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<div class="pg_page_title">Shona Grammar - Pronouns</div>
<div class="pg_page_title">Shona Grammar - Pronouns</div>
Hi Shona learners! 😊<br>In today's lesson, we will be discussing Shona pronouns. Pronouns are an important part of the Shona language and understanding them is essential for speaking and writing correctly. We will look at the different types of pronouns, how they are used, and how to use them correctly.  
 
Hi [https://polyglotclub.com/language/shona Shona] learners! 😊<br>In this lesson, we will focus on Shona pronouns. Understanding pronouns is essential to speaking and writing fluently in any language. Pronouns are words that describe or replace a noun. Instead of repeating the same noun over and over, we use pronouns to make our language more concise and effective.
 
__TOC__
__TOC__
== Types of Pronouns ==
Pronouns can be divided into two main categories: personal pronouns and possessive pronouns.


=== Personal Pronouns ===
== Personal Pronouns ==
Personal pronouns are used to refer to people or things. They can be either singular or plural.  
 
Personal pronouns refer to people or things. There are six personal pronouns in Shona. They are:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Shona !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Ndini  || /ⁿdiːni/ || I
|-
| Wewe  || /ⁿwewe/ || You (singular)
|-
| Iye  || /ⁿije/ || He / She / It
|-
| Tinotenda  || /tiːnoːtẽnda/ || We
|-
| Munotenda  || /muːnoːtẽnda/ || You (plural)
|-
| Vanoziva  || /vanoːziva/ || They
|}
 
Here are some examples of how to use personal pronouns in sentences:
 
* Ndini farai? (Where am I?)
* Wewe unodada here? (Are you tired?)
* Iye anovhunduka. (He/She is sleeping.)
* Tinotenda Mwari. (We thank God.)
* Munotenda zvikuru. (You are grateful.)
* Vanoziva chirwere chechiShona chetenzi kwazvo. (They know the best Shona slang.)
 
== Demonstrative Pronouns ==
 
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point to specific people or things. In Shona, there are four demonstrative pronouns. They are:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Shona !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Iyi  || /ⁿiji/ || This (singular)
|-
| Iyo  || /ⁿijo/ || That (singular)
|-
| Inhema / Nezvema || /ⁿiːnhe̝ma nezve̝ma/ || These / Those (plural)
|}
 
Here are some examples:
 
* Iyi chikafu chinenge chemunhu. (This pumpkin looks like a person.)
* Iyo chiiko? (What's that?)
* Inhema yava nemavara ari mumaoko emunhu. (These bananas are in the person's hands.)
* Nezvema zvikoro zvapera. (Those schools are finished.)
 
== Possessive Pronouns ==
 
Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession of something. In Shona, there are five possessive pronouns.
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Shona !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Rangu  || /rangu/ || My
|-
| Rwako  || /ruwako/ || Your (singular)
|-
| Rakadaro  || /rakadaro/ || His / Hers / Its
|-
| Ratinotenda  || /ratinoːtẽda/ || Our
|-
| Renu  || /renu/ || Your (plural)
|-
| Revanoziva || /reve̝vanoːziva/ || Their
|}
 
Here are some examples:
 
* Rangu mhuka. (My goat.)
* Rwako muridzi wako. (Your farmer.)
* Rakadaro mushonga wavo. (His/Her/Its medicine.)
* Ratinotenda Shona yedu. (Our Shona language.)
* Renu matengenyika. (Your countries.)
* Revanoziva zvatakaita zvinodhura moyo. (Their actions hurt us.)
 
== Interrogative Pronouns ==
 
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. In Shona, there are four interrogative pronouns. They are:


* Singular Personal Pronouns: ndiri (I), unondirwawo (you), anondirwa (he/she/it).
{| class="wikitable"
* Plural Personal Pronouns: tiri (we), vanondirwawo (you), vane (they).
! Shona !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Nani  || /nani/ || Who
|-
| Vani  || /vani/ || Whose
|-
| Ndiani / Vakadzi vapi || /ⁿdiːani vakadzi vapi/ || Whom / Which (singular)
|-
| Nzvimbo here / Zvichinzi here || /ⁿdzvimbo here zvichiⁿzi here/ || Which (plural)
|}


For example:  
Here are some examples:
* Ndiri kutaura Shona. (I am speaking Shona.)
* Unondirwawo vanhu vakawanda. (You are many people.)
* Anondirwa akabva. (He/She/It is coming.)
* Tiri kutaura Shona. (We are speaking Shona.)
* Vanondirwawo vanhu vakawanda. (You are many people.)
* Vane vakabva. (They are coming.)


