Lesson 005 - Common Shona Phrases

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In Today’s lesson, we review common Shona phrases.

Featured Image - Captured this guy when I was at HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts). HIFA is an amazing festival where you find the most unique and artistic Zimbabweans all in one place.

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

Ndaneta. I’m tired.  (Ndaneta ne basa - I’m tired of work)

Hwaneta.  You are tired.  (Ehe Hwaneta.  Yes you are tired).

Kuneta. This means “to be tired”.  (Kuneta kunorwadza - To be tired is painful.  Kuneta kunorwadza)

Aneta. He/she is tired.  (Mwana Aneta - The child is tired.)  Nyasha aneta. Nyasha is tired.

Taneta. We are tired. Hatidi kuenda nekuti taneta.  We dont want to go because we are tired.

Let’s break this sentence down.  Hatidi (means “We don’t want”) Kuenda (means “to go”). Nekuti (means “because”).  And Taneta (means “we are tired”).  Hatidi kuenda nekuti taneta.

Pamusoroi. Excuse me.

Taura. Talk. Ndiri kuTaura na Tsitsi. I am talking to Tsitsi. Ngati taure. Lets Talk. Taura mushe. Speak well. Ndataura. I’ve spoken / or I spoke.  Ndataura naye.  I spoke to him/her.

Tora zvinhu zvako. Take your things. Tora=take. Zvinhu=things. Zvako=yours.

Nekuti. Because. Nekuti.  Because.  Let’s construct an easy sentence.

Handidi chikafu nekuti ndakaguta. Handidi (means “I don’t want”).  Chikafu (means “food”).  Nekuti (means “because”).  Ndakaguta (means “I’m full”).  So now the whole sentence is… Handidi chikafu nekuti ndakaguta. I don’t want food because I’m full.

Famba. Walk. Tino famba ne tsoka. We walk with feet. (or we walk with our feet).  Tino (means “we do” something… such as “we eat”, “tinodya”).  Famba (means “walk”). Ne (remember this means “with” when referring to a thing). Tsoka (feet).  Tino famba ne tsoka.  We walk with feet.

Kwira. Climb. Kwira.  Climb.

Ndiri kukwira muti. I am climbing a tree. Ndiri (I am) kukwira (to climb) muti(tree)

Ngati kwire tese. Let’s climb together. Ngati(let us) kwire(climb) tese (together)

Kunze. Outside.  Ndiri kunze. I am outside.

2 Easy Sentences with Common Phrases

That girl is walking to the market - Musikana uyo arikufamba ku Musika.

Musikana - Girl.  And also, if you prefer to make the sentence about a boy, you say “Mukomana.”  Mukomana means boy.

Uyo - That one.  Musikana Uyo.  That Girl.  Mukomana uyo.  That boy.

Arikufamba - Is walking.  Ari is a way to say “is” when referring to a person.  Remember the word “famba” means “walk”.  Ari ku famba.  Arikufamba means Is walking.  Musikana uyo Arikufamba.  That girl is walking.  Mukomana uyo arikufamba.  That boy is walking.

Ku musika - to the Market.  Musika means market.

Let’s go and talk to her - Ngatiende kuno taura naye

Ngatiende- Ngati means “Let us.”  Its used to invite someone to do something with you.  Let’s walk - Ngati fambe. Let’s climb - Ngati kwire.  Let’s eat - Ngatidye.

So Ngatiende means Let’s go.  Remember “enda” means go.  So when saying to someone let’s go, you say Ngatiende.

Kuno - Means “to go and do something”.  For example:  To go and walk - Kuno famba.  To go and climb - Kuno kwira.  To go and eat - Kunodya.  Its very easy to see the many patterns in Shona, that make the language so easy to learn and understand.  Lets continue.

Taura - Taura means talk.  Taura.  Talk.

Naye - With her (or with him).  Naye.  Can you guess what these phrases mean?

Famba Naye - Walk with her.

Kwira Naye - Climb with her.

Idya naye - Eat with her.

Notice that in Shona, there’s no difference between talking about a male or a female.  Unlike many languages, you don’t have to learn masculine and feminine version. Once you know how to say something, its the same for both genders.

So one more time, lets review our 2 sentences.

Musikana uyo arikufamba ku Musika - That girl is walking to the market

Ngatiende kuno taura naye - Let’s go and talk to her