Common Shona Names
Here you will find common names of animals, birds, fish and reptiles in Shona language. The English-Shona page has a more comprehensive listing of names and includes names in different Shona dialects. Just like plants, some animals are only found in certain regions of Zimbabwe and names of those animals reflect the Shona dialects spoken in those regions. Click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

t_cow.jpg
cow - mhou KZ; n'ombe hadzi M
heifer - katsiru M; mhorombe KZ
t_calf.jpg
calf - mhuru KKoMZ
t_oxen.jpg
oxen - ngavi KMZ; nzombe KMZ
t_bull02.jpg
bull - ngunzi; handira KMZ
t_donkey.jpg
donkey - dongi KMZ; mbongoro Ng
t_horse.jpg
horse - bhiza KMZ
t_goat.jpg
goat - mbudzi KMZ
t_sheep.jpg
sheep - gwayi K; hwai KMZ
t_pig.jpg
pig - nguruve KMZ; humba KoZ
t_bushpig01.jpg
bushpig - humba KoZ; ngurungunda KZ
t_warthog01.jpg
warthog - njiri KMZ; hwami Z
t_aardvark02.jpg
ant-bear - dikita K; dzimba M; gweru Z
t_puppy02.jpg
puppy - mbwanana KMZ
t_terriers.jpg
dog - imbwa KKoMZ
t_wildog01.jpg
Wild dog - mhumbi
t_jackal.jpg
black-backed jackal - hungubwe K; manyene M
t_hen02.jpg
fowl - huku KKoMZ
hen - mhambo K; nhunzvi yehuku KZ; tseketse M
t_chicken.jpg
chicken - hukwana KMZ
t_rooster.jpg
cock; rooster - jongwe KMZ
t_duck01.jpg
duck - dhadha KMZ
t_catdomestic.jpg
domestic cat - kiti
t_wildcat01.jpg
wild cat - nhiriri KKoZ; bonga MZ
t_leopard01.jpg
leopard - mbada KKOMZ; ingwe KoMZ
t_cheetah22.jpg
cheetah - dindingwe KMZ
t_serval01.jpg
serval cat - nzunza KZ; nzudzi M
t_lion01.jpg
lion - shumba KKoMZ
t_baboon.jpg
baboon - gudo; bveni KoMZ
t_monkey.jpg
monkey - shoko KKoMZ
t_aardvark02.jpg
aardwolf - mbizimumwena KZ; mwena KZ
t_hyena.jpg
spotted hyena - bere KZ; magondo KM; svitsi Ko
t_elephant02.jpg
elephant - zhou K; nzou KoMZ; mhuvi Ko
t_hippo.jpg
hippo - mbvuu KMZ
t_wildebeest.jpg
wilderbeest - mvumba KMZ
t_buffalo.jpg
buffalo - nyati KMZ
buffalo bull - rambwa Z
t_impala.jpg
impala - mhara KZ
t_koodo.jpg
kudu - nhoro KMZ
t_caracal01.jpg
caracal - hwana K; twana MZ
t_bushbaby.jpg
bushbaby - chinhavira MZ; gwee K
t_giraffe01.jpg
giraffe - twza KMZ
t_ostrich.jpg
ostrich - mhou KZ; mhowani M
t_rockrabb.jpg
rock rabbit - mbira KMZ
t_hare01.jpg
hare - shuro K; tsuro MZ
t_dessie01.jpg
dessie - mbira KMZ; dzvito Z; tsvito M
t_civet.jpg
civet - jachacha KZ; bvungo M
t_badger.jpg
honey badger - sere K; tsere MZ
t_anteater.jpg
anteater - haka KZ; harakabvuka M
t_skunk.jpg
polecat - chidembo KMZ
t_porkupine.jpg
porcupine - nungu KZ; ngwewewe M
t_mouse03.jpg
mouse - mbeva KMZ
t_tortoise.jpg
tortoise - kamba KKoMZ
t_lizard02.jpg
lizard - dzvinyu KKoMZ
t_agama.jpg
agama - chidhambakura
t_eagle.jpg
eagle - gondo KMZ
martial eagle - chinyamudzura KMZ
fish eagle - hungwe KZ
t_buzzard01.jpg
augur buzzard - nyamudzura Z
lizard buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z
steppe buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z
t_hawk.jpg
hawk - rukodzi KoMZ; ruvangu K
t_falcon.jpg
falcon kestrel - rukodzi KMZ
t_vulture.jpg
valture - gora KMZ
t_crane.jpg
crane - horiori Z; muhori M
t_secretarybird.jpg
secretary bird - hwata KMZ; mukwasi KM
t_owl.jpg
owl - zizi KKoMZ
t_guineafowl.jpg
guineafowl - hanga KKoMZ
t_swallow.jpg
swallow - nyenganyenga KMZ
t_starlin.jpg
Cape glossy starling - hwidzikwidzi; husvu
long tailed starling - hwirikwiri
red-winged starling - ngwitsvo Z; mangwitsvo; sviho
violet-backed starling - nyerure K
t_turtledove.jpg
dove - njiva KKoMZ
t_stork.jpg
stork - dambiramurove K; shuramurove KoMZ
t_crow.jpg
pied crow - gunguo KKoM; savara Z black crow - chikunguobya KZ
t_hyena.jpg
animals - mhuka KKoMZ
t_squirrel01.jpg
squirrel - shindi K; tsindi MZ
t_crab1.jpg
crab - gakanje KMZ
t_housefly.jpg
house fly - nhunzi KMZ
horsefly - n'ono KMZ; gunura M
t_bee.jpg
bee - nyuchi KKoMZ
bumblebee - dzingidzi KMZ
t_beetle.jpg
beetle - dundira KZ; jorishori M
dung beetle; scarab - nyamututa; ngoko; nyangara
t_mosquito.jpg
mosquito - umhutu KKoMZ; utunga KM
t_catapillar02.jpg
caterpillar (gen. name) - chikukwa K
t_catapillar.jpg
caterpillar - gonye KKoMZ
t_butterfly01.jpg
butterfly - mbembenene K; fufura M; shaveshave Z
t_termites.jpg
termites - majuru edible flying
termites - ishwa MZ; shwarara K
t_millipeed.jpg
millipeed - zongororo KZ
t_centipede.jpg
centipeed - mhani KZ; manimhani KZ; mhisa M
t_spider.jpg
spider - buve KZ; buwe M
trap-door spider - buwi M
t_flea01.jpg
flea - nhata KMZ
poultry flea - takata M; uzanguku KZ
t_beetle02.jpg
beetle - dundira KZ; jorishori M
t_rhinobeetle.jpg
dung beetle; scarab - nyamututa; ngoko; nyangara
t_cricket.jpg
large, edible sand cricket - gurwe KMZ; gurene Ko
t_locust.jpg
locust - mhashu KMZ; hwiza Z; ndongwe M
t_snail.jpg
snail - hondywe KM; hozhwe KZ
snail shell - homba K
t_snake.jpg
snake - nyoka KKoMZ
t_cobra.jpg
cobra - nyamafungu KMZ
t_blackmamba.jpg
black mamba - rovambira KMZ
t_fish.jpg
fish - hove KKoMZ
t_catfish.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye K; muhono M; muramba Z
t_ugacatfish02.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye K; muhono M; muramba Z
t_zimcatfish01.jpg
catfish; barbel - mhatye K; muhono M; muramba Z
t_crocodile.jpg
crocodile - garwe KMZ; ngwena KKoM; nyakoko Ko
""
chameleon - gwaivhi K; rwaivhi KMZ
""
elephant shrew - mudhende KZ;dune MZ

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.

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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.