Language/Shona/Vocabulary/Talking-about-Money
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Money is an essential part of our lives. In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about money and prices in Shona. You will also learn the names of local currency. Let's get started!
Shona Currency
Shona has its currency, which is called the Zimbabwean dollar. The Zimbabwean dollar is subdivided into cents, but due to the country's economic situation, it has been suspended until further notice. In its place, other currencies such as the US dollar, South African rand, and Botswana pula are commonly used for transactions.
Here are the names of Shona currency:
| Shona | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Dollar | Dollar |
| Rand | Rand |
| Pula | Pula |
Talking About Money
When talking about money in Shona, it's important first to learn the words for numbers. In Shona, numbers are unique and are divided into different noun classes. Here are the numbers you need to know when discussing money:
| Shona | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| zero | se-ro | zero |
| one | mu-mwe | one |
| two | ma-ru-va | two |
| three | ma-ta-tu | three |
| four | ma-na-ni | four |
| five | ma-nomwe | five |
| six | ma-ru-mi | six |
| seven | ma-na-tse | seven |
| eight | ma-tsa-wu | eight |
| nine | ku-ras-a | nine |
| ten | mu-po-ro | ten |
When discussing prices, you can use phrases such as "Ndinoda kuwana mari" meaning "I want to get money," when bartering or bargaining. Another phrase is "Mudhara wangu anenge achipa mari yemashanga" which is used to express generosity. It translates to "My elder one is giving money to the children," meaning someone is offering a low price.
When asking for prices, you can use:
- "Kune nguva yekuita mari here?" (Is there time to make money?)
- "Mari yacho inenge ichida hama dzake?" (Is the money worth its relatives?)
To talk about prices, you can use the following phrases:
- "Mari yacho inovhara sei?" (How much does it cost?)
- "Mari inenge ichida sei mushandi?" (How much does an employee earn)
When describing prices, you can use phrases such as "It's very cheap" or "It's quite expensive." Here are a few examples:
| Shona | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ndezvipiko zvangu | Ndeh-zvi-pee-koh z-van-goo | This is my price |
| Mari yacho kurilomba | Mah-ree yah-choh koo-ree-lom-bah | How much does it cost? |
| Inenge ichida sei mushandi? | Ee-nehn-geh ee-chee-daa seh mush-an-dee | How much does an employee earn? |
| Ndiyo inenge ichabuda | Ndee-yoh ee-nehn-ghe ee-cha-boo-dah | This is worth coming out |
| Ndiyo inenge isvora | Ndee-yoh ee-nehn-ghe ees-vo-rah | This is worth sweating |
- Conclusion
That's it for talking about money in Shona. Now, you should be able to talk about and understand the names of local currency, as well as phrases and expressions related to discussing money and prices. Keep practicing with your classmates and soon you will have mastered talking about money in Shona!
Other Lessons
- Count to 10
- Telling Time
- Days of the week
- Numbers 1 10
- Colors
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Education
- Numbers
- Animals
- Languages
Sources
- Learn Shona with Instant Immersion
- Shona-Textbook.pdf
- Shona-English Online Translation and Dictionary - Lingvanex.
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