Venda–English Dictionary

Look up Venda words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Venda word into the lookup tool.

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Browse common Venda vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
Nnṋe	pronoun	I	Nnṋe ndi fhano zwino. I am here now.
iwe	pronoun	you	Iwe u na mbilu yavhuḓi. You are very kind.
rinna	pronoun	we	Rinna ri shuma ḓuvha ḽiṅwe na ḽiṅwe. We work every day.
vhone	pronoun	they	Vhone vha hayani. They are at home.
mini	pronoun	what	U ṱoḓa mini zwino? What do you want now?
ngafhi	adverb	where	Vha dzula ngafhi? Where do they live?
lini	adverb	when	U ḓa lini? When will you come?
nnyi	pronoun	who	Nnyi a re muṋangoni? Who is at the door?
ngani	adverb	why	U mbilu mbilu ngani? Why are you sad?
hani	adverb	how	U zwi ḓivha hani? How do you know?
vha	verb	to be	Maḓi a a rothola. The water is cold.
vha na	verb	to have	Ndi na bugu. I have a book.
ita	verb	to do	Vha ita mushumo zwavhuḓi. They do the work well.
ya	verb	to go	Ri ya tshikoloni. We go to school.
ḓa	verb	to come	Kha u ḓe fhano zwino. Please come here now.
vhona	verb	to see	Ndi vhona thavha. I see the mountain.
ḓivha	verb	to know	Vha ḓivha phindulo. They know the answer.
humbula	verb	to think	Ndi humbula hayani. I think about home.
ṱoḓa	verb	to want	Ri ṱoḓa maḓi manzhi. We want more water.
ṱoḓa	verb	to need	Ndi ṱoḓa thuso yau. I need your help.
ita	verb	to make
ṋea	verb	to give	Nṋee bugu. Give me the book.
amba	verb	to say	Vha amba maipfi avhuḓi. They say good words.
vhudza	verb	to tell	Mmbudze tshiṱori. Tell me the story.
vhudzisa	verb	to ask	Ndi vhudzisa mbudziso nthihi. I ask one question.
wana	verb	to find	Ri wana nḓila. We find the way.
lavhelesa	verb	to look	Lavhelesa ṱaḓulu. Look at the sky.
shumisa	verb	to use	Ri shumisa ṱafula heḽi. We use this table.
shuma	verb	to work	Vha shuma doroboni. They work in town.
ḽa	verb	to eat	Ṅwana u ḽa raizi. The child eats rice.
nwa	verb	to drink	Ndi nwa ti i fhisaho. I drink hot tea.
eḓela	verb	to sleep	Mutukana u eḓela nga u ṱavhanya. The boy sleeps early.
tshimbila	verb	to walk	Ri tshimbila ri tshi ya tshikoloni. We walk to school.
gidima	verb	to run	Musidzana u gidima nga u ṱavhanya. The girl runs fast.
vhala	verb	to read	Ndi vhala bugu hei. I read this book.
ṅwala	verb	to write	Ṅwala dzina ḽau fhano. Write your name here.
amba	verb	to speak	Vha amba Tshivenḓa zwavhuḓi. They speak Venda well.
thetshelesa	verb	to listen	Thetshelesa mudededzi. Listen to the teacher.
pfa	verb	to hear	Ndi pfa muzika. I hear the music.
renga	verb	to buy	Ri renga vhurotho vhuswa. We buy fresh bread.
rengisa	verb	to sell	Vha rengisa mitshelo fhano. They sell fruit here.
badela	verb	to pay	Ndi badela mbilu. I pay the money.
thusa	verb	to help	Kha u thuse ṅwana. Please help the child.
funa	verb	to love	Ri funa muṱa washu. We love our family.
dzula	verb	to live	Vha dzula doroboni. They live in the city.
fa	verb	to die	Miri ya kale i fa nga zwiṱuku. Old trees die slowly.
guda	verb	to learn	Vhana vha guda tshikoloni. Children learn at school.
funza	verb	to teach	Vha funza vhana vhaṱuku. They teach young children.
vula	verb	to open	Vula muṋango zwino. Open the door now.
vala	verb	to close	Vala bugu nga mbilu. Close the book gently.
muthu	noun	person	Muthu muṅwe na muṅwe u na dzina. Each person has a name.
munna	noun	man	Munna u na nungo. The man is strong.
musadzi	noun	woman	Musadzi u nwa ti. The woman drinks tea.
