chiShona proverbs & culture
89 proverbs & culture phrases in chiShona, each with a say-it-like guide. Tap a phrase to hear it and see how it is used.
- Big / elderMukuruA2moo-KOO-roo
- Small / youngMudikiA2moo-DEE-kee
- Tall / longMurefuA2moo-REH-foo
- ShortMupfupiA2moo-PFOO-pee
- He/she is good / beautifulAkanakaA2ah-kah-NAH-kah
- He/she is brave / strongAkashingaA2ah-kah-SHEE-ngah
- NewChitsvaA2CHEE-tsvah
- OldChitsaruA2chee-TSAH-roo
- RedTsvukuA2TSVOO-koo
- BlackNhemaA2NHEH-mah
- WhiteChenaA2CHEH-nah
- Brown / reddishMutsvukuA2moo-TSVOO-koo
- He/she is like thatAkadaroA2ah-kah-DAH-roh
- ProverbTsumoC1TSOO-moh
- Idioms / figurative sayingsMadimikiraC1mah-dee-mee-KEE-rah
- One thumb can't crush a louseChara chimwe hachitswanyi indaC1CHAH-rah CHEE-mweh hah-chee-TSWAH-nyee EEN-dah
- One man can't surround an anthillRume rimwe harikombi churuC1ROO-meh REE-mweh hah-ree-KOHM-bee CHOO-roo
- What hides the home is the roofChakafukidza dzimba matengaC1chah-kah-foo-KEE-dzah DZEEM-bah mah-TEHN-gah
- A favour returns to where it came fromKandiro kanoenda kunobva kamweC1kahn-DEE-roh kah-noh-EHN-dah koo-NOH-bvah KAH-mweh
- What's new is found by walkingChitsva chiri murutsokaC1CHEE-tsvah CHEE-ree moo-roo-TSOH-kah
- A child who doesn't cry dies on the backMwana asingachemi anofira mumberekoC1MWAH-nah ah-seen-gah-CHEH-mee ah-noh-FEE-rah moom-beh-REH-koh
- Big baboon, tuck in your tail so the young respect youGudo guru peta muswe kuti vadiki vakutyeC1GOO-doh GOO-roo PEH-tah MOO-sweh KOO-tee vah-DEE-kee vah-KOO-tyeh
- Inheriting custom is learning from othersKugara nhaka kuona dzevamweC1koo-GAH-rah NHAH-kah koo-OH-nah dzeh-VAH-mweh
- Trouble spares no one; danger has no favouritesShumba haina basa nemhandaraC1SHOOM-bah HAH-ee-nah BAH-sah neh-mhah-NDAH-rah
- Where there were deep pools are now fordsAiva madziva ava mazambukoC1AH-ee-vah mah-DZEE-vah AH-vah mah-zahm-BOO-koh
- The road less travelled may be the better oneNzira yaramba kufamba ndiyo yakanakaC1NZEE-rah yah-RAHM-bah koo-FAHM-bah NDEE-yoh yah-kah-NAH-kah
- Interpretation / explanation of meaningDudziroC2doo-DZEE-roh
- One thumb cannot crush a louseChara chimwe hachitswanyi indaC2CHAH-rah CHEE-mweh hah-chee-TSWAH-nyee EEN-dah
- A plate goes back where one came fromKandiro kanoenda kunobva kamweC2kahn-DEE-roh kah-noh-EHN-dah koo-NOH-bvah KAH-mweh
- Don't mock the disabled; your own affliction is comingRega kuseka urema, wafa wako uchauyaC2REH-gah koo-SEH-kah oo-REH-mah, WAH-fah WAH-koh oo-chah-OO-yah
- What covers homes is the roofChakafukidza dzimba matengaC2chah-kah-foo-KEE-dzah DZEEM-bah mah-TEHN-gah
- One man cannot encircle an anthillRume rimwe harikombi churuC2ROO-meh REE-mweh hah-ree-KOHM-bee CHOO-roo
- A chief's child is a servant elsewhereMwana washe muranda kumweC2MWAH-nah WAH-sheh moo-RAHN-dah KOO-mweh
- A duiker begets a duikerMhembwe rudzi kuzvara mhembweC2MHEHM-bweh ROO-dzee koo-ZVAH-rah MHEHM-bweh
- What grows old stoopsChinokura chinokotamaC2chee-noh-KOO-rah chee-noh-koh-TAH-mah
- Kinship is incomplete until completed by eating togetherUkama igasva hunozadziswa nekudyaC2oo-KAH-mah ee-GAH-svah hoo-noh-zah-DZEE-swah neh-KOO-dyah
- One who keeps eating is never satisfiedAramba achidya haagutiC2ah-RAHM-bah ah-CHEE-dyah hah-ah-GOO-tee
- To inherit well is to watch how others do itKugara nhaka kuona dzevamweC2koo-GAH-rah NHAH-kah koo-OH-nah dzeh-VAH-mweh
