Shona Noun Classes
Shona noun classes are a system of categorizing nouns on the basis of the prefix used when the noun is in the same sentence as a determiner, adjective, verb in past tense or a verb in third person.
For a native Shona speaker, in the Shona language, the pattern of noun classes is natural, in the same way a French speaker is accustomed to feminine and masculin nouns in the French language.
If you are a beginner or you have not been speaking Shona for a while, it is profitable to be aware of the correct prefix to use with determines.
Shona adjectives
When using adjectives in Shona, a sentence will take the form
noun + -aka + adjective
. On the dash is were the prefix in placed.
An example would be the sentence, "Girls are beautiful". In Shona
this translates to "vasikana vaka naka". This sentence takes
the form
noun + -aka + adjective
'v' is the prefix for noun class 2, in which the noun vasikana belongs.
noun + -aka + adjective
, this template will work for all the nouns when using adjectives.
Shona determiners
| Shona | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -angu | my | Chingwa changu, ch from noun class 7 |
| -ake | his/hers | zvake, zv from noun class 8 |
| -ino | this | rino, r from noun class 5 or 21 |
You can use other prefixes from other noun classes.
Conclusion
The modifier prefix modifies the determiner, adjective infix, verb in past tense or a verb in third person.
| Noun Class | Noun prefix | Noun example | Modifying Prefix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | mu | musikana | w- |
| 1a | tezvara | v- | |
| 2 | va | vasikana | v- |
| 2a | vana | vanatezvara | v- |
| 2b | amai | v- | |
| 3 | mu | muti | w- |
| 4 | mi | miti | y- |
| 5 | ri | ruva | r- |
| 6 | ma | maruva | - |
| 7 | chi | chikoro | ch- |
| 8 | zvi | zvikoro | zv- |
| 9 | i | imba | y- |
| 10 | dzi | dzimba | dz- |
| 11 | ru | rubatsiro | rw- |
| 12 | ka | kakomana | k- |
| 13 | tu | tukomana | tw- |
| 14 | u | utunga | hw- |
| 15 | ku | kudya | kw- |
| 16 | pa | pamberi | p- |
| 17 | ku | kunhu | kw- |
| 17a | ku | mhiri | kw- |
| 18 | mu | mukati | m- |
| 19 | svi | svi | sv- |
| 21 | zi | zambanenje | r- |