Shona
The Human Body
The Human Body
Vocabulary
- musoro – head
- vudzi – hair
- ziso/maziso/meso – eye(s)
- nzeve – ear(s)
- mhino – nose(s)
- muromo/miromo – mouth(s)
- rurimi – tongue
- zino/mazino/meno – tooth/teeth
- kumeso – face
- ruoko/maoko – hand(s)/arm(s)
- munwe/minwe – finger
- nzara – nail
- dumbu/matumbu – stomach(s)
- gumbo/makumbo – leg(s)
- ibvi/mabvi – knee(s)
- chigunwe/zvigunwe – toe(s)
Scenario: At the Doctor’s with a swollen foot
Vocabulary used
chiremba – doctor
mukoti – nurse
chipatara – hospital
murwere – patient
zvimba – swell
akawira pasi – fell
kurwara – be sick
kubva rinhi – since when
kurwadziwa – ache
Dialogue
Murwere: Mhoroi. (Hello (respect))
Chiremba: Ndiripo. Mauya. Chii chinokuendesa kuchipatara? (I am well. Welcome. What brings you to the hospital?)
Murwere: Ndakawira pasi. Tsoka yangu yazvimba. (I fell down. My foot is swollen)
Chiremba: Chero kurwadziwa? (Any pain?)
Murwere: Kurwadziwa kwakawanda. (Lots of pain)
Chiremba: Kubva rinhi? (Since when?)
Murwere: Kubva nezuro. (Since yesterday)
Chiremba: Tinoda x-ray. (We will need an x-ray.)
Murwere: Waita basa. Ndichaendepi? (Thank you. Where will I go?)
Chiremba: Mukoti achakuratidzai. (The nurse will show you.)
Grammar notes:
Interrogatives
- sei? – how? (Akauya sei? How did he/she come?)
- chii? – what? (Ichi chii? What is this?)
- ani? – who? (Zita rako ndiani? What is your name?)
- nei? – why? (wadonha nei? Why did you fall?)
- kupi? – where? (Unogara kupi? Where do you live?)