Ndinokudawo
The phrase "I love you too" in Shona is Ndinokudawo.
This phrase is used as a response to express that you reciprocate the love someone has shown you.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Ndinokudawo is composed of the prefix Ndi- (I), the present tense marker -no-, the object marker -ku- (you), the verb -da (love/want) and the suffix -wo (also/too).
Which one should you use?
While Ndinokudawo means "I love you too", the form Ndinokuda means simply "I love you".
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix -wo is what adds the meaning of "too" or "also" to the sentence. Removing it changes the statement from a reciprocal response to a simple declaration of affection.
Did you know?
- In Shona culture, the verb -da is often used for both 'love' and 'want', meaning Ndinokuda can be a declaration of romantic love or a request for someone's help.
- When speaking to an elder or a person of high status, Shona speakers may use more formal titles or indirect phrases instead of the direct Ndinokudawo to maintain respect.
- The structure of Ndinokudawo follows a strict agglutinative pattern, where meaning is built by stacking small grammatical units like beads on a string.
Examples in context
- Ndinokudawo.I love you too.
- Ehe, ndinokudawo.Yes, I love you too.
- Ndinokudawo zvakanyanya.I love you too very much.
Example conversation
Tatenda and Nyasha are saying goodbye for the day.
- TatendaNdinokuda, Nyasha.I love you, Nyasha.
- NyashaNdinokudawo, Tatenda.I love you too, Tatenda.
- TatendaUvarare zvakanaka.Sleep well.
- NyashaIwewa, uvarare zvakanakawo.You too, sleep well.
