Shona

20 Shona phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Mhoro) to Do you speak English? (Munotaura Chirungu here?).

Hello

Mhoro, pronounced MHO-ro

Good morning

Mangwanani, pronounced mang-wa-NA-ni

Good evening

Manheru, pronounced man-HE-ru

Good night

Urare zvakanaka, pronounced u-RA-re zva-ka-NA-ka

How are you?

Makadii?, pronounced ma-ka-DI

I'm fine, thank you

Ndiripo, ndatenda, pronounced ndi-RI-po nda-TEN-da

What is your name?

Zita renyu ndiani?, pronounced ZI-ta re-NYU ndi-A-ni

My name is...

Zita rangu ndi..., pronounced ZI-ta RA-ngu ndi...

Nice to meet you

Ndinofara kukusangana newe, pronounced ndi-no-FA-ra ku-ku-san-GA-na NE-we

Please

Ndapota, pronounced nda-PO-ta

Thank you

Ndatenda, pronounced nda-TEN-da

You're welcome

Zvakanaka, pronounced zva-ka-NA-ka

Yes

Hongu, pronounced HON-gu

No

Aiwa, pronounced AI-wa

Sorry

Ndine urombo, pronounced ndi-ne U-rom-bo

Excuse me

Pamusoroi, pronounced pa-mu-so-ROI

Goodbye

Chisarai zvakanaka, pronounced chi-sa-RAI zva-ka-NA-ka

See you later

Tichazoonana, pronounced ti-cha-zoo-O-na-na

I don't understand

Handinzwisisi, pronounced han-di-nzwi-SI-si

Do you speak English?

Munotaura Chirungu here?, pronounced mu-no-TAU-ra chi-RUN-gu HE-re

20 Shona phrases for getting around, from Where is the airport? (Nhandare yendege iri kupi?) to Police station (Chiteshi chepolisi).

Where is the airport?

Nhandare yendege iri kupi?, pronounced nhan-DA-re yen-DE-ge i-ri KU-pi

How much does this cost?

Inodhura marii?, pronounced i-no-DHU-ra ma-RI

I need a taxi

Ndinoda taxi, pronounced ndi-NO-da TAK-si

Where is the hotel?

Hotera iri kupi?, pronounced ho-TE-ra i-ri KU-pi

I have a reservation

Ndakabhuka, pronounced nda-ka-BHU-ka

Train station

Chiteshi chechitima, pronounced chi-TE-shi che-chi-TI-ma

Bus stop

Nhandare yebhazi, pronounced nhan-DA-re ye-BHA-zi

Ticket

Tikiti, pronounced ti-KI-ti

Passport

Pasipoti, pronounced pa-si-PO-ti

Help!

Ndibatsireiwo!, pronounced ndi-bat-si-REI-wo

I'm lost

Ndaparara, pronounced nda-pa-RA-ra

Turn left

Tendeukai kuruboshwe, pronounced ten-deu-KAI ku-ru-BOSH-we

Turn right

Tendeukai kurudyi, pronounced ten-deu-KAI ku-RU-dyi

Straight ahead

Enda mberi, pronounced EN-da MBE-ri

How far is it?

Iri kure zvakadii?, pronounced i-ri KU-re zva-ka-DI

Museum

Muziyamu, pronounced mu-zi-YA-mu

Beach

Mhenderekedzo yegungwa, pronounced mhen-de-rek-ED-zo ye-GUN-gwa

Hospital

Chipatara, pronounced chi-pa-TA-ra

Pharmacy

Famasi, pronounced fa-MA-si

Police station

Chiteshi chepolisi, pronounced chi-TE-shi che-po-LI-si

20 Shona phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Ndinofa nenzara) to Dessert (Dessert).

I'm hungry

Ndinofa nenzara, pronounced ndi-NO-fa nen-ZA-ra

I'm thirsty

Ndinenyota, pronounced ndi-NE-nyota

The menu, please

Menyu, ndapota, pronounced ME-nyu nda-PO-ta

Water

Mvura, pronounced MVU-ra

Coffee

Kofi, pronounced KO-fi

Bread

Chingwa, pronounced CHING-wa

Meat

Nyama, pronounced NYA-ma

Vegetarian

Haadyi nyama, pronounced ha-A-dyi NYA-ma

Delicious

Chinonyanya kufadza, pronounced chi-no-NYA-nya ku-FA-dza

The bill, please

Bhiri, ndapota, pronounced BHI-ri nda-PO-ta

I am allergic to...

