Tshivenḓa
Venda
Niger-Congo (Atlantic-Congo, Bantu, Southern Bantu)
Venda (autonym Tshivenḓa) is a Southern Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken mainly in the Limpopo province of northeastern South Africa and in parts of neighbouring Zimbabwe. It has around 1.3 million speakers and is one of the twelve official languages of South Africa. Written in a Latin alphabet with diacritics, it is noted for phonological features linking it to the Kalanga and Shona languages to its north.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Venda
Sources
- en.wiktionary Venda lemmas; Venda Bible "Bivhili Khethwa Mafhungo Madifha" 1998 (bible.com version 280)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo (Atlantic-Congo, Bantu, Southern Bantu)
| Meaning | Venda | Tsonga | Manyika | Lozi | Tswana | Northern Sotho | Shona |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | maḓi /mad̪i/ | mati /mati/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ | mezi /mezi/ | metsi /metsi/ | meetse /meːtse/ | mvura /mvura/ |
| Fire | mulilo /mulilo/ | ndzilo /ndzilo/ | moto /moto/ | mulilo /mulilo/ | molelo /moleːlo/ | mollo /molːo/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | ḓuvha /d̪uvʱa/ | dyambu /dʒambu/ | zuva /zuva/ | lizazi /lizazi/ | letsatsi /letsatsi/ | letšatši /letʃatʃi/ | zuva /zuva/ |
| Moon | ṅwedzi /ŋwedzi/ | nʼweti /ŋweti/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | kweli /kweli/ | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | ngwedi /ŋwedi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ |
| Star | ṋaledzi /n̪aledzi/ | nyeleti /ɲeleti/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | naleli /naleli/ | naledi /naledi/ | naledi /naledi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ |
| Night | vhusiku /vʱusiku/ | vusiku /vusiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | busihu /busihu/ | bosigo /bosiχo/ | bošego /boʃeχo/ | usiku /usiku/ |
| Rain | mvula /ˈmvula/ | mpfula /ˈmpfula/ | mvura /mvura/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | pula /ˈpula/ | mvura /mvura/ |
| Snow | mahaḓa /mahad̪a/ | gamboko /ɡamboko/ | — | litwa /ˈlitwa/ | semathana /semaˈtʰana/ | lehlwa /leˈɬwa/ | sinoo /sinoː/ |
| Wind | muya /muja/ | moya /moja/ | mhepo /mʰepo/ | moya /moja/ | phefo /pʰefɔ/ | phefo /pʰɛfɔ/ | mhepo /ˈmʱepo/ |
| Earth | mavu /mavu/ | misava /misava/ | ivhu /iβu/ | mubu /mubu/ | mmu /m̩mu/ | mobu /moβu/ | ivhu /iβu/ |
| Stone | tombo /tombo/ | ribye /riˈbje/ | ibwe /iɓwe/ | licwe /liˈtʃwe/ | leje /lɛˈdʒe/ | leswika /leˈswika/ | ibwe /iˈɓwe/ |
| Mountain | thavha /tʰavʱa/ | ntshava /ntsʰava/ | gomo /ɡomo/ | lilundu /lilundu/ | thaba /tʰaba/ | thaba /ˈtʰaba/ | gomo /ˈɡomo/ |
| Sea | lwanzhe /lwanʒe/ | lwandle /lwandɮe/ | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ | liwate /liwate/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | lewatle /lewatɬe/ | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ |
| Mother | mme /mːe/ | manana /manana/ | amai /amai/ | ma /ma/ | mmê /mːɛ/ | mma /mːa/ | amai /amai/ |
| Father | khotsi /kʰotsi/ | tatana /tatana/ | baba /baba/ | ndate /ndate/ | rrê /rːɛ/ | tate /tate/ | baba /baba/ |
| Daughter | ṅwananyana /ŋʷanaɲana/ | nʼwana wa xisati /ŋʷana wa ʃisati/ | mukunda /mukunda/ | mwana wa musizana /mwana wa musizana/ | morwadi /morwadi/ | morwedi /morwedi/ | mwanasikana /mwanasikana/ |
| I | nṋe /n̪ːe/ | mina /mina/ | ini /ini/ | na /na/ | nna /nːa/ | nna /nna/ | ini /ini/ |
| You | iwe /iwe/ | wena /wena/ | iwe /iwe/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | wena /wena/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| We | riṋe /rin̪e/ | hina /hina/ | isu /isu/ | luna /luna/ | rona /rona/ | rena /rena/ | isu /isu/ |
| Name | dzina /dzina/ | vito /vito/ | zita /zita/ | libizo /libizo/ | leina /leina/ | leina /leina/ | zita /zita/ |
| Person | muthu /mutʰu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | mutu /mutu/ | motho /motʰo/ | motho /mʊtʰʊ/ | munhu /muˈnʱu/ |
