Shona 1

Noun classes and pronouns

N pref. Scd Ocd Past Scd Poss Abs.
1 sg ndi- -ndi- nda -ngu ini
2 sg ti- -ti- ta -idu isu
1 pl u- -u- wa -ko iwe
2 pl mu- -mu- ma -inyu imi
u- -ku- i imwi

cl. 1 mu- a mu a iye

cl. 2 va- va va va ivo
cl. 3 mu- u
cl. 4 mi- i
cl. 5 ti- ti
cl. 6 ma- a
cl. 7 chi- du
cl. 8 zvi- zvi
cl. 9 N- i
cl. 10 dzi- dzi
cl. 11 u tu- ru
cl. 12 ka- ka
cl. 13 tu- tu
cl. 14 u- hu
cl. 15 ku- ku
cl. 16 pa- pa
cl. 17 ku- ku

Verbal system
Tense
Present SCd no VB a ndinodya I eat
Present, Neg. ha SCd VB i handidyi I dont eat
Past, Rec. SCd past VB a
Past, Rec. Neg ha SCd na - INF
AFF. Past, Rem t. SCd past ka VB a
AFF. Past, Remt. Neg ha SCd na - INF
Past, HAB SCd past i VB a
Past, HAB, Neg ha SCd past i VB a
Progressive SCd ri INF (ku-VB-a) ndiri kudya I am eating
Progr., neg. ha SCd si INF handisi kudya I am not eating
Future SCd cha VB a
Future, Neg. ha Scd cha VB i
Stative Past SCd ka VB a
Stative, Neg. ha SCd na - INF
Imperative VB a, monosyllabic: i VB a famba! walk!; idya eat!
pl. VB a i, monosyllabic: i VB a i fambai! walk (pl.)!; idayi eat (pl.) !
Imper., neg. SCd sa VB e usafambe! dont walk!
musafambe! dont walk (pl.)!
to be kuri
Present: SCd ri ndiri mudzidzisi I am a teacher
Present, neg. ha SCd si hatisi vadzidzi we are not students

to have kune
Present: SCd ne ndine nzara I am hungry
Present, neg. ha- SCd- na handina nzara I am not hungry

Source: Mawadza, A. 2003. Beginners Shona (ChiShona). New York.