Ndine alerjia ku..., pronounced ndi-ne a-ler-JI-a ku...

No sugar

Pasina shuga, pronounced pa-SI-na SHU-ga

Breakfast

Kudya kwemangwanani, pronounced ku-DYA kwe-mang-wa-NA-ni

Lunch

Kudya kwemasikati, pronounced ku-DYA kwe-ma-si-KA-ti

Dinner

Kudya kwemanheru, pronounced ku-DYA kwe-man-HE-ru

Restaurant

Resitorendi, pronounced re-si-to-REN-di

Table for two

Tafura yevanhu vaviri, pronounced ta-FU-ra ye-VAN-hu va-VI-ri

Beer

Bhiya, pronounced BHI-ya

Wine

Waini, pronounced WAI-ni

Dessert

Dessert, pronounced de-SERT

15 Shona phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Ndibatsireiwo!) to I'm sick (Ndirwara).

Help!

Ndibatsireiwo!, pronounced ndi-bat-si-REI-wo

Call the police!

Daidzai mapurisa!, pronounced dai-DZA-i ma-pu-RI-sa

I need a doctor

Ndinoda chiremba, pronounced ndi-NO-da chi-REM-ba

Fire!

Moto!, pronounced MO-to

Ambulance

Ambulenzi, pronounced am-bu-LEN-zi

I've been robbed

Ndabiwa, pronounced nda-BI-wa

I'm injured

Ndakuvara, pronounced nda-ku-VA-ra

Emergency

Dambudziko rikuru, pronounced dam-bu-DZI-ko ri-KU-ru

Where is the hospital?

Chipatara chiri kupi?, pronounced chi-pa-TA-ra chi-ri KU-pi

Lost passport

Pasipoti yarasika, pronounced pa-si-PO-ti ya-ra-SI-ka

I need help

Ndinoda rubatsiro, pronounced ndi-NO-da ru-bat-SI-ro

Danger

Njodzi, pronounced NJO-dzi

Stop!

Mira!, pronounced MI-ra

Thief!

Mbavha!, pronounced MBA-vha

I'm sick

Ndirwara, pronounced ndi-RWA-ra

14 Shona phrases for work and money, from Good morning (Mangwanani) to Thank you for your time (Ndatenda nenguva yenyu).

Good morning

Mangwanani, pronounced mang-wa-NA-ni

I have a meeting

Ndine musangano, pronounced ndi-ne mu-san-GA-no

Business card

Kadhi rebiznesi, pronounced KA-dhi re-biz-NE-si

What is your email?

Email yenyu chii?, pronounced E-mail ye-NYU CHI

I work for...

Ndinoshanda ku..., pronounced ndi-no-SHAN-da ku...

Manager

Maneja, pronounced ma-NE-ja

Meeting

Musangano, pronounced mu-san-GA-no

Office

Hofisi, pronounced ho-FI-si

Budget

Bajeti, pronounced ba-JE-ti

Invoice

Invhoyisi, pronounced in-vho-YI-si

Contract

Kontrakiti, pronounced kon-tra-KI-ti

Deadline

Zuva rekupedza, pronounced ZU-va re-ku-PED-za

Partnership

Ubatanidzwe, pronounced u-ba-ta-NID-zwe

Thank you for your time

Ndatenda nenguva yenyu, pronounced nda-TEN-da ne-NGU-va ye-NYU

20 Shona phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Imwe) to Friday (Chishanu).

One

Imwe, pronounced IM-we

Two

Mbiri, pronounced MBI-ri

Three

Tatu, pronounced TA-tu

Four

Ina, pronounced I-na

Five

Shanu, pronounced SHA-nu

Six

Tanhatu, pronounced tan-HA-tu

Seven

Nomwe, pronounced NOM-we

Eight

Sere, pronounced SE-re

Nine

Pfumbamwe, pronounced pfum-BAM-we

Ten

Gumi, pronounced GU-mi

Twenty

Makumi maviri, pronounced ma-KU-mi ma-VI-ri

Fifty

Makumi mashanu, pronounced ma-KU-mi ma-SHA-nu

One hundred

Zana, pronounced ZA-na

One thousand

Chiuru, pronounced chi-U-ru

What time is it?

