Ndau is a Shona language and it is mutually intelligible with other Shona languages such as Manyika, Zezuru and Karanga. The 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe accorded Ndau's status as an official language.[3]
AIDS awareness street art in Machaze district, promoting condom use. The text reads in Portuguese: "think of the consequences, change behaviour, prevent HIV/ADS".to the left, the same text in the Ndau language.
The mutual intelligibility of Ndau with other Shona varieties is fairly high, but some speakers of other Shona varieties may find it difficult to understand. Differences and similarities can be measured by examining a Ndau version of Lord's Prayer:
Baba edu ari mudenga, ngariremeredzwe zina renyu. UMambo hwenyu ngahuuye. Kuda kwenyu ngakuitwa munyika kudai ngomudenga. Tipei nege kurya kwedu kwatinotama nyamashi. Tirekererei ndaa dzedu kudai tisu takarekerera avo vane ndaa kwetiri. Usatipinza mukuedzwa, asi tinunure kuno uwo wakashata.
The equivalent paragraph in Standard Shona (mainly based on Zezuru) is:
Baba vedu vari kudenga, zita renyu ngarikudzwe. UMambo hwenyu ngahwuuye. Kuda kwenyu ngakuitwe pasi sokudenga. Tipei nhasi kudya kwedu kwakwezuva. Tiregererei zvatinokutadzirai sekuregerera kwatinoita vakatitadzira. Musatipinze mukuedzwa, asi mutinunure mune zvakaipa.
"Simba lo ngwena lili mumfula." ("The strength of the crocodile is in the water.") (#1)
"Chipanga achizivi vatendji." ("The knife does not know its owner; i.e. it cuts everyone, even its owner.") (#8)
"Hove djinotevela mulambo wadjo." ("Fish follow their river; i.e. people will support their own family or tribe.") (#24)
"Manthede a·novengana pakurga, napamfumfu anobesana." ("Baboons quarrel over food, but in danger help one another.") (#28)
Simango also provided the Ndau texts and translations that appear in Songs and Tales from the Dark Continent by Natalie Curtis Burlin, published in 1920.[8] The book contains 6 proverbs in Ndau and English with commentary[9] along with songs that include the Ndau lyrics, English translation, plus a transcription of the music.[10] There are ritual songs, including Mate'ka, "Song of the Rain Ceremony;"[11]Manthi'ki, "Spirit Song;"[12]Lum'bo Lgo Lu'do, "Love-Song;"[13] and Mafu've, "Dance of Girls,"[14] along with a selection of "Children's Songs,"[15] "Laboring Songs,"[16] and "Dance Songs,"[17] plus Kufa'mba, a mocking song[18] and Chili'lo, a lament.[19] There are also 2 songs in Ndau and in English included in the folktale, "How the Animals Dug Their Well,"[20] plus a song that is part of the "Legend of the Daughter and the Slave"[21] and a song that is part of the "Legend of the Sky-Maiden."[22] In an appendix, there is an interlinear word-for-word rendering of the Ndau proverbs and song lyrics into English.[23]
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