Shona
ChiShona Sounds
The ChiShona Sound System
Pronunciation is integral to communication – you must pronounce words properly to be understood. Sounds are the basic building blocks in any language. You will practice pronunciation and for that, you require audio. You can use the Shona Tutor Channel on YouTube, lesson 1 Alphabet and vowels at www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR_RGcbpNDM for practice and Learning Shona with Tulani at youtube.com/channel/UCSF1Ug28jAV13VW-1klZ27g, lesson 1 and 2 for vowel and syllable practice.
The chiShona alphabet has 23 letters – like the English alphabet minus L, Q and X.
- Vowels:
ChiShona has five vowels – a, e, i, o, u
- Consonants sounds and consonant combinations in context (words)
b baba (father)
bh bhazi (bus)
bv kubva (to come from)
ch chuma (beads)
d dada (be proud)
dh dhongi (donkey)
dy[i] kudya (to eat)
dz dzidza (learn)
f famba (walk)
g gara (sit)
h hongu (yes)
hw hwinha (win)
j juzi (jersey)
k kumba (home)
kw kwana (enough)
m mira (meat)
mbw imbwa (dog)
mh mhomho (crowd)
mv mvura (rain)
mw pamwe
n nezuro (yesterday)
nd kuenda (to go)
nh nhanha (baby)
n’ n’anga (witchdoctor)
nw kunwa (to drink)
ny nyora (write)
nzv nzvenga (dodge)
p pasi (floor)
pf upfumi (rich)
pw pwanya (break)
r rara (sleep)
s sekuru (uncle)
sh shanu (five)
sv svika (arrive)
t tete (aunt)
ts tsoka (foot)
tsv tsvaiva (sweep)
ty tyora (break)
v vudzi (hair)
vh vhiki (week)
w aiwa (no)
y uya (come)
z zuva (day)
zh zhizha (summer)
zv zvino (now)
[i] Bantu languages are generally phonetic. However, there are exceptions. DY is pronounced like JG in chiShona.
