Entries | Shona Living Dictionary

Entries

ndarama— gold
tsvuku— red (colour)
-kanga— fry
mari— money
mukoko— hive
mhofu— elands
mhofu— eland
kusarudza— choose
ichi— this
kuhetsura— sneeze
mhuno— nose
nyuchi— bee
kutsvaga— find
-pedza— finish
nzira— path (road, trail; not street)
-bika— cook
makore— years
dziva— pond
-tya— fear
musoro— head (anatomic)
ura— intestines
musoro— head (anatomic)
bhegi— bag
nhenga— feather (large, not down)
kuzara— full
makudo— baboons
mabvazuva— east
muroora— daughter-in-law
-tamba— play
pano— here
hapwa— armpit
svosve— ant
zita— name
dendere— nest
fa— die
kutyisa— frighten
chiropa— liver
kuoma— become hard or dry (substance)
-rova— hit
Naira
sei— how
-pisa— hot, be
kubanha— kick
muzukuru— grandchild
kuda— want, need
kutiza— escape
Rega zvipore akabva mukutsva— Experience is the best teacher
Mateko/Makoko
mbishi— raw
Zino irema, rinosekerera warisingade.— The tooth is a fool, it smiles even at one's enemy. (Appearances can be deceiving.)
kugara pasi— sit down
Tsambatsi/Sambasi/Zambiringa
izwi— word
Hukama igasva, hunozadziwa nekudya.— Relationships are made complete by fellowshipping (sharing meals)
kutenga— buy
zino— tooth (front, rather than molar)
mukadzi— woman
mufundisi— priest
chisarai— Goodbye
sere— eight
kutarisa— watch
handisati ndamboverenga bhuku iroro— I have never read that book
kunyepa— lie (tell untruth)
munhurume— male
nyati— buffalo, buffaloes
chamhembe— south
kupesana— separated, be
gurura— dust
bhurauni— brown
Ndumure— Toddler
-sunga— tie
nyanga— horn (of bull etc.)
guvi— wind
bapu— lung
mhodzi— seed
dindingwe— cheetah, cheetahs
girini— green (colour)
-vhima— hunt
kubika— cook
kuita— do
-tonhora— cold (of weather)
kutya— fear
mheni— lightning
huswa— grass
ivhu— earth (soil)
kuimba— sing
mashambanzou— dawn
kudziya— feel warmth
nhenga— feather (large, not down)
shanu— five
kuzorora— lie (on side, recline)
kupinda— enter
manyoka— diarrhea
-banha— kick
ruboshwe— left
gondo— eagle
mhembe— bucks
mazuva— days
zviuno— waists
musodzi— tears
kunaya— rain
Kama
kuisa— put
-tenga— buy
bazi— branch
chikepe— boat
makava— jackals
ibvi— knee
gore— cloud (not fog), year
kuenda— go
kuhwandira— lie (in ambush)
nyama— flesh (meat)
beche— vagina
kuteerera— obey
-kama— milk
-edza— try
maburi— holes
kugaya— grind
makondo— eagles
-chema— cry
bambomukota— large grasshopper
kugezesa— wash someone
piri— two
baba— father
-tyora— break
huro— throat
mhou— ostrich, ostriches
twumhutu— mosquitoes
kudya— eat
kurwa— fight
-dhonza— pull
chigunwe— finger, thumb, toe
kure— far
bere— hyena
ndanga ndiri kumusika— I was at the market
baba— father
manheru— (good) evening
mukuwasha— son-in-law
dafi— frog
ndakasvika nezuro— I arrived yesterday
zvigunwe— thumbs
mukono— bull
bendekete— shoulder
bakwa— firewood stack
kugeza vhudzi— wash hair
shizha— leaf (botanics)
chirebvu— chin
munzwa— thorn
munin'ina— younger sister
zana— hundred
bwe— stone
chiuno— waist
makuvi— puddles
kuziva— know (facts)
gonye— worm
-tengesa— sell
dandemutande— spider
chipfuva— chest
kukwazisa— give greetings
rwiyo— song
mvura— water
akatyoka gumbo achitamba bhora— he broke his leg playing ball
paipi— pipe
Mwena
kurara— sleep
badza— hoe
ndebvu— beard
vana— children
fenzi— fence
murimi— farmer
madokero— west
kuzvimba— swell
-unganidza— gather
Pane chariuraya, zizi harife nemhepo.— There is a special reason behind the death of an owl
-sunda— push
muti— tree (not log)
kushama— yawn
dzombi— lizard
uswa— grass
mikono— bulls
zai— egg
mangwana— tomorrow
kuuraya— kill
kudzoka— return
njiri— warthog
-om(es)a— dry (substance)
kuneta— become tired
imbwa— dog
mwimbi— singer
hongu— yes
kukurumidza— be fast, hurry
kwete— not
vhudzi— hair (on head of humans)
bako— cave
kusunga— tie
ini— I
kupi— where
kuzvigeza— wash self
kukanda— throw
kuchera— dig

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