| Head | ṱhoho /t̪ʰoho/ | nhloko /nɬoko/ | musoro /musoro/ | toho /toho/ | tlhogo /tɬʰoχo/ | hlogo /ɬoχo/ | musoro /musoro/ |
| Eye | iṱo /it̪o/ | tihlo /tiɬo/ | ziso /ziso/ | liito /liːto/ | leitlho /leitɬʰo/ | leihlo /leiɬo/ | ziso /ziso/ |
| Ear | nḓevhe /n̪d̪evʱe/ | ndleve /ndɮeve/ | nzeve /nzeve/ | zebe /zebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | tsebe /tsebe/ | nzeve /nzeβe/ |
| Nose | ningo /niŋo/ | nhompfu /nʱompfu/ | mhino /mʱino/ | ngo /ŋo/ | nko /ŋ̩ˈko/ | nko /ŋˈko/ | mhino /mʱino/ |
| Mouth | mulomo /mulomo/ | nomu /nomu/ | muromo /muromo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | molomo /molomo/ | muromo /muˈromo/ |
| Tooth | iṋo /in̪o/ | tino /tino/ | zino /zino/ | liino /liːno/ | leino /leino/ | leino /leino/ | zino /zino/ |
| Tongue | lulimi /lulimi/ | ririmi /ririmi/ | rurimi /rurimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | leleme /leleme/ | leleme /leleme/ | rurimi /rurimi/ |
| Hand | tshanḓa /tʃʰan̪d̪a/ | voko /voko/ | ruoko /ɾwoko/ | lizoho /lizoho/ | seatla /seatɬa/ | seatla /seatɬa/ | ruoko /rwoko/ |
| Foot | mulenzhe /mulenʒe/ | nenge /neŋɡe/ | — | lihutu /liˈhutu/ | lonao /lonao/ | leoto /leoto/ | tsoka /tsoka/ |
| Heart | mbilu /mbilu/ | mbilu /mbilu/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | pilu /pilu/ | pelo /peːlo/ | pelo /pelo/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ |
| Bone | ḽirambo /l̪irambo/ | rhambu /rambu/ | godo /ɡodo/ | sapo /sapo/ | lerapo /lerapo/ | lerapo /lerapo/ | pfupa /pfupa/ |
| Blood | malofha /maloɸa/ | ngati /ŋɡati/ | ropa /ropa/ | mali /mali/ | madi /madi/ | madi /madi/ | ropa /ropa/ |
| Poop | malaṱwa /malat̪wa/ | — | tsvina /tsvina/ | ñanda /ɲanda/ | masepa /masepa/ | masepa /masepa/ | tsvina /tsvina/ |
| Love | lufuno /lufuno/ | rirhandzu /riɾandzu/ | rudo /ɾudo/ | lilato /lilato/ | lerato /leɾato/ | lerato /lerato/ | rudo /rudo/ |
| Tree | muri /muri/ | nsinya /nsiɲa/ | muti /muti/ | kota /kota/ | setlhare /setɬʰaɾe/ | sehlare /seɬare/ | muti /muti/ |
| Dog | mmbwa /mːbwa/ | mbyana /mbjana/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | nja /ndʒa/ | ntša /ntʃa/ | mpša /mpʃa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | katse /katse/ | mangoyi /maŋɡoji/ | katsi /katsi/ | kaze /kaze/ | katse /katse/ | katse /katse/ | katsi /katsi/ |
| Fish | khovhe /kʰovʱe/ | nhlampfi /nɬampfi/ | hove /hove/ | tapi /tapi/ | tlhapi /tɬʰapi/ | hlapi /ɬapi/ | hove /hove/ |
| Bird | tshiṋoni /tʃiˈn̪oni/ | xinyenyana /ʃiɲeˈɲana/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | nyunywani /ɲuɲwani/ | nonyane /nɔˈɲanɛ/ | nonyana /nʊɲana/ | shiri /ʃiri/ |
| Butterfly | tshisusu /tʃʰisusu/ | phapharhati /pʰapʰaˈrati/ | — | sipulumuki /sipulumuki/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | serurubele /seruruˈbele/ | shaveshave /ʃaveʃave/ |
| Egg | gumba /ɡumba/ | tandza /tandza/ | zai /zai/ | lii /liː/ | lee /lɛɛ/ | lee /leː/ | zai /zai/ |
| Bear | biara /biara/ | bere /bere/ | — | bele /bele/ | bera /bɛra/ | bêrê /bɛrɛ/ | bheya /bʱeja/ |
| Horse | bere /bere/ | hanci /hantʃi/ | bhiza /biza/ | pizi /pizi/ | pitse /pitse/ | pere /pere/ | bhiza /biza/ |
| House | nnḓu /n̪d̪u/ | yindlu /jindɮu/ | mhatso /mhatso/ | ndu /ndu/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | ntlo /ntɬo/ | imba /imba/ |
| Milk | mafhi /maɸi/ | masi /masi/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | mabisi /mabisi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | maswi /maswi/ | mukaka /mukaka/ |
| Honey | mutoli /mutoli/ | vulombe /vulombe/ | uchi /utʃi/ | linosi /linosi/ | tswina /tswina/ | todi /todi/ | uchi /utʃi/ |
| Salt | muṋo /mun̪o/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | lizwai /lizwai/ | letswai /letswai/ | letswai /letswai/ | munyu /muɲu/ |
| Wine | waini /waini/ | vhinyo /viɲo/ | waini /waini/ | waine /waine/ | beine /beine/ | beine /beine/ | waini /waini/ |
