Nyaudzosingwi| Many Shona words for 101 English verbs
Modifying verbs Adverbs are words that modify or describe words such as verbs, adjectives, clauses, sentences, and even other adverbs. It is easy to think of adverbs as words ending…
Madimikira| 28 idioms from the 1968 novel ‘Tambaoga Mwanangu’
After reading China manenji hachifambisi I wrote on idioms (madimikira) that the writer, Mordikai A. Hamutyinei, used in the story. I decided to do the same while reading Tambaoga mwanangu.…
Tsumo| 20 Shona proverbs to inspire good work habits
Tsumo on work tell a story of a hard-working society, and give the picture that agriculture was the mainstay of the economy of the Shona people. The most important activity…
Nyaudzosingwi| Breaking down 70 ideophones of breaking
In lay terms, ideophones are words that stand out (are ‘marked’) and whose form betrays something of (is depictive of) their meaning. The following 70 ideophones (nyaudzosingwi) describe the act of…
My 5 ingredients for helping children with Shona language learning
Culture and language are inextricably intertwined. Over the past year or so, I have done a lot of research and writing on Shona culture and related matters. Consequently, I have…
63 Shona words you didn’t know were borrowed from Afrikaans
It is common knowledge that a few Shona words have an Afrikaans influence. I recently came across one that I found surprising, leading me to do some digging up. Along…
Tsumo| 6 things I have learned through analysing over 200 Shona proverbs
Over the past few months, I have taken time to analyse over 200 Shona proverbs, just out of interest. Some of them have motivated me to gain an understanding of…
Tsumo| 25 Shona proverbs inspired by children
Shona proverbs that relate to children help portray what the Shona understand about children and childhood. Below are 25 such proverbs. 1. Chikomo shata divi, rimwe ritambire pwere. divi: side…
5 reasons children struggle with Shona language learning
I have seen corporate advertisements with glaring irregularities, following a poor attempt by salesmen and marketers to communicate in the Shona language. In almost similar circumstances, most of my attempts…
Zvirahwe| Riddle me these 30 Shona riddles
Why a riddle? Riddles are sometimes considered a form of folklore. Their function ranges from education to entertainment, revealing the thoughts and expressions of a people. Below are 30 common…