LANGUAGE
From written signs to everyday conversation.
Mandarin Chinese / Taiwan
Bopomofo / Zhuyin
注音符號A set of phonetic symbols used to show Mandarin pronunciation. Syllables are assembled from an initial, a medial or final, and a tone.
The first version was created in 1913 and released in 1918. It remains a practical reading, dictionary, and keyboard tool in Taiwan.
- SYMBOLS
- 37
- TONES
- 5
- ALSO CALLED
- Zhuyin / Zhuyin Fuhao
Initials
21Medials
3Finals
13Tones
5PUBLISHED · FOUNDATION 01 · 15 SEPTEMBER 2026
Shona: start here
Latin spelling; tone is meaningful but generally not marked in ordinary text.
Track direction: Noun classes, agreement and greeting exchanges.
Published below: one grammar rule, worked example, exercise with an answer, introductory words and expressions. Planned next: sound contrasts, wider grammar and guided reading/listening. This is the start of the course.
SHONA / FOUNDATION 01
ChiShona
Noun classes, agreement and greeting exchanges.
The words for everyday life.
Find a situation, read the phrase, or show the native text. Learn common replies as well as questions.
Pronunciation & how to use these phrases
Latin spelling; tone is meaningful but generally not marked in ordinary text. Device speech, when available, is only a model for that installed voice; historical and unsupported varieties have no automatic voice here.
Published: a first rule with a worked example and answer, introductory vocabulary, and basic expressions. Next: sound contrasts → inflection and sentence patterns → connected reading/listening → independent use. Standard Shona coexists with varieties including Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika and Korekore. Do not treat one learner spelling or greeting as the only local usage.
5 phrases
Basics & communication
Further reading & cultural sources
Noun classes, agreement and greeting exchanges.
Many class 1 human nouns in mu- pair with class 2 plurals in va-. Learn the noun pair and its agreement together; not every word beginning mu belongs to this class.
munhu → vanhuperson → people
Explain why the answer follows the rule. Then return to the example and identify the unchanged part. This first unit is published; the full grammar sequence remains in development.
Try it yourself
1 / 1 · 0 correctApply the rule.
The plural of munhu is ___.
All words · vocabulary quiz
1 / 6 · 0 correctChoose the English meaning.
munhu
munhuperson
munhuperson
vanhupeople
vanhupeople
mvurawater
mvurawater
sadzastaple maize-meal food
sadzastaple maize-meal food
chikoroschool
chikoroschool
bhukubook
bhukubook
Between the words
Standard Shona coexists with varieties including Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika and Korekore. Do not treat one learner spelling or greeting as the only local usage.
Mhoro.
Hello, to one personStandard Shona coexists with varieties including Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika and Korekore. Do not treat one learner spelling or greeting as the only local usage.
Mhoro.
A short foundation is not a complete conversation course. Follow the named language variety and source recordings.
Read the situation
1 / 1 · 0 correctRecall the first expression or reading form.
Practice scores last for this visit.Shona audio is unavailable on this device. All exercises work without audio.