Language/Shona/Vocabulary/Days-of-the-week
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Welcome to our lesson on the days of the week in Shona! The Shona language is a Bantu language spoken by approximately 10 million people primarily in Zimbabwe and Zambia:
Days of the Week in Shona[edit | edit source]
A traditional week as is the modern week in the Shona culture consists of seven days, however, traditionally, of the seven days, six of them are considered working days and the last is observed as a rest day, a sabbath so to speak.
| Weekday in Shona (Traditional) | Weekday in Shona (Modern) | Pronunciation in IPA | Translation in English | Origin of the Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muvhuro | Muvhuro | muˈvhuɾo | Monday | "Muvhuro" means "beginning" or "opening" in Shona and is used to denote the start of a new week. |
| Chipiri | Chipiri | tʃiˈpiɾi | Tuesday | "Chipiri" means "second" in Shona, and refers to the second day of the week. |
| Chitatu | Chitatu | tʃiˈtatʊ | Wednesday | "Chitatu" means "third" in Shona, and refers to the third day of the week. |
| China | China | ˈtʃina | Thursday | "China" means "fourth" in Shona, and refers to the fourth day of the week. |
| Chishanu | Chishanu | tʃiˈʃanu | Friday | "Chishanu" means "fifth" in Shona, and refers to the fifth day of the week. |
| Mugovera (or Chitanhatu) | Mugovera | mu'govera | Saturday | "Mugovera" means "day of imparting" in Shona, it was the day when people got paid their dues for their week's work in preparation for the rest day.
"Chitanhatu" means "sixth", in some variations people did refer to the day as such. |
| Chisi | Svondo (or Sondo) | ˈsvɔndo | Sunday | This day was originally named Chisi or "Chisiya chedu" meaning "our rest" by the Shona people. With the introduction of Christianity, it later became known as "Svondo", it derives from Afrikaans from the word sondag' meaning sunday. |
[edit | edit source]
| Word in Shona | Pronunciation in IPA | Translation in English | Origin/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nguva | Time | ||
| Vhiki (or svondo; sondo) | Week | deriving from Afrikaans | |
| Mavhiki mbiri | Bi-weekly; Fortnight | ||
| Rinhambo (or nhambo) | Hour | ||
| Mhindi (or mineti) | Minute | ||
| Chepiri | Second | ||
| Chiurupiri (or mirisekondi) | Millisecond | Chiurupiri follows the etymology of millisecond meaning "a thousandth of a second",
chiuru- means "thousand" and -piri means "second" | |
| Zuva | Day, Sun | ||
| Musi | Date, Day | ||
| Nhasi (or nyamusi; nyamushi) | Today | nyamusi and nyamushi mean literally 'this date', 'current day' | |
| Mangwana, hwedza | maŋˈɡwana | Tomorrow | Literally means "morning" or "dawn." |
| Nezuro, zuro | Yesterday | Derives from "kunherera" which means "to walk backwards," signifying the past. | |
| Kuseni, Mwangwanani | Morning | ||
| Masikati | Afternoon | ||
| Madekwana | Early evening | ||
| Madeko, Manhoko | Evening | ||
| Manheru | Late evening | ||
| Vusiku (or Usiku; Husiku) | Night | ||
| Pakatipousiku | Midnight | ||
| Nhasi manheru | Tonight | meaning literally "today night" | |
| Gore (or makei) | Year | ||
| Nhaka | This year | ||
| Chemakei, Chegore | Annual | meaning "of the year" | |
| Mwedzi | Month, Moon | the Shona traditionally use a lunar calendar hence moon and month are the same | |
| Mwaka | Season | ||
| Kati, kanhi | Period | ||
| Zera | Age, Era | ||
| Gumikati (or Mwakakumi) | Decade, Decennium | zanakati meaning "tenth period"; mwakakumi means "tenth season" | |
| Zanagore (or Zanakati) | Century | zanagore means "hundredth year"; zanakati means "hundredth period" | |
| Wurukati (or Mwakawuru) | Millennium | wurukati means "thousandth period"; mwakawuru means "thousandth season" | |
| Karenda | Calendar | ||
| Pamberi | Before | meaning "ahead of" | |
| Mushure | After | meaning "behind" | |
| Zvino | Now | ||
| Izezvi, Izvozvi | Right now | ||
| Mazuvaese | Everyday, Daily | ||
| KSN | AM | from kuseni meaning "morning" | |
| MSK | PM (early) | from masikati meaning "afternoon", this is broaddaylight afternoon | |
| MDK | PM (late) | from madekwa meaning "night; evening" , this is the dark evening/afternoon | |
| Wachi | Watch, Clock | ||
| Makore mazanamaviri | Bicentinnial | ||
| Makore maviri | Biennial | ||
| Ruambanguva (or Unenanguva) | Chronology | unena-/ruamba- is the suffix -logy, chrono- means "time" which is nguva in Shona | |
| -cheruambanguva | Chronologically | ||
| Gore remucharikwa | Leap year | ||
| Jubheri | Jubilee | ||
| Zoni | Zone |
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
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