Language/Shona/Vocabulary/Count-to-10

Shona Vocabulary - Count to 10

Hi Shona learners! 😊

In this lesson, you will learn how to count in Shona. As a Shona language teacher with 20 years of experience, I know that numbers are important in any language. They help in everyday communication such as telling time, dates, and how much things cost. So, let's get started!

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Geography, Drinks, Describing Relationships & Days of the Week.

Introduction

Shona is a Bantu language widely spoken in Zimbabwe and southern Zambia. It has several dialects and is the most widely spoken language in Zimbabwe. To improve your Shona Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Numbers

In Shona, the numbers are formed by adding prefixes or suffixes to the root numbers. For example, the number 1 is "motsi" which becomes "motse" after adding the suffix -e. The table below shows the numbers from 1 to 10 in Shona.

Shona	Pronunciation	English
Motsi	mot-si	One
Piri	pi-ri	Two
Tatu	ta-tu	Three
Ina	i-na	Four
Shanu	sha-nu	Five
Tanhatu	ta-nya-tu	Six
Chinyakare	chi-nya-ka-re	Seven
Pfungwa	pfu-ngwa	Eight
Zviti	zvi-ti	Nine
Gumi	gu-mi	Ten

Examples

Here are some examples to demonstrate the usage of the numbers in context.

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Takarwa tanhatu mazai mangwana. (We drank six cups of tea yesterday.)
• Person 2: Wofunga kuti dziri kunaka? (Do you think they were good?)

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Pane tatu ndokusvika, pane zvandisina kuda kuita. (There are three things I need to do when I get there, there's nothing I don't want to do.)
• Person 2: Zvinosvika muri kuti? (Where are you getting to?)

Conclusion

Congratulations! Now, you know how to count from 1 to 10 in Shona. Keep practicing to become more confident in your skills. Remember to use the Polyglot Club website to find language partners and practice with native speakers!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Shona language - Wikipedia
• Day Four Shona Challenge - Count to 10 in Shona - Sarura Kids

Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Common Foods, Shona Vocabulary → Numbers and Time → Numbers 1-10, Introducing Yourself & Education.

Other Lessons

• Days of the Week
• Clothes
• Education
• Numbers
• Days of the week
• Geography
• Express Surprise
• Animals
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Health