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Prepare For Grade 7 Exams

Basic Grammar

Here is a foundational Shona Grammar 101 lesson designed to get you speaking and structuring sentences correctly right away. In Shona, words change their prefixes depending on what (or who) you are talking about. Once you master how prefixes attach to verbs, you can build thousands of sentences.

18 lessons 0 speaking exercises Coming soon
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Journey outline

Your route to confident Shona

Work through these levels in order, at your own pace.

Level 1

The Magic of "Subject Prefixes" for Human Subjects

In English, we say: "I eat," "You eat," "He eats." In Shona, the pronoun ("I", "You", "He") gets glued directly onto the front of the verb as a prefix. When talking about or addressing people, you will use specific personal prefixes attached to the front of the verb.

6 lessons
1

Ndi-

This is the prefix when you are referring to yourself.

Target phrase: I / Myself
0 exercises
2

U-

This represents "you" in a casual, singular setting.

Target phrase: You
0 exercises
3

Mu-

This represents "you" in a plural or deeply respectful setting, such as addressing an elder, a stranger, or an in-law.

Target phrase: You
0 exercises
4

A-

This represents "He" or "She" in a casual context.

Target phrase: He / She
0 exercises
5

Va-

This represents "He", "She", or "They" in a respectful context. In Shona culture, using Va- for a single adult is a vital sign of politeness (tsika).

Target phrase: He / She / They
0 exercises
6

Ti-

This represents "We".

Target phrase: We
0 exercises

Level 2

The Magic of "Subject Prefixes" for Non-Human Subjects

If you are talking about objects, animals, or places instead of people, the verb prefix changes to match the specific noun class of that item.

2 lessons
1

I-

This is used for singular animals or common objects. For example, Imbwa (Dog) uses this prefix.

Target phrase: Single animal or object
0 exercises
2

Dzi-

This is used for plural animals or common objects. For example, Dzimba (Houses) uses this prefix.

Target phrase: Plural for animals or common objects
0 exercises

Level 3

Building Simple Present Tense Sentences

To describe an action happening right now, or a habitual action, Shona uses a simple formula: Subject Prefix + Tense Marker (-no-) + Verb Root. The syllable -no- acts as the present tense marker. Let's look at how this works using the verb roots -da (want/love), -ziva (know), and -mhanya (run):

5 lessons
1

Ndinoda

Constructed from Ndi- (I) + -no- (present tense) + -da (to want - which is a short form of the word "kuda" meaning "to want"). It means "I …

Target phrase: I want / I love
0 exercises
2

Unoziva

Constructed from U- (You) + -no- (present tense) + -ziva (to know - which is a short form of the word "kuziva" meaning "to know"). It means "You …

Target phrase: You know
0 exercises
3

Vanomhanya

Constructed from Va- (He/She, respectful) + -no- (present tense) + -mhanya (to run - which is a short form of the word "kumhanya" meaning "to run").

Target phrase: He / She runs
0 exercises
4

Tinoda

Constructed from Ti- (We) + -no- (present tense) + -da (want - which is a short form of the word "kuda" meaning "to want"). It means "We want"

Target phrase: We want
0 exercises
5

Imbwa inohukura

This is built using Imbwa (Dog) + I- ( singular animal prefix) + -no- (present tense) + -hukura (bark - which is a short form of "kuhukura" which …

Target phrase: The dog barks
0 exercises

Level 4

Asking Questions and Using Locatives

When navigating public spaces, seeking assistance, or looking for facilities, Shona grammar utilizes specific suffixes and locative connectors.

3 lessons
1

-pi

To ask where an action is happening, simply attach the suffix -pi directly to the end of your present tense verb phrase. In such cases usually the final …

Target phrase: Where?
0 exercises
2

Pane

Use pane when you are looking for a specific object or facility that exists somewhere in the vicinity. It bridges your question ("Where can I find...") to the …

Target phrase: Where there is / There is / At
0 exercises
3

Pano

Use pano when you want to talk about your exact, immediate location. It points directly to the space you are currently standing in. • How it works: It …

Target phrase: Here / Right Here
0 exercises

Level 5

Mastering Polite Conditional Phrases

Politeness and respect (tsika) are embedded directly into Shona grammar rules. When approaching strangers or asking for directions, you should shift away from direct commands and use conditional structures.

2 lessons
1

Munga-

By combining the respectful subject prefix Mu- with the conditional marker -nga-, you create a polite phrase meaning "Could you" or "Would you happen to."

Target phrase: Could you
0 exercises
2

-wo

Adding the suffix -wo to the end of a verb acts like the word "please" or "also," softening your request so it sounds gentle rather than demanding. A …

Target phrase: Please / Also
0 exercises