Speak more than a passel of Swahili but would like to learn some Shona before my trip to Zim in 2012. Animal names, greetings, some grammer and common phrases ect. Any suggestions on a language program would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks

I don't know of any computer or audios that would help you. I do have a Shona-English dictionary with common phrases that I would loan you.

465H&H

On line English-Shona dictionary:

http://www.mashumba.com/shnenglish070308.aspx

Zepher:

You have a PM

I was going to recommend "101 Languages of the World" software which I used to study Setswana. It's excellent, with voice analysis, record and playback and so on. It lists Shona on the langauges page but doesn't seem to be included in the software. Don't know what's going on there. Maybe you can email them.

http://www.transparent.com/

Or as an alternative, go to Rosettastone and learn to speak Afrikaans (Dutch) which many tribal folks and PH's speak....

http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/Learn/Shona.asp

I believe Rosetta Stone has Shona as well.

I kept hearing "Mushushi"

Lekker.

I am curious as to why?

Steve

I learned two words of Shona last time in Zim: Chop chop and Okey dokey.

Here is what I have gathered on my 4 time stay:

Shona greetings

mhoro / mhoroyi - hello
zhirisei – how are you
zhirinane – I am ok
ko iwewe – and you?

mangwanani – good morning
mangwanani marara sei – good morning, how was your sleep
ndarara – I slept well
ko iwewe – and you?

maskati wasqwera sei – good afternoon, how was your day?
ndasqwera – my day was ok
ko iwewe – how was yours?

maneru wasqwera sei – good evening, how was your day?
ndasqwera – my day was ok
ko iwewe – how was yours?

Pamusoroi – excuse me

toonana - bye


Some…

ndatenda – thank you
ndapota - please
naka - good
munhu - man
muvhimi - hunter
futi - rifle
mabara - ammo
museve - arrow
shanhu, humbwa – axe
chikomo - spear
chisvo - blade
moto - fire
doro - beer
kofi - coffe
mudzanga, chimonera - cigarette
mbanje – weed, pot
gwenya - lighter

Game and other animals

mhuka, udzimba – animal, game
nzou - elephant
mhuvi - tuskless
nyati - buffalo
mvuu - hypo
noro - kudu
nyara - nyala
mhara - impala
marapara - sable
mbada, ingwe - leopard
shumba - lion
soma, dzoma, gou - bushbuck
mhofu, hunzvi - eland
mbombo, mhandakadzi - baboon
ngurungunda - bushpig
mukono wenguruve - boar
jachacha, bvungo - civet
nyongo - genet
twiza - giraffe
bere, makondo - hyena
ngururu - klipspringer
shiri - bird
funye - goaway bird
mudzura – bird of prey
dongi - donkey
hukwana - chicken
nyuchi - bee
bocha - mopane bee
rovambira,mubobo,nzayo - mamba
nymafungu - cobra
chiva - puff adder
hove - fish

Other…

gushe , mvere – hair
bhandi - belt
nguwani, sikaramazuru - hat
dundira – water bag
horo, magaro – ass
ropa - blood
buda ropa - bleeding
mbirira, dokotoko - heat
bandira – heat stroke
nzwa – to hear
pofomadza, pofomara - blind
nyatso - careful
kurumidza - fast
mota - car
bhasikoro - bike
chikepe, gwa, igwa - boat
zambuko - bridge
mubhedha - bed
jira, gumbeze - blanket
muka - awake
bhawa - bar
doro - beer
mupingo - obstacle
bhatiri - battery
chimukuyu - biltong
kamura – the end

And My favourite:

iye zvino - just now

And here is some Shangaan:

lishile - good morning
magambo - good day and evening

kumbila - please
nkisile - thank you

wawa, ndindwa - beer
chibam - rifle
nyeri - ammo

animals

zhou - elephant
nyari - buffalo
coma, soma - bushbuck
bala bala - kudu
nkwarati - sable
ingwe - leopard
khala - lion

That's really good.

How about some Ndebele??

thanks for the help and the vocab lessons

Use it well and keep it simple for the 1st time - guys will appreciate it - "mangwanani", "maskati" and "maneru" with a couple of animal names you will be after will do just fine...

And if it happens you will have a smoking tracker an "M'banje huh?" when he rolls or lights his "mudzanga" should serve for a good laugh , you'll see guys usually have a great sence of humor .

AGREE!! Most of the "guys" do indeed have a great sense of humour esp when you try to say something in their native language....I remember once trying sumthin in Ndebele about a young lady.......after about 10 minutes of laughter, one said "no Uncle Tom, not virgin"