367 km away
A Nguni Bantu language of south-western Zimbabwe, descended from a 19th-century offshoot of Zulu. Around 2 million speakers, centred on Bulawayo and Matabeleland.
Shona
Also known as: chiShona
The largest Bantu language of Zimbabwe and an official language of the country. Internally varied, with Karanga, Zezuru, and Manyika as the main dialect groups.
Shareable facts
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Shona?
Shona is a dialect of the Shona language.
Where is Shona spoken?
Shona is primarily spoken in Zimbabwe.
Which region is Shona associated with?
Shona is part of the East & Southern Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Shona known by other names?
Yes — Shona is also referred to as chiShona.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →520 km away
A Bantu language and the national language of Malawi, also widely spoken in eastern Zambia and northern Mozambique under the name Nyanja. Around 14 million speakers.
571 km away
A Bantu language of the Soutpansberg region in Limpopo, South Africa, and adjoining south-western Zimbabwe. One of the eleven official languages of South Africa; around 1.3 million speakers.
608 km away
A Bantu language of the Limpopo lowveld, spoken across north-eastern South Africa, southern Mozambique, and south-eastern Zimbabwe. Around 7 million speakers.
695 km away
The Sotho-Tswana variety of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in north-eastern South Africa. One of the eleven official languages of South Africa; mutually distinct enough from Sesotho to be treated separately.
847 km away
A Bantu language and the most-spoken indigenous language of Zambia, used across the Northern, Luapula, and Copperbelt provinces. A major lingua franca on the Zambian Copperbelt.