ṅwana	noun	child	Ṅwana o takala. The child is happy.
mutukana	noun	boy	Mutukana u vhala zwavhuḓi. The boy reads well.
musidzana	noun	girl
muṱa	noun	family	Muṱa wanga ndi muhulwane. My family is big.
mme	noun	mother	Mme anga vha hayani. My mother is home.
khotsi	noun	father	Khotsi awe vha shuma nga maanḓa. His father works hard.
khonani	noun	friend	Khonani yanga i fhano. My friend is here.
nnḓu	noun	house	Nnḓu ndi ntswa. The house is new.
hayani	noun	home	Ri khou ya hayani. We are going home.
tshikolo	noun	school	Tshikolo tsho vulwa. The school is open.
dorobo	noun	city	Dorobo iyi ndi khulu. This city is big.
shango	noun	country	Shango ḽashu ḽi a naka. Our country is beautiful.
shango	noun	world
gondo	noun	street	Gondo ndi ḽile. The street is long.
kamara	noun	room	Kamara yo kuna. The room is clean.
tshifhinga	noun	time	Tshifhinga tshi ya nga u ṱavhanya. Time goes very fast.
ḓuvha	noun	day	Ṋamusi ndi ḓuvha ḽavhuḓi. Today is a good day.
vhusiku	noun	night	Vhusiku vhu a rothola. The night is cold.
matsheloni	noun	morning	Ndi shuma matsheloni oṱhe. I work every morning.
madekwana	noun	evening	Ri awela nga madekwana. We rest in the evening.
vhege	noun	week	Vhege nthihi yo fhira. One week has passed.
ṅwedzi	noun	month	Hoyu ṅwedzi hu na mushumo. This month is busy.
ṅwaha	noun	year	Uno ṅwaha ndi muswa. This year is new.
ṋamusi	adverb	today	Ndi khou farea ṋamusi. I am busy today.
matshelo	adverb	tomorrow	Ri ḓo ya matshelo. We will go tomorrow.
mulovha	adverb	yesterday
zwino	adverb	now	Ḓa fhano zwino. Come here now.
ḓuvha	noun	sun	Ḓuvha ḽi a fhisa. The sun is hot.
ṅwedzi	noun	moon	Ṅwedzi u a penya. The moon is bright.
ṋaledzi	noun	star	Iyo ṋaledzi i a penya. That star is bright.
ṱaḓulu	noun	sky	Ṱaḓulu ndi lutombo. The sky is blue.
mulilo	noun	fire	Mulilo u a fhisa. The fire is hot.
maḓi	noun	water	Maḓi ndi a ndeme vhukuma. Water is very important.
mvula	noun	rain	Mvula i khou na. The rain is falling.
muya	noun	wind	Muya u na nungo. The wind is strong.
muri	noun	tree	Muri ndi mulapfu. The tree is tall.
ḽiṱari	noun	flower
thavha	noun	mountain	Iyo thavha yo lapfa. That mountain is high.
mulambo	noun	river	Mulambo u na maḓi. The river has water.
lwanzhe	noun	sea	Lwanzhe lu kule. The sea is far.
ḽijo	noun	food	ḽijo zwo lugela. The food is ready.
vhurotho	noun	bread	Ndi ḽa vhurotho ḓuvha ḽiṅwe na ḽiṅwe. I eat bread daily.
raisi	noun	rice
nyama	noun	meat	Nyama i a fhisa. The meat is hot.
khovhe	noun	fish	Vha ḽa khovhe kanzhi. They eat fish often.
ḽithogwana	noun	egg
mafhi	noun	milk	Ṅwana u nwa mafhi. The child drinks milk.
mitshelo	noun	fruit	Mitshelo ndi ḽijo ḽavhuḓi. Fruit is good food.
ti	noun	tea	Ti i a fhisa. The tea is hot.
kofi	noun	coffee	Ndi nwa kofi zwino. I drink coffee now.
ṱhoho	noun	head	Ṱhoho yanga i a vhavha. My head is sore.
iṱo	noun	eye
ndevhe	noun	ear	Ndevhe yanga i a pfa. My ear can hear.
mulomo	noun	mouth	Vula mulomo wau vhuhulwane. Open your mouth wide.
ningo	noun	nose	Ningo yanga i a rothola. My nose is cold.
