Tsumo
Shona proverbs and their meanings
- Aive madziva ava mazambuko.What used to be hard is now simple. People that used to be great are now simple.
- Akuruma nzeve ndewako.Those that advise you are on your side.
- Ane benzi ndeane rake, kudzana unopururudza.When you know the bad traits of someone you will not be offended when they do bad things.
- Ateya mariva murutsva haatyi kusviba magaro.A person will do whatever needs to be done to accomplish his goals.
- Chakafukidza dzimba matenga.There are private issues that take place inside the house.
- Chaitemura chava kuseva.The once great are now impoverished.
- Chikuriri chine chimwe.What is great now will be smaller than another.
- Chinobhururka chinomhara.What goes up must come down.
- Chirere chigokurerawo.Take care of the young ones that they may take care of you in your old age.
- Chisi hachiyeri musi wacharimwa.The consequences of bad behavior are not immediate, but they will come.
- Chisingaperi chinoshura.All things come to an end.
- Chitsva chiri murutsoka.You can get new experiences by moving to different locations.
- Chiri mumusakasaka chinozvinzwira.People take advice that pertains to their individual needs in group settings.
- Chara chimwe hachitswanyi inda.One person cannot do all things alone.
- Charova sei chando chakwidza hamba mumuti.Extreme situations can cause people to behave in unusual or unexpected ways.
- Charovedzera charovedzera, gudo rakakwira mawere kwasviba.When you get used to doing things you can even do them under difficult circumstances with ease.
- Chembere mukadzi hazvienzani nekurara mugota.Poor quality is better than nothing.
- Chidamoyo hamba yakada makwati.People have the freedom to choose what they want.
- Chinono chinengwe, bere rakadya richifamba.Do what you do with speed.
- Chinoziva ivhu kuti mwana wembeva anorwara.It's the people close to someone that know his/her affairs.
- Chiri mumoyo chiri muninga.What's in the heart is hidden.
- Chiri pamuchena chiri pamutenure.The poor man's victories do not last.
- Chitaurirwa hunyimwa mbare dzekumusana.You never get the full information and appreciation from being told.
- Chenga ose manhanga hapana risina mhodzi.There's a reward in trying all things.
- Gudo guru peta muswe kuti vaduku vakutye.The older people should be dignified for them to be respected by the younger ones.
- Guyu kutsvuka kutsvuka zvaro asi mukati rine masvosve.Some things look attractive from afar or from outside but they are not so good inside.
- Igaroziva kuti mhanza yembudzi iri mumabvi.Things are not what they seem.
- Imbwa nyoro ndidzo tsengi dzamatovo.The innocent looking people are often the guilty.
- Kakara kununa hudya kamwe.Success comes by the help of others.
- Kamoto kamberevere kakapisa matanda mberi.Small issues can become large enough to cause big problems.
- Kandiro kanoenda kunobva kamwe.Favours go to those that have given them before.
- Kuipa kuipa zvaro bveni, asi haridyi chakafa choga.A person's physical appearance should not be judged.
- Kukurukura hunge wapotswa.You can only tell the tale when you have survived it.
- Kure kwegava ndiko kusina mutsubvu.People will do anything to get what they desire.
- Kure kwemeso nzeve dzinodya.You don't have to be at a place to know what happened.
- Kuudza mwana hupedzisira.Never get tired of teaching a child good life habits.
- Kuziva ambuya huudzwa.All you know you were taught.
- Kuwanda kwakanaka, kwakaipira kupedza muto.It's good to have numbers but they also demand more resources.
- Kuwanda huuya.The more (people) the merrier.
- Kuzeza chati kwati hunge uine katurike.When you over react to things you probably have something to hide.
- Mandikurumidze akazvara mandinonoke.If you rush through things you may end up doing them wrong and thus take even longer than if you had taken your time.
- Manga chena yakaparira parere nhema.The good can make the bad visible.
- Matakadya kare haanyaradzi mwana.You can't always be satisfied by yesterday's feats.
- Mbeva zhinji hadzina mashe.Where there are many people no one takes responsibility and therefore many things can remain undone.
- Mbudzi kuzvarira pavanhu kuda kutandirwa imbwa.People do embarrassing things in front of others in order to find help.
- Mazvokuda mavanga enyora.Self inflicted anguish.
- Mhembwe rudzi inozvara mwana ane kazhumu.People produce children with traits similar to them. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
- Mudzimu wakupa chironda wati nhunzi dzikudye.For everything that happens, there is a reason.
- Murombo haarovi chinenguwo.The poor man hardly makes huge success.
- Muroyi royera kure vekwako vagokureverera.You shouldn't be mean to people close to you.
- Mwana wamambo muranda kumwe.Authority/royalty only works within its territory.
- Mwana kuberekwa vaviri, mugota hamuchemi kacheche.Some things cannot be done by one person alone, like conceiving a child.
- Mviromviro yemhanza mapfeka.Big events are predicted by early signs.
- Mombe yekurunzirwa ndeyekukama wakarinde nzira.You can never use borrowed things with the freedom you would have if it was yours.
- Makadzi munaku kusaba anoroya.A woman may be good to the husband but bad to his relatives.
- Mukuru mukuru hanga haigari pfunde.An older person is wiser than a child born yesterday.
- Mwana asingachemi anofira mumbereko.If you do not cry out for help no one will know and you may die in your distress.
- Takabva neko kumhunga hakuna ipwa.We tried it before and there was no change.
- Nzenza mumvuri, asvika anovanda zuva.Bad people pretend to be good around nice people.
- Nzombe huru yakabva mukurerwa.Great people are raised up by other people.
- Nzou hairemerwi nenyanga dzayo.A person has the strength to carry his desires/issues (as in pregnancy or dreams).
- Pfavira ngoma, husiku hurefu.Be calm and take your time to do things.
- Rinamanyanga hariputirwi mushushunje.Nothing can be hidden forever.
- Ramba kuudzwa akaonekwa nembonje pahuma.People who forsake warnings and advice often fall into calamity.
- Rega zvipore akabva mukutsva.A burnt child dreads fire.
- Regai dzive shiri, mazai haana muto.Wait for the full maturation of events instead of prematurely harvesting or celebrating.
- Rudo ibofu.Love is blind.
- Rume rimwe harikombi churu.One person cannot do all things alone.
- Seka urema wafa.Do not make fun of other people's misfortunes because they may come upon you too.
- Simbi inorohwa ichapisa.Hit the iron while it's still hot.
- Varume kutsva kwendebvu vanodzimurana.Men help each other in times of trouble.
- Vasikana kudada kudada zvenyu, tichaonana magaro pakuyambuka.You may reject people when all things are well but you will need them when things get hard.
- Wakurumidza kumedza, kutsenga uchada.You have gone to things ahead before completing the things behind.
- Yadeuka yadeuka mvura yemuguchu haidyorerwi.When things have happened they cannot be undone.
- Yatsika dope yanwa.One who was present participated.
- Zano ndega akasiya jira mumasese.People who forsake warnings and advice often fall into calamity.
- Zizi harina nyanga.Things are not what they seem.
- Zviuya hazviwanani.Perfect people hardly find each other in marriage.
- Zviro zviyedzwa chembere yekwaChivi yakabika mabwe ikanwa muto.You never know what is rewarding unless you try.
- Zingizi gonyera pamwe maruva enyika haaperi.Settle down with one woman, there are many beautiful women in the world.
- Zvikoni zvikoni mimba haibvi negosoro.Some things cannot be dealt with by simplistic solutions.