Common Shona Names
Here you will find common names of animals, birds, fish and reptiles in Shona language. The English-Shona page has a more comprehensive listing of names and includes names in different Shona dialects. Just like plants, some animals are only found in certain regions of Zimbabwe and names of those animals reflect the Shona dialects spoken in those regions. Click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

t_cow.jpg
cow - mhou KZ; n'ombe hadzi M. heifer - katsiru M; mhorombe KZ
t_calf.jpg
calf - mhuru KKoMZ
t_oxen.jpg
oxen - ngavi KMZ
t_bull02.jpg
Bull - ngunzi; handira KMZ
t_donkey.jpg
donkey - dongi KMZ
t_hen02.jpg
fowl - huku KKoMZ
t_hen02.jpg
hen - nhunzvi yehuku KZ; tseketse M
t_chicken.jpg
chicken - hukwana KMZ
t_rooster.jpg
cock; rooster - jongwe KMZ
t_duck01.jpg
duck - dhadha KMZ
t_goat.jpg
goat - mbudzi KMZ
t_sheep.jpg
sheep - gwayi K; hwai KMZ
t_pig.jpg
pig - nguruve KMZ; humba KoZ
t_bushpig01.jpg
bushpig - humba KoZ; ngurungunda KZ
t_warthog01.jpg
warthog - njiri KMZ; hwami Z
t_puppy02.jpg
puppy - mbwanana KMZ
t_terriers.jpg
dog - imbwa KKoMZ
t_wildog01.jpg
Wild dog - mhumbi
t_catdomestic.jpg
domestic cat - kiti
t_wildcat01.jpg
wild cat - nhiriri KKoZ; bonga MZ
t_horse.jpg
horse - bhiza KMZ
t_baboon.jpg
baboon - gudo; bveni KoMZ
t_monkey.jpg
monkey - shoko KKoMZ
t_serval01.jpg
serval cat - nzunza KZ; nzudzi M
t_leopard01.jpg
leopard - mbada KKOMZ; ingwe KoMZ
t_cheetah22.jpg
cheetah - dindingwe KMZ
t_hyena.jpg
t_hyena.jpg
t_lion01.jpg
lion - shumba KKoMZ
t_elephant02.jpg
elephant - zhou K; nzou KoMZ; mhuvi Ko
t_hippopotamus.jpg
hippo - mbvuu KMZ
t_wildebeest.jpg
wilderbeest - mvumba KMZ
t_buffalo02.jpg
buffalo - nyati KMZ
buffalo bull - rambwa Z
t_zebra.jpg
zebra - mbizi KMZ
t_giraffe01.jpg
giraffe - twza KMZ
t_ostrich.jpg
ostrich - mhou KZ; rnhowani M
t_impala.jpg
impala - mhara KZ
t_koodoo.jpg
kudu - nhoro KMZ
t_aardvark02.jpg
aardvark; antbear - dikita K; chikokoma MZ; hwiribidi KoZ; hweru Z; dukuta Ko
t_rockrabb.jpg
rock rabbit - mbira KMZ
t_hare01.jpg
hare - shuro K; tsuro MZ
t_caracal01.jpg
caracal - hwana K; twana MZ
t_jackal02.jpg
jakal - gava KMZ
black‑backed jackal -  hungubwe K; manyene M
t_anteater.jpg
anteater - haka KZ; harakabvuka M
t_badger.jpg
honey badger - sere K; tsere MZ
t_bushbaby.jpg
bushbaby - chinhavira MZ; gwee K
t_civet.jpg
civet - jachacha KZ; bvungo M
t_dessie01.jpg 
dessie - mbira 
t_skunk01.jpg
polecat - chidembo KMZ
t_porkupine.jpg
porcupine - nungu KZ; ngwewewe M
t_mouse03.jpg
mouse - mbeva KMZ
t_lizard02.jpg
lizard - dzvinyu KKoMZ
t_agama.jpg
agama - chidhambakura
antbear - dikita K; chikokoma MZ; dukuta Ko; gwerekwete M; gweru Z; gwiribidi Z  
t_tortoise.jpg
tortoise - kamba KKoMZ
t_falcon.jpg
falcon kestrel - rukodzi KMZ
t_crane.jpg
t_crane.jpg
t_eagle.jpg
eagle - gondo KMZmartial eagle - chinyamudzura KMZ
fish eagle - hungwe KZ
t_vulture.jpg
valture - gora KMZ
t_hawk.jpg
hawk - rukodzi KoMZ; ruvangu K
t_buzzard01.jpg
augur buzzard - nyamudzura Z
lizard buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z
steppe buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z
t_owl.jpg
owl - zizi KKoMZ
t_guineafowl.jpg
guineafowl - hanga KKoMZ
t_quail.jpg
quail - chihuta KZ; imhwi M
t_secretarybird.jpg
secretary bird - hwata KMZ; mukwasi KM
t_swallow.jpg
swallow - nyenganyenga KMZ
t_starlin.jpg
Cape glossy starling - hwidzikwidzi; husvu
long tailed starling - hwirikwiri
red- winged starling - ngwitsvo Z; mangwitsvo; sviho
violet-backed starling - nyerure K
t_turtledove.jpg
dove - njiva KKoMZ
t_snake.jpg
snake - nyoka KKoMZ
t_cobra.jpg
cobra - nyamafungu KMZ
t_blackmamba.jpg
mamba - rovambira KMZ
t_leopardfrog.jpg
frog - dacha K; dafi KMZ; chura KoZ; zura M
t_worm.jpg
grub - gonye K; honye MZ
t_mosquito.jpg
t_mosquito.jpg
t_caterpillar02.jpg
caterpillar (gen. name) - chikukwa K
t_catapillar.jpg
caterpillar - gonye KKoMZ
t_butfly01.jpg
butterfly - mbembenene K; fufura M; shaveshave Z
t_termites.jpg
termites - majuru
edible flying termites - ishwa MZ; shwarara K
t_millipeed.jpg
millipeed - zongororo KZ
t_centipede.jpg
centipeed - mhani KZ
t_spider.jpg
spider - buwe
t_squirrel01.jpg
squirrel - shindi K; tsindi MZ
t_aardwolf01.jpg
aardwolf - mbizimumwena KZ; mwena KZ
stork - dambiramurove K; shuramurove KoMZ
crow - gunguo
t_something
t_flea01.jpg
flea - nhata KMZ
poultry flea - takata M; uzanguku KZ
t_something
t_housefly.jpg
house fly - nhunzi KMZ
horsefly - n'ono KMZ; gunura M
t_bee.jpg
bee - nyuchi KKoMZ
t_bumblebee01.jpg
bumblebee - dzingidzi KMZ
t_rhinobeetle.jpg
dung beetle; scarab -nyamututa; ngoko; nyangara 
t_beetle02.jpg
beetle - dundira
t_cricket.jpg
large, edible sand cricket - gurwe KMZ; gurene Ko
t_locust.jpg
locust - mhashu KMZ; hwiza Z; ndongwe M
t_snail.jpg
snail - hondywe KM; hozhwe KZ
shell - homba K
t_fish.jpg
fish - hove KKoMZ
t_catfish_stamp.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye; muhono M; muramba Z
t_ugacatfish02.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye; muhono M; muramba Z
t_zimcatfish01.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye; muhono M; muramba Z
t_crocodile.jpg
crocodile - garwe KMZ; ngwena KKoM; nyakoko Ko
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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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