Animals

1. Ntcheŵe

   Dog

   Usage

   Used to point to a dog; "Ungahoyanga ntcheŵe yayi" means "You shouldn't tease a dog"

   Grammar Note

   "ntcheŵe" is a class 9 noun taking yi- agreement, as in "ntcheŵe yikulira" (the dog barks); it is also written "ntchewe" or "ncheŵe"

2. Chona

   Cat

   Usage

   Used to point to a cat; the plural "ŵachona" is also used for the wild cats in general

   Grammar Note

   The plural takes the person-class prefix ŵa- as "ŵachona"; "mphaka" means a border, so it is not the word for a cat

3. Chiyuni

   Bird

   Usage

   Used to point to a bird; the plural "viyuni" is used for birds in general

   Grammar Note

   "chiyuni" is a class 7 noun with the class 8 plural "viyuni"; it is also written "ciyuni"

4. Somba

   Fish

   Usage

   Used to point to a fish; it also works when looking for fish at the lake or market

   Grammar Note

   "somba" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form ("somba zikuruzikuru", big fish)

5. Nkhalamu

   Lion

   Usage

   Used to point to a lion, handy on a safari or in a national park

   Grammar Note

   "nkhalamu" is a class 9 noun and is also written "nkharamu"

6. Zovu

   Elephant

   Usage

   Used to point to an elephant, handy on a safari or in a national park

   Grammar Note

   "zovu" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form ("zovu zakutoweskeka", decorated elephants)

7. Ng'ombe

   Cow

   Usage

   Used to point to a cow; the same word also covers an ox

   Grammar Note

   "ng'ombe" is a class 9 noun and "ng'ombe yamuthondo" is a wild bull; "ng'" is the nasal ng, written with an apostrophe

8. Mbuzi

   Goat

   Usage

   Used to point to a goat

   Grammar Note

   "mbuzi" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form, taking zi- agreement

9. Mberere

   Sheep

   Usage

   Used to point to a sheep

   Grammar Note

   "mberere" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form ("mberere zichoko", small sheep)

10. Nkhuku

    Chicken

    Usage

    Used to point to a chicken; "kuŵeta nkhuku" is keeping chickens

    Grammar Note

    "nkhuku" is a class 9 noun

11. Nkhumba

    Pig

    Usage

    Used to point to a pig; pork is "nyama ya nkhumba"

    Grammar Note

    "nkhumba" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form

12. Hachi

    Horse

    Usage

    Used to point to a horse; the plural is "mahachi", and "hosi" is also written

    Grammar Note

    "hachi" is a class 5 noun; the plural takes ma- as "mahachi"

13. Ng'wina

    Crocodile

    Usage

    Used to point to a crocodile, and to warn others near a river or lake

    Grammar Note

    "ng'wina" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form ("ng'wina za mu maji", crocodiles in the water)

14. Njoka

    Snake

    Usage

    Used to point to a snake, and to warn others when camping or in long grass

    Grammar Note

    "njoka" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form

15. Mbeŵa

    Rat / Mouse

    Usage

    Used to point to a rat or mouse; one word covers both sizes

    Grammar Note

    The plural takes za- agreement, as in "mbeŵa za myezi yinayi" (four-month-old mice); ŵ stands for a soft b-like sound made with both lips

16. Kalulu

    Hare / Rabbit

    Usage

    Used to point to a hare or rabbit

    Grammar Note

    "kalulu" names an animal but takes the person agreement wa-, as in "kalulu wakubyokora" (the hare chews the cud)

17. Nyimbu

    Mosquito

    Usage

    Used to point to a mosquito; "Chenjerani na nyimbu" means "Watch out for mosquitoes"

    Grammar Note

    "nyimbu" is a class 9 noun and the plural has the same form ("Nyimbu ni vibenene", mosquitoes are insects); "uzuzu" is another word for mosquitoes

18. Nyalubwe

    Leopard

    Usage

    Used to point to a leopard, handy on a safari

    Grammar Note

    The plural takes the person-class prefix as "ŵanyalubwe" (leopards)

19. Mbaŵala

    Deer / Antelope

    Usage

    Used for deer and antelope; the word does not separate the kinds

    Grammar Note

    The plural takes zi- agreement, as in "mbaŵala zikubabira" (the deer give birth)

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