that you’re making these lessons for free. My shona sentence is “Ndiani kutaura na Amai?”

  7. tinashe on Oct 28, 2009, 1:42 pm:

    hi, im tinashe i came to america when i was 7 but now im 11 and i can olny speak shona but not write and this website helped me learn and and the person who showed me this website was tanya masike

  8. Kudzai on Oct 28, 2009, 2:23 pm:

    @ Mr J. Ashton - Thank you so much for your feedback! Great sentence as well, which says: “Who is talking to mom?” The only small correction is to add “ari” which stand for “is”. So it will be “Ndiani ari kutaura na Amai?” Great work!

    @ Tinashe - Hi Tinashe. Glad to hear you found the website :) I’m happy you’re learning how to write Shona. It’s pretty easy huh? And since you already speak it, you’ll do great. Also something that my little sister started doing which helped her is texting her friends in Shona. If you have a cell phone and text often, its a fun way to start writing to your other shona-speaking friends. Glad to hear from you!

  9. tinashe on Nov 5, 2009, 7:51 pm:

    well i do have a cell phone and i do now text my parents in shona know and i also text my twin sister too and tanya and my other friend named nandi

  10. tinaye on Nov 5, 2009, 7:55 pm:

    hi im tinaye i’m tinashe’s sister and i also want to learn shona but i already know how to speak it. i’m tinashe twin and my story is the same as her

  11. tinayye on Nov 5, 2009, 7:58 pm:

    mhamha mu re kupi i just put words together

  12. Kudzai on Nov 6, 2009, 11:50 am:

    Wow Tinashe and Tinaye. You guys are both doing so good. Keep it up.

    @ Tinaye - Great sentence, “Mom, where are you?” :) Here’s a spelling correction:

    “Mhamha muri kupi?”

    Just the same except changing “mu re” to “muri.”

  13. tinaye on Nov 7, 2009, 4:02 pm:

    thanks its good that im learning and im a fast learner

  14. nandi on Dec 15, 2009, 7:47 pm:

    hi my name is nandi my friend is paris and she is white and i am teaching her shona

  15. nandi on Dec 15, 2009, 7:48 pm:

    ini ndinonzi nandi ndinemakore 12 ndiri wekuzimbabwe ndinokwanisa kunyora ne shona

  16. nandi on Dec 15, 2009, 7:56 pm:

    btw i came to america in 2007 on september 18 and i am a michael jackson fan and his kids are like my lil bro and sis and kudzai wakanaka chaizvo uri nice

  17. Kudzai on Dec 16, 2009, 1:39 pm:

    Mhoro Nandi. Ndafara kunzwa kuti you’re teaching Paris Shona. That’s wonderful. Uno nyora shona zvakanaka chaizvo. (You write Shona very well). Neniwo ndino farira Michael Jackson. (I also like Michael Jackson too). Ukwazise shamwari yako Paris! (Say hi to your friend Paris).

  18. paris on Dec 18, 2009, 7:55 pm:

    hi my name is paris i am full american and nandi is teaching me shona i can say uri bho here

  19. jermajesty on Dec 18, 2009, 7:56 pm:

    hi i am american and this website cracks me up and btw am only nine and i am tanya brotheer in law

  20. jermajesty on Dec 20, 2009, 11:15 pm:

    hi its jermajesty i am tanya brother and i live in england and i am used to live in america but now in england

  21. jermajesty on Dec 20, 2009, 11:16 pm:

    not that tanya but the other tanya my sister i dont know who that tanya is

  22. jermajesty on Dec 20, 2009, 11:18 pm:

    just getting things staright

  23. Shari on Feb 10, 2010, 8:46 pm:

    Hi there. This site is AWESOME! I am married to the most wonderful Zimbabwe man with a wonderful family and I have been trying so hard to learn the language. I was wondering if you could do a lesson for couples? It would be so great!

  24. Ash on May 8, 2010, 9:33 am:

    hello kudzai
    im 10 yrs old and from zimbabwe but i can only speek shona a little bit ( im actually rubbish )
    i understand every word of it but i can not speek propely . mhoro amai maswera sai
    (i just put some words 2gether.) can you give me some ways that i can learn shona quikly please ?

  25. Kudzai on May 12, 2010, 2:53 pm:

    Hi Ash. I’m happy to hear you’re learning Shona. I hope these lessons will help you a lot. Email me any questions you have. Thanks!

  26. Kudzai on May 14, 2010, 1:20 pm:

    Hi Shari. Was just reading through comments and saw yours today. A lesson for couples is a fun idea! I’ll see what I can put together in a future lesson. Thanks.

  27. Tshireletso on May 20, 2010, 12:48 am:

    Hi Kudzai, i’m 26 and dating a loving shona man and your lessons have helped me communicate with him in his mother tongue. Unfortunately i cant pronounce some of the words but i can chat and text him in shona. Thanks!!!

  28. Kudzai on May 26, 2010, 11:47 pm:

    Thank you Tshireletso. Its good that you’re chatting and texting in Shona which shows that you have a real good grasp on the language already. Keep it up. Thanks for your feedback on the lessons!

  29. lungisani on Jun 15, 2010, 12:41 pm:

    I from south africa and speaking zulu ndinokuda kutaura other african languages. Ndafara kuziba website zako and now i am able to kwazisa other shona speaker. My problem is that handisi kunyaso kuzwisisa person wakurumidza kutaura. Tinotenda zvikuru shamwari zangu

  30. Kudzai on Jul 7, 2010, 11:36 pm:

    @Lungisani - Ndatenda zvikuru kunzwa kuti uri kugona Shona chaizvo. Ndiri kudzidza Zulu paInternet saka tiri tese mukudzidza. Thanks for the comment, and I hope all is well in South Africa! My Dad is bringing me a vuvuzela in a few weeks!

  31. Latisha on Jul 26, 2010, 7:57 am:

    Hi, my name is Latisha. I just love the way shona sounds when it’s being spoken and am very interested in learning Shona. Have got some few friends from Zimbabwe and am dating a shona guy and hopefully after visiting your website with all the lessons i saw, hopefully i will be able to make a sentence and actually have a conversation with him in shona. I can say ndinokuda :-)

  32. Kudzai on Aug 4, 2010, 9:49 pm:

    Hey Latisha. Thanks so much and I’m really glad to hear you like the language and are learning. God bless you!

  33. professor ncube on Aug 8, 2010, 1:35 am:

    I have learned a lot about this pronouncemt iam Venda speaking guy most of those words are similar ,i thanks for those

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