=== Possessive Pronouns ===
* Nani akanga atanga simba racho? (Who started the fire?)
Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership or possession. They can also be either singular or plural.
* Vani moto uyu? (Whose car is this?)
* Ndiani akanotengesa imbwa iyoyo? (Who sold this dog?)
* Vakadzi vapi vana saana? (Which women have children?)
* Nzvimbo here dzakasiyana masvondo? (Which places have different foods?)


* Singular Possessive Pronouns: ndine (mine), unodzine (yours), anodzine (his/hers/its).
== Indefinite Pronouns ==
* Plural Possessive Pronouns: tine (ours), vanodzine (yours), vane (theirs).


For example:
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things in a general or unspecific way. In Shona, there are four indefinite pronouns. They are:
* Ndine nhamo. (This is mine.)
* Unodzine nhamo. (This is yours.)
* Anodzine nhamo. (This is his/hers/its.)
* Tine nhamo. (This is ours.)
* Vanodzine nhamo. (This is yours.)
* Vane nhamo. (This is theirs.)


== Using Pronouns Correctly ==
{| class="wikitable"
When using pronouns, it is important to make sure that you use the correct form. For example, when referring to a single person, you should use the singular form of the pronoun. When referring to multiple people, you should use the plural form.
! Shona !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| Munhu / Munhu wese || /muːɲu muːɲu wese̝/ || Anyone / Everyone
|-
| Zvimwe / Zvipo || /zviːmwe̝ zvipo/ || Something / Anything
|-
| Kwauri / Kwavo || /kwaʊrɪ kwavo/ || Somewhere / Anywhere
|-
| Munorova / Muvhimi || /muːnoro̙va muvhimi/ || Someone / Everyone
|}


It is also important to make sure that the pronoun agrees with the noun it is referring to. For example, if the noun is masculine, then the pronoun should also be masculine.
Here are some examples:


Finally, it is important to remember that the possessive pronouns should always come after the noun they are referring to.  
* Munhu ane simba redu. (Anyone has our strength.)
* Zvimwe zvinodhura moyo. (Something hurts my heart.)
* Kwauri kune nyama. (Somewhere there is meat.)
* Munorova unonzi chii? (What do you call someone?)


For example:
== Dialogue ==
* Nhamo yangu. (This is my thing.)
* Nhamo yako. (This is your thing.)
* Nhamo yake. (This is his/her/its thing.)
* Nhamo yetu. (This is our thing.)
* Nhamo yenyu. (This is your thing.)
* Nhamo yavo. (This is their thing.)


<hr>If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
* Person 1: Wewe wani? (/ⁿwewe u wani?/) (What is your name?)
* Person 2: Ndinodya sima. (/ⁿdiːnoʤa siːma/) (I eat cornmeal.)
* Person 1: Hooo, Ndini Farai. (/hoʊ, ⁿdiːni faˑraɪ/) (Oh, I am Farai.)
* Person 2: Tinotenda kuvhara. (/tiːnoːtẽnda ku͜uʋhara/) (We are happy to meet you.)


== Practice Exercise ==


Translate the following sentences into Shona:


==Videos==
1. What is your favorite food?
2. Their car is very fast.
3. Somebody stole my money.
4. Which student is absent today?
5. Our house is big and beautiful.
6. I need to buy something for my mother.
7. Do you know who is visiting us today?
8. Everyone is welcome to the party.
9. I saw a group of people at the park.
10. Can you help me find my keys?


===Learn Shona: Shona Language Possessive Pronouns and ...===
== Sources ==
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x3qany_UxQ</youtube>
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_language Shona language]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_grammar Shona grammar]


{{#seo:
|title=Shona Grammar - Pronouns
|keywords=Shona, pronouns, personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, interrogative pronouns, indefinite pronouns
|description=In this lesson, you will learn about the different types of pronouns in the Shona language, and how to use them correctly in sentences.
}}


==Related Lessons==
<hr>➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Conditional-Mood|Conditional Mood]]
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Negation|Negation]]
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Plurals|Plurals]]
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Adjectives|Adjectives]]
* [[Language/Shona/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]


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{{Shona-Page-Bottom}}

Revision as of 02:20, 5 March 2023

Zimbabwe-flag-polyglotclub-Wiki.jpg
Shona Grammar - Pronouns

Hi Shona learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on Shona pronouns. Understanding pronouns is essential to speaking and writing fluently in any language. Pronouns are words that describe or replace a noun. Instead of repeating the same noun over and over, we use pronouns to make our language more concise and effective.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns refer to people or things. There are six personal pronouns in Shona. They are:

