Miscelaneous Shona Language subjects
Home of Shona topics that do not seem to fit elswhere. click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

Days of The Week
(Commonly used.)
English Shona
Sunday Svondo
Monday Muvhuro
Tuesday Chipiri
Wednesday Chitatu
Thursday China
Friday Chishanu
Saturday Mugovera
Months of The Year
(Rarely used. Use English names instead.)
English Shona English Shona
January Ndira KMZ July Chikunguru KMZ
February Kukadzi KMZ August Nyamavhuvhu KMZ
March Kurume KMZ September Gunyana KMZ
April Kubvumbi KMZ October Gumiguru KMZ
May Chivabvu KMZ November Mbudzi KKoMZ
June Chikumi KMZ December Zvita KK0MZ
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Marriage by Shona custom
First things first. Select the girl you would like to marry from the following list. A girl you concider zai regondo, nzungu yepachuru.

Girl
English Description Shona
girl - general name for a young female human being musikana KKoMZ
attractive girl chibhamu KMZ; chiwawa MZ
slim attractive girl tsvarakadenga KMZ
grown girl of marriageable age chipwanyanenyanga KZ
girl dedicated to the service of Mwari mbonga KZ
full-grown unmarried girl mhandara KMZ
behaviour, temperament, etc, of a girl chisikana KMZ
girl of advanced marriageable age not yet engaged homba KM; hwanzvo Z
short, stout girl chisikana KMZ
stout girl tsakupiti KZ
strong stout girl of marriageable age tsikombi K; chitunya Z
big, stout girl chimutsigori Z
big, healthy girl jikitikwa KZ

Considerations
English Description Shona
dowry - money and/or cattle that, by Shona custom, a husband must pay to his wife's family before they can officially get married roora KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law for walking through morning dew rugumabeto M; rusvayadova KZ
fee paid for summoning father-in-law from where he was sitting kubvakumarara Z
fee paid to father-in-law for sitting down during marriage transactions garaiparukukwe Z
fee paid to father-in-law for stroking beard matekenyandebvu Z
fee paid for being allowed to ask about father-in-law's health uchiro Z
fee paid for being allowed to visit (before completion of marriage transactions) mbonano Z
small fee paid to father-in-law for, opening his mouth zaruramuromo KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law when the munyai opens his purse zarurahomwe KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law for climbing onto the wall of cattle kraal, before approving roora cattle hwiradanga KZ
fee paid to father-in-law for seeing his ddowry cattle mesoemombe KZ; mhangidzadanga M
fee paid to father-in-law for driving dowry cattle rushamhu Z
fee paid to father-in-law for permission to take wife to her husband's home rusumudzo KMZ
consideration paid to father-in-law when he has reached village to which his daughter has eloped nhumburamafeso KZ

Do not forget
English Description Shona
father-in-law father-in-law 's long heavy coat or great coat jazi, jasi
mother-in-law mother-in-law 's large heavy blanket fuko KMZ; jira K
wedding feast large, fat ox or cow to be killed for feeding people at the wedding feast and all associated items muchato n'ombe KKoMZ

Names to remember
Names to remember
English Description Shona
father a male parent baba KKoMZ; bambo KKoM; tate Ko; tsano Ko
father father by inheritance, replacing natural father baba wenhaka MZ
father-in-law your wife's father baba KKoMZ; tervara KoMZ; tsano KKoZ
father-in-law your husband's father baba KZ; sezawani M
mother a female parent mai KM; amai KoZ
mother-in-law your wife's mother mbuya KM; vambuya Z
mother-in-law your husband's mother vamwene KKoZ
brother-in-law your wife's brother baba KKoMZ; tervara KoMZ; tsano KKoZ
brother-in-law your husband's older brother babamukuru KMZ
brother-in-law husband's younger brother babamunini KMZ
sister-in-law your wife's older sister muramu K; mwaramu M; maiguru KMZ
sister-in-law your wife's younger sister muramu K; mwaramu M; mainini KMZ
sister-in-law wife of husband's older brother maiguru KZ
sister-in-law wife of husband's younger brother mainini KMZ
sister-in-law husband's sister vatete KZ; muramukadzi KMZ

Again, click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

Submitting Shona Words
Help increase the Shona word list in the database for these Shona Language pages by submitting additional words I omitted and their meanings. Omissions may include instances where I did not cover all possible meanings of a word. In that case, treat the word as a new word and include all possible meanings for the word in question. Basic guide to submitting omitted words is on the Add Words page.

We need your feedback
This is an ongoing project and any suggestions you have to improve the information offered here, word changes and/or spelling corrections, would be greatly appreciated. E-mail any comments or suggestions you have to Martin Shumba.
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