Language/Shona/Grammar/Negation
Hi Shona learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing the basics of negation in Shona. Negation is an important part of any language, and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly in order to communicate effectively. We will look at the different ways to express negation in Shona, as well as some examples of how to use them. So let's get started!
Negation in Shona
Negation in Shona is expressed using a variety of words and phrases. The most common way to express negation is by using the word "hazvina" (pronounced /hɑzˈviːnɑ/), which means "no" or "not". This word can be used to negate both verbs and nouns. For example:
| Shona | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hazvina kuenda | /hɑzˈviːnɑ kuˈɛndɑ/ | I'm not going |
| Hazvina mukadzi | /hɑzˈviːnɑ muˈkɑdzi/ | He's not a woman |
| Hazvina nyama | /hɑzˈviːnɑ ˈnyɑmɑ/ | It's not meat |
| Hazvina zvakanaka | /hɑzˈviːnɑ zvɑkɑˈnɑkɑ/ | It's not good |
Another way to express negation in Shona is by using the phrase "hazvina kana" (pronounced /hɑzˈviːnɑ kɑˈnɑ/), which means "not even". This phrase is used to emphasize the negation of a statement. For example:
| Shona | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hazvina kana kuenda | /hɑzˈviːnɑ kɑˈnɑ kuˈɛndɑ/ | I'm not even going |
| Hazvina kana mukadzi | /hɑzˈviːnɑ kɑˈnɑ muˈkɑdzi/ | He's not even a woman |
| Hazvina kana nyama | /hɑzˈviːnɑ kɑˈnɑ ˈnyɑmɑ/ | It's not even meat |
| Hazvina kana zvakanaka | /hɑzˈviːnɑ kɑˈnɑ zvɑkɑˈnɑkɑ/ | It's not even good |
Finally, negation can also be expressed using the phrase "hazvina chokwadi" (pronounced /hɑzˈviːnɑ tʃokˈwɑdi/), which means "it's not true". This phrase is used to deny the truth of a statement. For example:
| Shona | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hazvina chokwadi kuenda | /hɑzˈviːnɑ tʃokˈwɑdi kuˈɛndɑ/ | It's not true that I'm going |
| Hazvina chokwadi mukadzi | /hɑzˈviːnɑ tʃokˈwɑdi muˈkɑdzi/ | It's not true that he's a woman |
| Hazvina chokwadi nyama | /hɑzˈviːnɑ tʃokˈwɑdi ˈnyɑmɑ/ | It's not true that it's meat |
| Hazvina chokwadi zvakanaka | /hɑzˈviːnɑ tʃokˈwɑdi zvɑkɑˈnɑkɑ/ | It's not true that it's good |
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have looked at the different ways to express negation in Shona. We have seen that the most common way to express negation is by using the word "hazvina", but that there are other ways to express negation as well. We have also seen some examples of how to use these words and phrases in context.
Now that you have a better understanding of negation in Shona, why not try using it in your own conversations? You can also use the Polyglot Club website to find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have about Shona grammar.
➡ 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. 😎