Shona Pronunciation English
Ndini /ⁿdiːni/ I
Wewe /ⁿwewe/ You (singular)
Iye /ⁿije/ He / She / It
Tinotenda /tiːnoːtẽnda/ We
Munotenda /muːnoːtẽnda/ You (plural)
Vanoziva /vanoːziva/ They

Here are some examples of how to use personal pronouns in sentences:

  • Ndini farai? (Where am I?)
  • Wewe unodada here? (Are you tired?)
  • Iye anovhunduka. (He/She is sleeping.)
  • Tinotenda Mwari. (We thank God.)
  • Munotenda zvikuru. (You are grateful.)
  • Vanoziva chirwere chechiShona chetenzi kwazvo. (They know the best Shona slang.)

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point to specific people or things. In Shona, there are four demonstrative pronouns. They are:

Shona Pronunciation English
Iyi /ⁿiji/ This (singular)
Iyo /ⁿijo/ That (singular)
Inhema / Nezvema /ⁿiːnhe̝ma nezve̝ma/ These / Those (plural)

Here are some examples:

  • Iyi chikafu chinenge chemunhu. (This pumpkin looks like a person.)
  • Iyo chiiko? (What's that?)
  • Inhema yava nemavara ari mumaoko emunhu. (These bananas are in the person's hands.)
  • Nezvema zvikoro zvapera. (Those schools are finished.)

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession of something. In Shona, there are five possessive pronouns.

Shona Pronunciation English
Rangu /rangu/ My
Rwako /ruwako/ Your (singular)
Rakadaro /rakadaro/ His / Hers / Its
Ratinotenda /ratinoːtẽda/ Our
Renu /renu/ Your (plural)
Revanoziva /reve̝vanoːziva/ Their

Here are some examples:

  • Rangu mhuka. (My goat.)
  • Rwako muridzi wako. (Your farmer.)
  • Rakadaro mushonga wavo. (His/Her/Its medicine.)
  • Ratinotenda Shona yedu. (Our Shona language.)
  • Renu matengenyika. (Your countries.)
  • Revanoziva zvatakaita zvinodhura moyo. (Their actions hurt us.)

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. In Shona, there are four interrogative pronouns. They are:

Shona Pronunciation English
Nani /nani/ Who
Vani /vani/ Whose
Ndiani / Vakadzi vapi /ⁿdiːani vakadzi vapi/ Whom / Which (singular)
Nzvimbo here / Zvichinzi here /ⁿdzvimbo here zvichiⁿzi here/ Which (plural)

Here are some examples:

  • Nani akanga atanga simba racho? (Who started the fire?)
  • Vani moto uyu? (Whose car is this?)
  • Ndiani akanotengesa imbwa iyoyo? (Who sold this dog?)
  • Vakadzi vapi vana saana? (Which women have children?)
  • Nzvimbo here dzakasiyana masvondo? (Which places have different foods?)

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things in a general or unspecific way. In Shona, there are four indefinite pronouns. They are:

Shona Pronunciation English
Munhu / Munhu wese /muːɲu muːɲu wese̝/ Anyone / Everyone
Zvimwe / Zvipo /zviːmwe̝ zvipo/ Something / Anything
Kwauri / Kwavo /kwaʊrɪ kwavo/ Somewhere / Anywhere
Munorova / Muvhimi /muːnoro̙va muvhimi/ Someone / Everyone

Here are some examples:

  • Munhu ane simba redu. (Anyone has our strength.)
  • Zvimwe zvinodhura moyo. (Something hurts my heart.)
  • Kwauri kune nyama. (Somewhere there is meat.)
  • Munorova unonzi chii? (What do you call someone?)

Dialogue

  • Person 1: Wewe wani? (/ⁿwewe u wani?/) (What is your name?)
  • Person 2: Ndinodya sima. (/ⁿdiːnoʤa siːma/) (I eat cornmeal.)
  • Person 1: Hooo, Ndini Farai. (/hoʊ, ⁿdiːni faˑraɪ/) (Oh, I am Farai.)
  • Person 2: Tinotenda kuvhara. (/tiːnoːtẽnda ku͜uʋhara/) (We are happy to meet you.)

Practice Exercise

Translate the following sentences into Shona:

1. What is your favorite food? 2. Their car is very fast. 3. Somebody stole my money. 4. Which student is absent today? 5. Our house is big and beautiful. 6. I need to buy something for my mother. 7. Do you know who is visiting us today? 8. Everyone is welcome to the party. 9. I saw a group of people at the park. 10. Can you help me find my keys?

Sources

➡ 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. 😎


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