Language/Shona/Vocabulary/Feelings-and-Emotions

This page provides a list of vocabulary in Shona related to feelings and emotions. Learning these words will help you express your emotions in Shona more accurately.

Introduction

In Shona, as in many languages, expressing feelings and emotions is a crucial part of daily communication. This lesson covers a variety of terms that will enable you to describe your own emotions and ask others about theirs.

Vocabulary List

Below is a list of feelings and emotions in Shona, followed by their English translations.

In shona		English translation
kufara	mufaro, rufaro	happiness
kudakara	rudakaro	joy; joyfulness
kusurukira	rusurukiro	sad; sadness
Kunetsekana	runetsekano	troubled
kuzvidyamoyo		worry	literally 'to eat one's own heart'
kuzvitemesamusoro		stress; to give oneself a headache	literally 'to strike one's head with an axe'
kupunyaira	mupunyairo	fret; stress, worry,
kutya, kutla	rutyi, rutli	fear
	hasha	anger
kutsamwa	-tsamwa	upset
kushamisika	rushamiswo	surprise
kufarira		like; liking
kuda	rudo	love, loving
	rudiso, chidiso	want, desire
kudinga, kuvinga	rudingo, ruvingo	need
kudaka	rudako	want
	chidakadaka	crush, puppy-love
	chidokwadokwa
	donyongodzo
kudokwaira	dokwaira	crave; hunger for; aspire for
kupungaira	rupungairo
kupanga	chipangwa, mbangwa	desire; need
kububa		crave (of an animal)
kudakarira
	daka	grudge
kusemesa, kusembura		disgust; disgusting
kunakidzwa	runakidzo
	zvanaka	well, beautiful, good
	mushe	well
	bho	good
	nani	better; improved
	godo	jealousy; icy
	shanje	envy
kuchiva	ruchivo	lust
kuva nemwoyo	mwoyo	lust; selfish
kuva nedaka	daka	grudge
kudemba	demba	regret
kuipa	zvakaipa	bad, unwell
kudada	dada, rudado	pride, pridefull
kupengesana	rupengesano	to love each other a lot	literally ' to make one another crazy with love'
	madanha	yearning; affectionate admiration
kufukamoyo	ufukamoyo, rufukamoyo	depression	literally 'covering of one's heart'
kudekara	rudekaro	relax
kukara	rukaro	greedy; greed
kuvenga	ruvengo	hate; hateful
kushona/kuhlona	shonhi, shoni, hlonhi	shame
kunyara	runyaro	shy, shyness
kuva netsitsi	tsitsi	compassion
kuva nengoni	ngoni
kuva nemutsa	mutsa	mercy, merciful
kuva nenyasha	nyasha	grace, graceful
kunyazisa, kusvoda	nyadzi, rusvodi	embarrassing, embarrassment
kuviruka
kuva neshungu	shungu	passion
kuva netariro	tariro	hope, hopeful
kuritaira	muritairo	to be at a loss
kudzungaira	dzungu	confusion
kuchangaira; kubatawa nechangaira	ruchangairo, changaira	perplexed, perplexation
kupukaira, kudzivaira		aimlessness; cluelessness
kuremekedza	remekedza	respect

Usage Examples

To help you understand how these words are used in context, here are some example sentences.

Ndine mufaro.

I am happy.

Uri kuchema nei?

Why are you crying?

Haufanire kutsamwa.

You shouldn't be angry.

Ndinokuda.

I love you.

Ndinokufarira.

I like you

Ndakasurukirwa.

I am sad.

Usazvidyemoyo.

Don't worry.

Hauna mashoni/Hauna mahlonhi.

You have no shame.

Exercises

To test your understanding of the vocabulary, try translating the following sentences into Shona.

1. . I am surprised.
2. . She is afraid.
3. . We are happy.
4. . They love each other.

Answers

1. . Ndakashamiswa.
2. . Ari kutya.
3. . Tine mufaro.
4. . Vanodanana.