English–Venda Dictionary

Browse common English words and their Venda translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Venda.

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Browse common Venda vocabulary

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