In this lesson we will cover how to introduce yourself. Saying "my name is" or asking other people.
Zita rako rinonzi ani?
-what is your name?
Zita rako rinonzi chii?
- what is your name?
Zita
- name
Rako
- yours
Chii
- what
Unonzi ani? /Unonzani?
- what are you called?
Remember Shona is a respect built language. So to ask older people their names it will be different. We use plural terms.
Let's look at that.
Zita renyu rinonzi vaani?
-What is your name?
Munonzani? / Munonzi vaani?
- what are you called?
(To older person)
Vanonzi vaani? / Vanonzani?
- what are they called?
(Asking what an older person is called to someone else.)
____________
Remember the V in Vaani is not spoken like V for Very which in Shona is Vh
____________
Zita rako rinonzi chii?
- what is your name?
Ndinonzi __
- I am called_
Zita rangu ndi ___
- my name is_
Ini ndinonzi __
- I am called __
Anonzi ani?/Anonzani?
- what is his/her name?
____________________
Shona doesn't have a specific gender for in some instances. Especially words like "he" and "her". If you don't know a person's name you can always call them "friend" or other titles. Man, Woman, big/little brother or big/little sister.
____________________
Example:
Mukoma avo vanonzi ani?
- what is that older people called?
Zita ramukoma uyu rinonzi ani?
-what is that older brother's name?
Shona people are very family oriented. This shows in their culture. Cousins are also considered brothers and sisters. Aunts are mothers and uncle's fathers (depending on the side of the family) are fathers or grandpas.
Zvakanaka kukuziva.
- nice to meet you.
(To younger person/ from older to younger person)
Zvakanaka kukuzivai
- nice to meet you
(Plural/to older person)
Ndafara kukuziva
- I'm happy to meet you
Ndafara kukuzivai
- I'm happy to meet you
(Plural/to older person)
Makadii? / makadi ni?
How are you?
(Plural/to older person)
Mushe, ko iwewe?
- good and you.
(To younger person/same age)
Mushe ko imimi
- I'm good and you?
(To older person)
Tiripo kana muripowo.
- we are well if you are well.
(even though "Tiripo" is plural people sometimes use it in singular circumstances)
Tinofara/Tofara kana muchifarawo.
- I am/we are happy if you are happy.
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LEARN SHONA🇿🇼 | Dzidza chiShona
Non-FictionSHONA is a bantu language spoken in Zimbabwe. It has mutually intelligible languages called: Ndau, Karanga, Manyika, Korekore, Zezuru,. It is believed to have been born from Tjikalanga, particularly Chikaranga. And it and it's native speakers share...
