Niece------muzukuru

Cousin-----muzukuru

Nephew son of a person's sibling

Niece daughter of a person's sibling.

Conversely, that person is the aunt or uncle of their niece or nephew.

Maternal cousins of a girl

English Shona
Daughter of mothers sister, if older mukoma - older sister
Daughter of mothers sister, if younger munun'una or munin'ina - younger sister
Son of mothers sister hanzvadzi - brother
Son of mothers brother sekuru - uncle
Daughter of mothers brother mainini or amainini - young mother

Maternal cousins of a boy

English Shona
Son of mothers sister, if older mukoma - old brother
Son of mothers sister, if younger munun'una or munin'ina - young brother
Daughter of mothers sister hanzvadzi - sister
Son of mothers brother sekuru - uncle
Daughter of mothers brother mainini or amainini - young mother

Paternal cousins of a girl

English Shona
Daughter of fathers brother, if younger mukoma - old sister
Daughter of fathers brother, if older munun'una or munin'ina - young sister
Sons of fathers brother hanzvadzi - brother
Son of fathers sister mwana - son
Daughter of fathers sister mwana - daughter

Paternal cousins of a boy

English Shona
Son of fathers brother, if older mukoma - older brother
Son of fathers brother, if younger munun'una or mun'inina - younger
 brother
Daughter of fathers brother hanzvadzi - sister
Son of fathers sister muzukuru - nephew

1. Grandfather 1. Sekuru
2. Grandmother 2. Ambuya/Gogo
3. Uncle (father’s older brother) 3. Babamukuru
4. Uncle (father’s younger brother) 4. Babamunini/Babamud
5. Uncle (mother’s brother) 5. Sekuru
6. Aunt (father’s sister) 6. Tete
7. Aunt (mother’s older sister) 7. Amaiguru
8. Aunt (mother’s younger sister) 8. Amainini
9. Mother –in-law 9. Ambuya/Amai
10. Father-in-law 10. Tezvara/Baba
11. Brother (older) 11. Mukoma/Bhudhi
12. Sister (older) 12. Sisi
13. Brother or sister (younger) 13. Munin’ina/Mupfanha
14. Husband/man 14. Murume
15. Wife/woman 15. Mukadzi
16. Baby 16. Mwana
17. Daughter 17. Mukunda
18. Son 18. Mwanakomana
19. Girl 19. Musikana
20. Boy 20. Mukomana

Relationships and Family

 Shamwari – (friend)
 Mai – (mother, mom, Mrs.)
 Baba – (father, dad, family man)
 Mukoma – (brother)
 Sisi – (sister)
 Ambuya – (grandmother, elderly woman)
 Sekuru – (grandfather, elderly man)
 Muzukuru – (grand child) – singular
 Vazukuru – (grand children) – plural
 Tete – (aunt)
 Baba mnini – (younger uncle)
 Baba mukuru – (older uncle)
 Mai nini – (younger aunt)
 Mai guru – (Older aunt)
 Madzimai – (wives or housewives) plural
 Mudzimai – (wife) singular
 Sahwira – (somebody you know on a friendly basis, someone whom you have a good relationship
with but not a relative)
 Tsano - (big brother or friend)

Your Paternal family are all the cousins, niece’s and nephew’s from your father’s side, Your
Maternal family are all the cousins, niece’s and nephew’s from your mother’s side.

Paternal means thru the father; maternal thru the mother. Your paternal grandmother is
your father's mother, for instance.

Cousins a child of one's uncle or aunt.

Nieces a daughter of one's brother or sister, or of one's brother-in-law or sister-in-law.

niece. noun. a daughter of your brother or sister, or a daughter of your husband's or wife's
brother or sister. Their son is called your nephew.

Nephew a son of one's brother or sister, or of one's brother-in-law or sister-in-law.

: a son of your sister or brother, or a son of the sister or brother of your husband or wife.

: a son of a person's sibling, and a niece is a daughter of a person's sibling. Conversely, that
person is the aunt or uncle of their niece or nephew.

: the son of your sister or brother. This makes you the aunt or uncle of that nephew.

Greetings

 Mamuka sei – (Good morning) – You start with Ma when you are greeting an elderly person,
senior or someone of importance.The opening is used to show respect.
 Wamuka sei – (Good morning) – You start with Wa when you are greeting a youth, friend, sibling
or somebody at your level.
 Mangwanani - (Good Morning) - General term for greeting anybody in the morning. Apparently
there is a South African SPAR store with this name - Mangwanani.co.za
 Masvera sei – (How was your day?) – The opening Ma is used to show respect to an elder
 Wasvera sei – (How was your day?) – The opening Wa is used when it’s a casual greeting i.e.
when greeting a youth, friend, sibling or somebody at your level.
 Mhoro – (How are you?) – A casual greeting. Used when greeting a friend, sibling, youth or
somebody at your level.
 Mhoroi – (How are you?) – You end with i when greeting an elder or senior person to show
respect.
 Wakadini – (How are you?) – Once again Wa is used when casually greeting a friend, youth,
sibling or somebody at your level.
 Makadini – (How are you?) – Once again Ma is used to show respect to an elder.
 Titambirei – (Welcome) – Used when welcoming a visitor who arrives at your home.
 Titambirei vaMambo – (Welcome Sir/Madam Mambo) – If you know the surname or totem of the
guest, you can mention it.
 Tigashire – (Welcome) – Used when welcoming a visitor who arrives at your home. This is
usually a visitor whom you have not seen for a long time. When a visitor is coming from a faraway place,
they are usually carrying luggage and parcels.Tigashire means let me carry your luggage and at the
same it’s a greeting to welcome the guest.
 Tisvike - (We Have Arrived) – When you are visiting somebody at their home, you greet them with
this phrase.
 Gogogoi - (Knock Knock Knock) – A greeting used when you are visiting somebody at their
home.