Language/Shona/Grammar/Personal-Pronouns
| ◀️ Noun Classes — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Numbers 1-10 ▶️ |
Introduction[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, you will learn about Shona personal pronouns and how to use them in sentences. Pronouns are an essential part of any language, and Shona is no exception. By using pronouns, you can avoid repeating the same noun multiple times in a sentence, making your speech more concise and efficient. Pronouns are also a critical aspect of grammar and must be learned to speak Shona fluently.
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Present Tense & Past Tense.
Personal Pronouns in Shona[edit | edit source]
In Shona, personal pronouns are used to replace a noun or a noun phrase. There are nine personal pronouns in Shona, and they are divided into three categories based on the class of the noun they represent:
| Category | Person | Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1st person singular | Inini (Ini) | Ndi- |
| 2nd person singular | Iwewe (Iwe, Iwena) | U-, Wa- | |
| 3rd person singular | Iyeye (Iye, Iyena) | A- | |
| Class 2 | 1st person plural | Isusu (Isu) | Ti- |
| 2nd person plural | Imimi (Imi) | Mu- | |
| 3rd person plural | Ivavo (Ivo, Ivona) | Va- | |
| Class 3 | 1st person singular | Ichi | Chi- |
| 2nd person singular | |||
| 3rd person singular |
Let's take a closer look at the personal pronouns and their usage in sentences.
Class 1 Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Class 1 personal pronouns refer to nouns of class 1, which include people, animates, and abstract concepts. There are three singular pronouns and three plural pronouns in class 1.
| Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Ini | Ndi- | Refers to the first person singular (I, me) |
| Iwe | U- | Refers to the second person singular (you) |
| Iye | A- | Refers to the third person singular (he, she, it) |
| Isu | Ti- | Refers to the first person plural (we, us) |
| Imi | Mu- | Refers to the second person plural (you all) |
| Ivo | Va- | Refers to the third person plural (they) |
Examples:
- Taita wangu munhukadzi. Ndinowada. (My sister is a woman. I love her.)
- Wangauchifunga kuti ndiri ani? (Who did you think I was?)
- Anobva kupi? (Where does he come from?)
- Tiri kumusika (We are at the market.)
- Muri vana wake here? (Are you all his children?)
- Vanofarira kudya maputi. (They like eating popcorn.)
Class 2 Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Class 2 personal pronouns refer to nouns of class 2, which include animals, plants, and objects. There are three singular pronouns and three plural pronouns in class 2.
| Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Ini | Ndi- | Refers to the first person singular (I, me) |
| Iwe | U- | Refers to the second person singular (you) |
| Icho | Chi- | Refers to the third person singular (it) |
| Isu | Ti- | Refers to the first person plural (we, us) |
| Imi | Mu- | Refers to the second person plural (you all) |
| Ivo | Va- | Refers to the third person plural (they) |
Examples:
- Ndinokwanisa kubata nyoka. Ndakashinga. (I catch snakes. I am brave.)
- Wati ndinofanhira kuvumba here, isusu tose? (Did you say I should agree, us all?)
- Chinebvudzi refu. (It has long hair.)
- Tinogara tose, takapinda muzvizhinji tiri tese. (We live together, we have been through a lot.)
- Mose maavanhu vakuru here kwenyu? (Are you all grown-up at your place?)
- Vakangwara. (They are sharp.)
Usage of Personal Pronouns in Sentences[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns can be used as subjects or objects in sentences, as in the examples above. In Shona, the verb form changes depending on the pronoun used. The subject pronouns listed above are used to indicate who or what is performing the action in a sentence, while the object pronouns are used to show who or what is receiving the action.
Examples:
- Ndiri kuzama kuvata. (I am trying to sleep.)
- Tine madutavanhu anotibatanidza kwese ka? (We have buses that connect us everywhere, right?)
- Wainge wakashinga munguva ye hondo here? Wakati ine ndaive sezvo. (Were you brave during the war? You said I was.)
- Uri kurima mavise akanakisa kazvona. Ndakakatyamadzwa uye nokushamisika. (You are growing the best watermelons. I was amazed and surprised.)
- Ndakakudzidzisa, vamwe vanodawo kudzidza. (I taught you, others would also like to learn.)
- Chakabva kumhuri irombo. Chakatanga kutsigira zvibudiriro zvenyika. (It came from a poor family. It started supporting country achievements.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns are an essential part of Shona grammar and are used to replace nouns in sentences. By learning the categories and forms of personal pronouns, you can communicate more efficiently and effectively in Shona. In the next lesson, we will learn about Shona numbers and how to use them in sentences. Keep up the good work!
Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Indirect Questions & Noun Classes.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Pronouns
- Past Tense
- How to Use Be
- Give your Opinion
- Conditional Mood
- Negation
- The Shona Alphabet
- Comparatives and Superlatives
- Questions
Sources[edit | edit source]
| ◀️ Noun Classes — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Numbers 1-10 ▶️ |