ChiShona
English
‘Kukurigo!
Muka Tanatswa. Nhasi izuva rako rekuzvarwa!’
‘Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Wake up Tanatswa. Today is your birthday!’
Izuva rangu rekuzvarwa.
Izuva rechikoro zvakare.
It is my birthday.
It is also a school day.
‘Amai! Femberai kuti nhasi izuva ripi?’ ndinodaidzira.
‘Nhasi izuva rako guru,’ vanodaro Amai. ‘Izuva rinofadza.’
‘Mama! Guess what day it is?’ I shout.
‘Today is your big day,’ says Mama. ‘It is a happy day.’
‘Idya bota rako. Kurumbidza. Unofanira kugadzirira.
Haufanire kunonoka. Nhasi izuva rakakosha.’
‘Eat you porridge. Hurry. You must get ready.
You must not be late. Today is a special day.’
Ndinodya bota rangu.
Ndinofarira bota rinopisa.
I eat my porridge.
I like hot porridge.
Vanhu vese kuchikoro vanoziva zuva rangu rekuzvarwa.
Vanoimba rwiyo rwezuva rekuzvarwa. Vanonyora tutsamba.
Nhasi izuva rinonakidza.
Everyone at school knows my birthday.
They sing the birthday song. They write notes.
Today is an exciting day.
Ndiri kutarisira kudya kwemanehru.
Amai vanobika zvekudya zvinonaka pazuva rangu rekuzvarwa.
Ndiri kutarisira kuona munin’ina wangu, Rumbidzai.
I look forward to the evening meal.
Mama cooks delicious food on my birthday.
I look forward to seeing my cousin, Rumbidzai.
‘Tanatswa, chii chinoitika munyaya iyi?’ Mai Makombe vanobvunza.
‘Makore mashanu!’ ndinodaidzira. Ndiri kurota zvangu.
Shamwari dzangu dzinoseka.
‘Tanatswa, what happens in this story?’ Mrs Makombe asks.
‘Five years old!’ I shout. I am daydreaming.
My friends laugh.
Ndinosvika kumba.
Kuziva ari kufara. Kuziva ihanzvadzi yangu.
Akapemberera zuva rake rekuzvarwa muna Kubvumbi. Ane gore rimwe.
Ini ndine makore mashanu!
I get home.
Kuziva is happy. Kuziva is my brother.
He celebrated his birthday in April. He is one year old.
I am five years old!
Amai vabika zvekudya zvinonaka.
Vabika sipinichi, chibage, nhopi, mupunga, muto, nenyama yehuku.
Tinodya sadza mazuva ese, asi kwete nhasi!
Mama has cooked delicious food.
She cooked spinach, maize, pumpkin mash, rice, gravy, and chicken.
We eat sadza every day, but not today!
Vanhu vese vanoimba rwiyo rwezuva rekuzvarwa.
Nhasi izuva remufaro.
Everyone sings the birthday song.
Today is a joyful day.
‘Nhasi izuva rako, Tanatswa. Izuva rakakosha,’ vanodaro Baba.
‘Today is your day, Tanatswa. It is a special day,’ says Papa.
Tinodya. Tinopemberera.
Zuva rangu rekuzvarwa izuva rakanaka.
We eat. We celebrate.
My birthday is a beautiful day.
‘Zuva rangu rekuzvarwa’ is a translation by ZimbOriginal of the original story ‘It’s my birthday‘ written by Sinovuyo Mcunukelwa, illustrated by Josie Versfeld, published by Book Dash (© Book Dash, 2023) under a CC BY 4.0 license on Book Dash. Modifications to the original work include a change of the title in the translation, some changes to the text, and a change of the characters’ names.
