Shona
ISO 639-3: sna
Most widely spoken language in Zimbabwe
Language Details
| Family Lineage | Niger-Congo › Atlantic-Congo › Volta-Congo › Benue-Congo › Bantoid › Southern Bantoid › Bantu › Central Bantu |
| Countries | Zimbabwe, Mozambique |
| Approximate Speakers | ~12,000,000 |
| Notes | Includes Karanga, Zezuru, Korekore, and Manyika dialects |
Hebrew Comparisons
| Word | Meaning | Hebrew Word | Transliteration | Hebrew Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kudya | to eat | אָכַל | ʼâkal | a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. |
| midzimu | ancestral spirits | אֱלֹהִים | ʼĕlôhîym | plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. |
| ini | I, me (independent pronoun) | אֲנִי | ʼănîy | lemma אֲנַי second vowel, corrected to אֲנִי; contracted from אָנֹכִי; I; I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who. |
| tsvaga | seek (different root dominant) | בְּעָא | bᵉʻâʼ | (Aramaic) or בְּעָה; (Aramaic), corresponding to בָּעָה; to seek or ask; ask, desire, make (petition), pray, request, seek. |
| kubuda | to come out, appear (likely related to daybreak, morning, sun coming out | בֹּקֶר | bôqer | from בָּקַר; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning; ([phrase]) day, early, morning, morrow. |
| nyaya | matter, issue, story, news, case, conversation topic | דָּבָר | Davar | from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. |
| ona | to see; used as interjection 'see!','look!' | הִנֵּה | hinnêh | prolongation for הֵן; lo!; behold, lo, see. |
| mwedzi | moon; month | חֹדֶשׁ | chôdesh | from חָדַשׁ; the new moon; by implication, a month; month(-ly), new moon. |
| zura | to bundle, twist, gather (by twisting or wrapping) | חוּל | chûwl | or חִיל; a primitive root; properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; figuratively, to wait, to pervert; bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded. |
| imba | house, home, enclosure | חֻפָּה | chuppâh | from חָפָה; a canopy; chamber, closet, defence. |
| usiku | night; darkness | חֹשֶׁךְ | chôshek | from חָשַׁךְ; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness; dark(-ness), night, obscurity. |
| aseka | (implied “laughter”) | יִצְחָק | Isaac | from צָחַק; laughter (i.e. mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham; Isaac. Compare יִשְׂחָק. |
| kunaka | to be tired, to become weary | לָאָה | lâʼâh | a primitive root; to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted; faint, grieve, lothe, (be, make) weary (selves). |
| kumika | to support, to reinforce, to fix in position | סָמַךְ | çâmak | a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense); bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self), sustain. |
| kw-ira | to climb, go up, ascend | עָלָה | ʻâlâh | a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. |
| -mira | to stand, to stop, to remain standing | עָמַד | ʻâmad | a primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive); abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry. |
| phunyuka | to escape, elude, or get away | פֶּסַח | peçach | from פָּסַח; a pretermission, i.e. exemption; used only techically of the Jewish Passover (the festival or the victim); passover (offering). |
| kuseka | laugh | צָחַק | tsâchaq | a primitive root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport; laugh, mock, play, make sport. |
| nyoka | snake, serpent | צֶפַע | tsephaʻ | from an unused root meaning to extrude; a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e. hissing); adder, cockatrice. |
| kumira | to stand, be upright, to stand up | קוּם | Qum | a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative); abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). |
| dzura | tear | קָרַע | qâraʻ | a primitive root; to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them); cut out, rend, [idiom] surely, tear. |
| Shavi | captured by a spirit | שְׁבִי | shevi / shavah | from שְׁבוּ; exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by extension, booty; captive(-ity), prisoners, [idiom] take away, that was taken. |
| seka | laugh | שָׂחַק | a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play; deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport. | |
| zorora | to rest, to be at leisure, to relax, be at ease | שַׁלְוָה | shalvâh | from שָׁלָה; security (genuine or false); abundance, peace(-ably), prosperity, quietness. |
| kusimuka | to be happy, to rejoice | שִׂמְחָה | simchâh | from שָׂמֵחַ; blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival); [idiom] exceeding(-ly), gladness, joy(-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(-ing). |
| kakatika | become hard/firm | שָׂקַד | sâqad | a primitive root; to fasten; bind. |
| pinduka | turn around | תְּשׁוּבָה | tᵉshûwbâh | or תְּשֻׁבָה; from שׁוּב; a recurrence (of time or place); a reply (as returned); answer, be expired, return. |