- Great baboon, tuck your tail so the young respect youGudo guru peta muswe kuti vadiki vakutyeC2GOO-doh GOO-roo PEH-tah MOO-sweh koo-tee vah-DEE-kee vah-KOO-tyeh
- To speak in public / address a gatheringKutaura pavanhuC2koo-TAH-oo-rah pah-VAH-nhoo
- Speaker / spokespersonMutauririC2moo-tah-oo-REE-ree
- A speech / discourse / discussionHurukuroC2hoo-roo-KOO-roh
- Let me beginRegai nditangeC2REH-gah-ee ndee-TAHN-geh
- Esteemed / beloved onesVadikaniC2vah-dee-KAH-nee
- The main idea / central thesisPfungwa huruC2PFOON-gwah HOO-roo
- To support / back upKutsigiraC2koo-tsee-GEE-rah
- To encourage / inspire / spur onKukurudziraC2koo-koo-roo-DZEE-rah
- To explain clearly and fullyKunyatsotsananguraC2koo-nyah-tsoh-tsah-nah-NGOO-rah
- To conclude / round offKupedzisiraC2koo-peh-dzee-SEE-rah
- Thank you for listeningNdinotenda nokunzwaC2ndee-noh-TEHN-dah noh-KOON-zwah
- Voice / a word / a voteIzwiC2EE-zwee
- To raise and lower the voiceKukwidza nokudzikisa izwiC2koo-KWEE-dzah noh-koo-dzee-KEE-sah EE-zwee
- The listeners / the audienceVateereriC2vah-teh-eh-REH-ree
- Idiom / figurative expressionDimikiraC2dee-mee-KEE-rah
- To be ravenousKufa nenzaraC2koo-FAH neh-NZAH-rah
- To deceive / pull the wool over the eyesKubata kumesoC2koo-BAH-tah koo-MEH-soh
- To suffer hardshipKudya chechandoC2koo-DYAH cheh-CHAHN-doh
- To keep quietKuvhara muromoC2koo-VHAH-rah moo-ROH-moh
- To give up / surrenderKukanda mapfumo pasiC2koo-KAHN-dah mah-PFOO-moh PAH-see
- To be at the very limit / on the brinkKusvika pamhinoC2koo-SVEE-kah pah-MHEE-noh
- To be patientKuita mwoyo murefuC2koo-EE-tah MWOH-yoh moo-REH-foo
- To be light-fingered / prone to stealingKuva nemaokoC2koo-VAH neh-mah-OH-koh
- To make matters worseKudzima mwoto nemafutaC2koo-DZEE-mah MWOH-toh neh-mah-FOO-tah
- To recall inwardly / to oneselfKuyeuka nechomumwoyoC2koo-yeh-OO-kah neh-choh-moo-MWOH-yoh
- A ruinous lossKutsva kwembeuC2koo-TSVAH kweh-MBEH-oo
- To make trouble / stir things upKupisa mvuraC2koo-PEE-sah MVOO-rah
- To recite praise-poetryKudetembaC2koo-deh-TEHM-bah
- Thank you, LionMaita ShumbaC2mah-EE-tah SHOOM-bah
- Thank you, HeartMaita MoyoC2mah-EE-tah MOH-yoh
- Well done, MonkeyZvaitwa SokoC2zvah-EE-twah SOH-koh
- We thank you, BuffaloTatenda NyatiC2tah-TEHN-dah NYAH-tee
- Thank you, ElandMaita MhofuC2mah-EE-tah MHOH-foo
- Thank you, Pool/WaterMaita DzivaC2mah-EE-tah DZEE-vah
- Lineage / kind / peopleRudziC2ROO-dzee
- Clan / ancestral lineDzinzaC2DZEEN-zah
- The clan / family nameZita rerudziC2ZEE-tah reh-ROO-dzee
- To give a nameKupa zitaC2koo-PAH ZEE-tah
- May God keep youMwari ngaakuchengeteC2MWAH-ree ngah-ah-koo-cheh-NGEH-teh
- Live in peaceGarai murugareC2gah-RAH-ee moo-roo-GAH-reh
- Stay courageousRamba wakashingaC2RAHM-bah wah-kah-SHEEN-gah
- Keep our customsChengeta tsika dzeduC2cheh-NGEH-tah TSEE-kah DZEH-doo
- Trust in GodVimba naMwariC2VEEM-bah nah-MWAH-ree
- Remember where you came fromRangarira kwawakabvaC2rah-ngah-REE-rah kwah-wah-KAH-bvah
- Be unitedBatanaiC2bah-tah-NAH-ee
- Try your level bestEdza nepaunogona napoC2EH-dzah neh-pah-oo-noh-GOH-nah NAH-poh
- May he/she be blessedNgaakomborerweC2ngah-ah-kohm-boh-REH-rweh
- You will live a long lifeUchararama upenyu hurefuC2oo-chah-rah-RAH-mah oo-PEHN-yoo hoo-REH-foo
- Do what is goodItai zvakanakaC2EE-tah-ee zvah-kah-NAH-kah
- Follow the example of your eldersTevedzera vakuruC2teh-veh-DZEH-rah vah-KOO-roo