Language/Shona/Vocabulary/Feelings-and-Emotions
This page provides a list of vocabulary in Shona related to feelings and emotions. Learning these words will help you express your emotions in Shona more accurately.
Introduction[edit | edit source]
In Shona, as in many languages, expressing feelings and emotions is a crucial part of daily communication. This lesson covers a variety of terms that will enable you to describe your own emotions and ask others about theirs.
Vocabulary List[edit | edit source]
Below is a list of feelings and emotions in Shona, followed by their English translations.
In shona | English translation | ||
---|---|---|---|
kufara | mufaro, rufaro | happiness | |
kudakara | rudakaro | joy; joyfulness | |
kusurukira | rusurukiro | sad; sadness | |
Kunetsekana | runetsekano | troubled | |
kuzvidyamoyo | worry | literally 'to eat one's own heart' | |
kuzvitemesamusoro | stress; to give oneself a headache | literally 'to strike one's head with an axe' | |
kupunyaira | mupunyairo | fret; stress, worry, | |
kutya, kutla | rutyi, rutli | fear | |
hasha | anger | ||
kutsamwa | -tsamwa | upset | |
kushamisika | rushamiswo | surprise | |
kufarira | like; liking | ||
kuda | rudo | love, loving | |
rudiso, chidiso | want, desire | ||
kudinga, kuvinga | rudingo, ruvingo | need | |
kudaka | rudako | want | |
chidakadaka | crush, puppy-love | ||
chidokwadokwa | |||
donyongodzo | |||
kudokwaira | dokwaira | crave; hunger for; aspire for | |
kupungaira | rupungairo | ||
kupanga | chipangwa, mbangwa | desire; need | |
kububa | crave (of an animal) | ||
kudakarira | |||
daka | grudge | ||
kusemesa, kusembura | disgust; disgusting | ||
kunakidzwa | runakidzo | ||
zvanaka | well, beautiful, good | ||
mushe | well | ||
bho | good | ||
nani | better; improved | ||
godo | jealousy; icy | ||
shanje | envy | ||
kuchiva | ruchivo | lust | |
kuva nemwoyo | mwoyo | lust; selfish | |
kuva nedaka | daka | grudge | |
kudemba | demba | regret | |
kuipa | zvakaipa | bad, unwell | |
kudada | dada, rudado | pride, pridefull | |
kupengesana | rupengesano | to love each other a lot | literally ' to make one another crazy with love' |
madanha | yearning; affectionate admiration | ||
kufukamoyo | ufukamoyo, rufukamoyo | depression | literally 'covering of one's heart' |
kudekara | rudekaro | relax | |
kukara | rukaro | greedy; greed | |
kuvenga | ruvengo | hate; hateful | |
kushona/kuhlona | shonhi, shoni, hlonhi | shame | |
kunyara | runyaro | shy, shyness | |
kuva netsitsi | tsitsi | compassion | |
kuva nengoni | ngoni | ||
kuva nemutsa | mutsa | mercy, merciful | |
kuva nenyasha | nyasha | grace, graceful | |
kunyazisa, kusvoda | nyadzi, rusvodi | embarrassing, embarrassment | |
kuviruka | |||
kuva neshungu | shungu | passion | |
kuva netariro | tariro | hope, hopeful | |
kuritaira | muritairo | to be at a loss | |
kudzungaira | dzungu | confusion | |
kuchangaira; kubatawa nechangaira | ruchangairo, changaira | perplexed, perplexation | |
kupukaira, kudzivaira | aimlessness; cluelessness | ||
kuremekedza | remekedza | respect |
Usage Examples[edit | edit source]
To help you understand how these words are used in context, here are some example sentences.
- Ndine mufaro.
- I am happy.
- Uri kuchema nei?
- Why are you crying?
- Haufanire kutsamwa.
- You shouldn't be angry.
- Ndinokuda.
- I love you.
- Ndinokufarira.
- I like you
Ndakasurukirwa.
I am sad.
Usazvidyemoyo.
Don't worry.
Hauna mashoni/Hauna mahlonhi.
You have no shame.
Exercises[edit | edit source]
To test your understanding of the vocabulary, try translating the following sentences into Shona.
- . I am surprised.
- . She is afraid.
- . We are happy.
- . They love each other.
Answers[edit | edit source]
- . Ndakashamiswa.
- . Ari kutya.
- . Tine mufaro.
- . Vanodanana.