| Rice | raisi /raisi/ | rhayisi /rajisi/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | laisi /laisi/ | raese /raese/ | reisi /reisi/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ |
| Iron | tsimbi /tsimbi/ | nsimbi /nsimbi/ | simbi /simbi/ | sipi /sipi/ | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | tshipi /ˈtsʰipi/ | simbi /ˈsimbi/ |
| Wheel | mulinga /muliŋa/ | vhilwa /vilwa/ | vhiri /βiri/ | liwili /liwili/ | leotwana /leotwana/ | leotwana /leoˈtwana/ | vhiri /viri/ |
| Silk | siliga /siliɡa/ | silika /silika/ | siriki /siriki/ | siliki /siliki/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | sirika /sirika/ |
| Book | bugu /buɡu/ | buku /buku/ | bhuku /buku/ | buka /buka/ | buka /buka/ | puku /puku/ | bhuku /ˈɓuku/ |
| Eat | u ḽa /u l̪a/ | ku dya /ku dʒa/ | kudya /kudʒa/ | kuca /kutʃa/ | go ja /χo dʒa/ | go ja /χo dʒa/ | kudya /kudja/ |
| Drink | u nwa /u nwa/ | ku nwa /ku nwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | go nwa /χo nwa/ | go nwa /χo nwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Sleep | u eḓela /u eˈd̪ela/ | ku etlela /ku eˈtɬela/ | rara /ˈraɾa/ | kulobala /kulobala/ | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | go robala /χo rʊˈbala/ | kurara /kuˈrara/ |
| One | nthihi /ntʰihi/ | rinʼwe /riŋwe/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | nyinwi /ɲiŋʷi/ | nngwe /ŋːwe/ | tee /teː/ | potsi /potsi/ |
| Two | mbili /mbili/ | mbirhi /mbiri/ | piri /piri/ | peli /peli/ | pedi /pedi/ | pedi /pedi/ | piri /piri/ |
| Three | tharu /tʰaru/ | nharhu /ɳaɾu/ | tatu /tatu/ | talu /talu/ | tharo /tʰaro/ | tharo /tʰaro/ | tatu /tatu/ |
| Four | ṋa /n̪a/ | mune /mune/ | ina /ina/ | ne /ne/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːɛ/ | ina /ina/ |
| Five | ṱhanu /t̪ʰanu/ | ntlhanu /ntɬʰanu/ | shanu /ʃanu/ | ketalizoho /ketalizoho/ | tlhano /tɬʰano/ | hlano /ɬano/ | shanu /ʃanu/ |
| Hundred | ḓana /d̪ana/ | dzana /dzana/ | zana /zana/ | mwanda /mwanda/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | lekgolo /leχolo/ | zana /zana/ |
| Hello | ndaa /ndaː/ | avuxeni /avuʃeni/ | makadii /makadiː/ | lumela /lumela/ | dumela /dumeːla/ | dumela /dumɛla/ | mhoro /mʱoro/ |
| Thank you | ndo livhuwa /ndo livʱuwa/ | inkomu /iŋkomu/ | mazviita /mazviita/ | nitumezi /nitumezi/ | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | ke a leboga /ke a leboɣa/ | maita /maita/ |
| Good | zwavhuḓi /zwavʱud̪i/ | kahle /kaɬe/ | kunaka /kunaka/ | nde /nde/ | siame /siaːme/ | botse /botse/ | chakanaka /tʃakanaka/ |
| New | ntswa /ntswa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | itsva /itsva/ | nca /ntʃa/ | ntshwa /ntsʰwa/ | mpsha /mpsʰa/ | itsva /itsva/ |
| Red | tswuku /tswuku/ | tshwuka /tsʰwuka/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | fubelu /fubelu/ | khibidu /kʰibidu/ | hubedu /hubedu/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ |
| White | tshena /tsʰena/ | basa /ˈbasa/ | chena /tʃena/ | sweu /sweu/ | tshweu /tsʰwɛu/ | tšhweu /tʃʰwɛu/ | chena /tʃena/ |
| Black | ntswu /ntswu/ | ntima /ntima/ | tema /tema/ | nsu /nsu/ | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | ntsho /ntsʰɔ/ | tema /tema/ |
| Green | dala /dala/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | — | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | girini /ɡirini/ |
| Blue | lutombo /lutombo/ | rihlaza /riɬaza/ | — | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | tala /tala/ | bhuluu /buluː/ |
| Computer | khomphyutha /kʰompʰjutʰa/ | khompyuta /kʰompjuta/ | — | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | khomphuta /kʰompʰuta/ | khomphutha /kʰompʰutʰa/ | kombiyuta /kombijuta/ |
| Tea | tie /tie/ | tiya /tija/ | — | tii /tiː/ | tee /teː/ | teye /teje/ | tii /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ |
| Sugar | swigiri /swiɡiri/ | chukela /tʃukela/ | — | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | sukiri /sukiri/ | swikiri /swikiri/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ |
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