Numbers

1. Rimwe, piri, tatu

   Ri-mwe, pi-ri, ta-tu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Basic Shona numbers 1–3

   Grammar Note

   Shona numbers are Bantu-family words. They may change their prefixes according to noun class context.

2. China, shanu, tanhatu

   Chi-na, sha-nu, ta-nha-tu

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Shona numbers 4–6. Useful for market shopping and counting.

   Grammar Note

   "shanu" (5) is widely shared across Bantu languages. "tanhatu" (6) follows the typical Bantu pattern for six.

3. Nomwe, sere, pfumbamwe

   No-mwe, se-re, pfu-mba-mwe

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Shona numbers 7–9

   Grammar Note

   "pfumbamwe" (9) features Shona's distinctive "pfumb-" cluster. Shona has many unique consonant clusters.

4. Gumi

   Gu-mi

   Ten

   Usage

   The Shona word for ten. Useful for prices and time.

   Grammar Note

   Larger numbers: "gumi ne + digit": "gumi nerimwe" (11), "gumi nepiri" (12). "ne" means "and".

5. Zana, chiuru

   Za-na, chi-u-ru

   One hundred, one thousand

   Usage

   Large numbers useful for shopping with Zimbabwean dollars or USD.

   Grammar Note

   "Zana" is 100 and "chiuru" is 1000: large numbers needed to hear or state prices.

6. Makumi maviri

   Ma-ku-mi ma-vi-ri

   Twenty

   Usage

   Shona for twenty. Essential for prices and quantities.

   Grammar Note

   "makumi" is the plural of "gumi" (ten). "makumi maviri" literally means "two tens"

7. Makumi mashanu

   Ma-ku-mi ma-sha-nu

   Fifty

   Usage

   Useful for shopping in Zimbabwe. Frequently used for 50-dollar and 50-cent amounts.

   Grammar Note

   "mashanu" is the adjective form of five. Zimbabwe uses USD and Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) as currency

8. Ndipei makumi maviri

   Ndi-pe-i ma-ku-mi ma-vi-ri

   Give me twenty (dollars worth)

   Usage

   Used at markets to buy a specific amount worth of goods

   Grammar Note

   USD is commonly used at markets. Can be expanded to "makumi maviri emari" (twenty dollars worth)

9. Zvinhu zviviri

   Zvi-nhu zvi-vi-ri

   Two things / two items

   Usage

   Used when specifying a quantity of items while shopping or ordering

   Grammar Note

   "zvinhu" is zvi-class plural. Adjective "-viri" takes "zvi-" prefix to agree: "zviviri" (two things)

10. Nomwe nenomwe — gumi nechina

    No-mwe ne-no-mwe — gu-mi ne-chi-na

    Seven plus seven equals fourteen

    Usage

    Demonstrates how to form compound number 14 in Shona

    Grammar Note

    "gumi ne + number" forms 11–19. "gumi nechina" = 14 (ten + four). "shanu" is 5, so it cannot be used for 14

11. Ndine makore makumi maviri nemanomwe

    Ndi-ne ma-ko-re ma-ku-mi ma-vi-ri ne-ma-no-mwe

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    Giving your age — the answer to "Une makore mangani?" ("How old are you?")

    Grammar Note

    Age is stated as "I have N years". "Makore" is class 6, so the numeral takes the ma- concord and seven becomes "manomwe" (the same agreement seen in "ane makore mashanu").

12. Gore rino ndichava nemakore makumi maviri nemasere

    Go-re ri-no ndi-cha-va ne-ma-ko-re ma-ku-mi ma-vi-ri ne-ma-se-re

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying the age you will reach this year; "gore rino" means "this year"

    Grammar Note

    The future inserts -cha- after the subject prefix, exactly as in "Ndichatora". "Gore" is class 5, so its demonstrative is "rino"; eight takes the class 6 concord, giving "masere".

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