Shona Language Miscellany
Here you will find miscellaneous Shona topics that do not seem to fit elsewhere. This includes Shona people and Shona culture. Click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

Marriage by Shona custom
First things first. Select the girl you would like to marry from the following list. A girl you concider zai regondo, nzungu yepachuru.

The Girl

English Description	Shona
girl - general name for a young female human being	musikana KKoMZ
attractive girl chibhamu KMZ; chiwawa MZ
slim attractive girl	tsvarakadenga KMZ
grown girl of marriageable age	chipwanyanenyanga KZ
girl dedicated to the service of Mwari	mbonga KZ
full-grown unmarried girl	mhandara KMZ
behaviour, temperament, etc, of a girl	chisikana KMZ
girl of advanced marriageable age not yet engaged	homba KM; hwanzvo Z
short, stout girl	chisikana KMZ
stout girl	tsakupiti KZ
strong stout girl of marriageable age	tsikombi K; chitunya Z
big, stout girl	chimutsigori Z
big, healthy girl	jikitikwa KZ

Consideration

English Description	Shona
dowry - money and/or cattle that, by Shona custom, a husband must pay to his wife's family before they can officially get married	roora KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law for walking through morning dew	rugumabeto M; rusvayadova KZ
fee paid for summoning father-in-law from where he was sitting	kubvakumarara Z
fee paid to father-in-law for sitting down during marriage transactions	garaiparukukwe Z
fee paid to father-in-law for stroking beard	matekenyandebvu Z
fee paid for being allowed to ask about father-in-law's health	uchiro Z
fee paid for being allowed to visit (before completion of marriage transactions)	mbonano Z
small fee paid to father-in-law for, opening his mouth	zaruramuromo KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law when the munyai opens his purse	zarurahomwe KMZ
fee paid to father-in-law for climbing onto the wall of cattle kraal, before approving roora cattle	hwiradanga KZ
fee paid to father-in-law for seeing his ddowry cattle	mesoemombe KZ; mhangidzadanga M
fee paid to father-in-law for driving dowry cattle	rushamhu Z
fee paid to father-in-law for permission to take wife to her husband's home	rusumudzo KMZ
consideration paid to father-in-law when he has reached village to which his daughter has eloped	nhumburamafeso KZ

Do not forget

English	Description	Shona
father-in-law	father-in-law 's long heavy coat or great coat	jazi, jasi
mother-in-law	mother-in-law 's large heavy blanket	fuko KMZ; jira K
wedding feast	large, fat ox or cow to be killed for feeding people at the wedding feast and all associated items	muchato n'ombe KKoMZ

Names to remember

English	Description	Shona
father	a male parent	baba KKoMZ; bambo KKoM; tate Ko; tsano Ko
father	father by inheritance, replacing natural father	baba wenhaka MZ
father-in-law	your wife's father	baba KKoMZ; tervara KoMZ; tsano KKoZ
father-in-law	your husband's father	baba KZ; sezawani M
mother	a female parent	mai KM; amai KoZ
mother-in-law	your wife's mother	mbuya KM; vambuya Z
mother-in-law	your husband's mother	vamwene KKoZ
son-in-law	the husband of one's daughter	mukuwasha KKoZ; mukwambo KMZ
daughter-in-law	the wife of one's son	muroora KKoMZ
brother-in-law	your wife's brother	baba KKoMZ; tezvara KoMZ; tsano KKoZ
brother-in-law	your husband's older	brother babamukuru KMZ
brother-in-law	husband's younger brother	babamunini KMZ
sister-in-law	your wife's older sister	muramu K; mwaramu M; maiguru KMZ
sister-in-law	your wife's younger sister	muramu K; mwaramu M; mainini KMZ
sister-in-law	wife of husband's older brother	maiguru KZ
sister-in-law	wife of husband's younger brother	mainini KMZ
sister-in-law	husband's sister	vatete KZ; muramukadzi KMZ

Again, click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

Submitting Shona Words
Help increase the Shona word list in the database for these Shona Language pages by submitting additional words I omitted and their meanings. Omissions may include instances where I did not cover all possible meanings of a word. In that case, treat the word as a new word and include all possible meanings for the word in question. Basic guide to submitting omitted words is on the Add Words page.

We need your feedback
This is an ongoing project and any suggestions you have to improve information offered here would be greatly appreciated. E-mail any comments or suggestions you have to Martin Shumba.