ṋama	noun	hand
mulenzhe	noun	foot
mbilu	noun	heart
dzina	noun	name	Dzina ḽanga ndi John. My name is John.
bugu	noun	book	Bugu hei ndi ntswa. This book is new.
ipfi	noun	word	Ipfi iḽo ḽi a konḓa. That word is difficult.
luambo	noun	language	Tshivenḓa ndi luambo. Venda is a language.
mali	noun	money	Ndi ṱoḓa mbilu ṋamusi. I need money today.
mushumo	noun	work	Mushumo u a konḓa. The work is hard.
lufuno	noun	love	Lufuno ndi lwa ndeme vhukuma. Love is very important.
muzika	noun	music	Muzika u a naka. The music is beautiful.
tshiṱori	noun	story	Tshiṱori ndi tsha ngoho. The story is true.
nḓila	noun	way	Hei nḓila i leluwa. This way is easy.
tshithu	noun	thing	Hetshi tshithu ndi tshiṱuku. This thing is small.
vhutshilo	noun	life	Vhutshilo ndi lwendo. Life is a journey.
muṋango	noun	door	Muṋango wo vulea. The door is open.
ṱafula	noun	table	Ṱafula yo kuna. The table is clean.
tshidulo	noun	chair	Tshidulo ndi tsha kale. The chair is old.
goloi	noun	car	Goloi i a ṱavhanya. The car is fast.
vhudi	adjective	good	Hezwi ḽijo ndi zwavhuḓi. This food is good.
vhi	adjective	bad
khulu	adjective	big	Nnḓu ndi khulu. The house is big.
ṱuku	adjective	small	Kamara ndi ṱuku. The room is small.
ntswa	adjective	new	Ndo renga bugu ntswa. I bought a new book.
kale	adjective	old	Nnḓu hei ndi ya kale. This house is old.
lapfu	adjective	long	Bada ndi lapfu. The road is long.
pfufhi	adjective	short	Tshiṱori ndi tshipfufhi. The story is short.
nṱha	adjective	high	Thavha i nṱha. The mountain is high.
fhasi	adjective	low
fhisa	adjective	hot	Ti i a fhisa. The tea is hot.
rothola	adjective	cold	Maḓi a a rothola. The water is cold.
takala	adjective	happy	Ṅwana o takala. The child is happy.
naka	adjective	beautiful
leluwa	adjective	easy	Mushumo uyu u leluwa. This work is easy.
konḓa	adjective	hard	Mbudziso hei i a konḓa. This question is hard.
ṱavhanya	adjective	fast	Goloi i a ṱavhanya. The car is fast.
lengisa	adjective	slow
ngoho	adjective	right	Phindulo yau ndi ya ngoho. Your answer is right.
ndeme	adjective	important	Maḓi ndi a ndeme kha vhutshilo. Water is important for life.
ngoho	adjective	true	Tshiṱori hetshi ndi tsha ngoho. This story is true.
ḓala	adjective	full
shaya tshithu	adjective	empty
ṱuku	adjective	young	Mutukana u tshee ṱuku. The boy is young.
na nungo	adjective	strong	Munna uyo u na nungo. That man is strong.
tswuku	adjective	red
lutombo	adjective	blue	Ṱaḓulu ndi lutombo. The sky is blue.
dala	adjective	green
seruha	adjective	yellow
ntswu	adjective	black	Goloi i ntswu. The car is black.
tshena	adjective	white	Mafhi ndi matshena. The milk is white.
ee	interjection	yes	Ee, ndo lugela. Yes, I am ready.
hai	interjection	no	Hai, a thi ḓivhi. No, I do not know.
a ... ngo	adverb	not	A thi neti. I am not tired.
na	conjunction	and	Ti na vhurotho zwo lugela. Tea and bread are ready.
kana	conjunction	or	Ti kana kofi zwo luga. Tea or coffee is fine.
fhedzi	conjunction	but
arali	conjunction	if	Arali mvula ya na, dzula hayani. If it rains, stay home.
ngauri	conjunction	because	Ndo dzula ngauri mvula yo na. I stayed because it rained.
na	preposition	with	Ndo ḓa na khonani yanga. I came with my friend.
nga si na	preposition	without
u itela	preposition	for
bva kha	preposition	from	Ndi bva hayani. I come from home.
u ya kha	preposition	to	Ri khou ya doroboni. We are going to town.