Inguva yakaita sei?, pronounced in-GU-va ya-ka-I-ta SEI

Today

Nhasi, pronounced NHA-si

Tomorrow

Mangwana, pronounced mang-WA-na

Yesterday

Nezuro, pronounced ne-ZU-ro

Monday

Muvhuro, pronounced mu-VHU-ro

Friday

Chishanu, pronounced chi-SHA-nu

house

imba, pronounced IM-ba

water

mvura, pronounced MVU-ra

bread

chingwa, pronounced CHING-wa

time

nguva, pronounced NGU-va

person

munhu, pronounced MUN-hu

day / sun

zuva, pronounced ZU-va

road / way

nzira, pronounced NZI-ra

work

basa, pronounced BA-sa

money

mari, pronounced MA-ri

city

guta, pronounced GU-ta

school

chikoro, pronounced chi-KO-ro

book

bhuku, pronounced BHU-ku

name

zita, pronounced ZI-ta

child

mwana, pronounced MWA-na

friend

shamwari, pronounced sham-WA-ri

food

chikafu, pronounced chi-KA-fu

language

mutauro, pronounced mu-TAU-ro

earth / land

nyika, pronounced NYI-ka

hand

ruoko, pronounced ru-O-ko

dog

imbwa, pronounced IM-bwa

to be

kuva, pronounced KU-va

to go

kuenda, pronounced ku-EN-da

to come

kuuya, pronounced ku-U-ya

to speak

kutaura, pronounced ku-TAU-ra

to eat

kudya, pronounced KUD-ya

to drink

kunwa, pronounced KUN-wa

to see

kuona, pronounced ku-O-na

to know

kuziva, pronounced ku-ZI-va

to want / love

kuda, pronounced KU-da

to give

kupa, pronounced KU-pa

to take

kutora, pronounced ku-TO-ra

to do

kuita, pronounced ku-I-ta

to think

kufunga, pronounced ku-FUN-ga

to live

kurarama, pronounced ku-ra-RA-ma

to read

kuverenga, pronounced ku-ve-REN-ga

to write

kunyora, pronounced ku-NYO-ra

to work

kushanda, pronounced ku-SHAN-da

to help

kubatsira, pronounced ku-bat-SI-ra

to find

kuwana, pronounced ku-WA-na

to hold

kubata, pronounced ku-BA-ta

good

akanaka, pronounced a-ka-NA-ka

bad

akaipa, pronounced a-kai-PA

big

hombe, pronounced HOM-be

small

duku, pronounced DU-ku

new

itsva, pronounced it-SVA

old

yakasara, pronounced ya-ka-SA-ra

beautiful

akanaka zvikuru, pronounced a-ka-NA-ka zvi-KU-ru

fast

nokukurumidza, pronounced no-ku-ku-ru-MID-za

slow

nokunonoka, pronounced no-ku-no-NO-ka

long / tall

refu, pronounced RE-fu

short

pfupi, pronounced PFU-pi

warm / hot

inopisa, pronounced i-no-PI-sa

cold

inototonhora, pronounced i-no-to-ton-HO-ra

strong

nesimba, pronounced ne-SIM-ba

easy

nyore, pronounced NYO-re

difficult

yakaoma, pronounced ya-ka-O-ma

important

yakakosha, pronounced ya-ka-KO-sha

interesting

inofadza, pronounced i-no-FA-dza

happy

akafara, pronounced a-ka-FA-ra

expensive

inodhura, pronounced i-no-DHU-ra

now

zvino, pronounced ZVI-no

today

nhasi, pronounced NHA-si

tomorrow

mangwana, pronounced mang-WA-na

yesterday

nezuro, pronounced ne-ZU-ro

here

pano, pronounced PA-no

there

ipapo, pronounced i-PA-po

quickly

nokukurumidza, pronounced no-ku-ku-ru-MID-za

slowly

nokunonoka, pronounced no-ku-no-NO-ka

well

zvakanaka, pronounced zva-ka-NA-ka

very

kwazvo, pronounced KWA-zvo

also / too

zvakare, pronounced zva-KA-re

no / not

kwete, pronounced KWE-te

yes

hongu, pronounced HON-gu

already

kare, pronounced KA-re

still / yet

ichiri, pronounced i-CHI-ri

only / just

chete, pronounced CHE-te

really

zvirokwazvo, pronounced zvi-rok-WA-zvo

a lot

zvikuru, pronounced zvi-KU-ru

a little

zvishoma, pronounced zvi-SHO-ma

immediately

pakarepo, pronounced pa-ka-RE-po