Learn Shona Online – Level 1

Shona is a national language of Zimbabwe, along with Ndebele and the official business language, English. There are also clusters of Shona in Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana.

Nearly 80% of people in Zimbabwe speak the Bantu language of Shona, or chiShona, so this is definitely the language to learn if you are thinking of visiting that country!

Despite movement to urban areas, the traditional Shona people maintain constant contact with their rural home, viewing themselves as  “sons and daughters of the soil.”  It’s important to note that the Shona language is intertwined with Shona social and religious values. In addition to an everyday Shona language there is a “high” or “deep” Shona that is used in communicating with the ancestors.

What’s in a name?

Zimbabwe is named after Great Zimbabwe, the twelfth- to fifteenth-century stone-built capital of the Rozwi Shona dynasty. The name is thought to derive from dzimba dza mabwe (“great stone houses”) or dzimba waye (“esteemed houses”).

Learn Shona Online and introduce yourself to commonly spoken words and phrases.

With our Shona Online Course, you can:

• Introduce yourself and others
• Talk about colors
• Use numbers 1-20
• Use the days of the week
• Use simple greetings
• Talk about professions
• Talk about countries and where you live
• Tell the time
• Give your phone number and contact details
• Talk about food and drinks

Why Learn Shona Online with 5Africa?

• Full lifetime access to your lessons
• Compatible with all devices – mobile, laptop and tablet
• On completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate

Example Certificate