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Shona Noun Classes and Verbal System

This document provides an overview of the noun classes and pronoun systems as well as the verbal system in the Shona language. It lists the prefixes used for singular and plural nouns and pronouns for each class. It then outlines the tense, aspect, and mood markers used in Shona verbs, including prefixes for present, past, progressive, future, imperative, negative, and "to be" and "to have" constructions.

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656 views1 page

Shona Noun Classes and Verbal System

This document provides an overview of the noun classes and pronoun systems as well as the verbal system in the Shona language. It lists the prefixes used for singular and plural nouns and pronouns for each class. It then outlines the tense, aspect, and mood markers used in Shona verbs, including prefixes for present, past, progressive, future, imperative, negative, and "to be" and "to have" constructions.

Uploaded by

Anonymous BQcnG1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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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.

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