Venda (Tshivenḓa / Luvenḓa)

Venda is a Southern Bantu language spoken in parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is spoken mainly in the northern part of Limpopo Province in the north of South Africa. According to the 2011 South African census, Venda has about 1.2 million native speakers, and another 1.7 million second language speakers.

In Zimbabwe Venda is spoken in the provinces of Matabeleland, Masvingo and Midlands in the south of the country. In 1989 there were about 84,000 speakers of Venda in Zimbabwe.

Venda is a statutory national language in South Africa. It is used to some extent in radio programs, and there is a Venda translation of the Bible. Venda is also known as Chivenda, Tshivenda or Cevenda.

Venda alphabet and pronunciation

Venda alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

Download an alphabet chart for Venda (Excel)

Sample text in Venda

Vhathu vhoṱhe vha bebwa vhe na mbofholowo nahone vha tshi lingana siani ḽa tshirunzi na pfanelo. Vhathu vhoṱhe vho ṋewa mihumbulo na mvalo ngauralo vha tea u konou farana sa vhathu vhathihi.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample videos

Information about Venda | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about the Venda language and people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venda_language
http://africanlanguages.com/venda/
http://www.sa-venues.com/language-venda.htm
http://salanguages.com/tshivenda/index.htm

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bhaca, Bukusu, Bulu, Central Teke, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Hehe, Herero, Ibinda, Ikizu, Ikoma, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kukuya, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbukushu, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nambya, Nande, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Pagibete, Punu, Ronga, Safwa, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Vwanji, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 09.06.24

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