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Common Acholi to Shona phrases

100 practical Acholi to Shona phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Acholi to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Shona translation (Shona) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.

The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Shona.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Shona-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Shona translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.

Greetings and pleasantries

Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.

  1. Ayo

    Mhoro (ah-yo)

  2. Naki

    Ndatenda (nah-kee)

  3. Bok moti

    Mangwanani akanaka (bok mo-tee)

  4. Bok nongo

    Masikati akanaka (bok non-go)

  5. Bok obedo

    Manheru akanaka (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Bok ngat

    Usiku hwakanaka (bok ngat)

  7. Tye kany

    Tichasangana gare gare (tye kan-yee)

  8. Itye

    Sara zvakanaka (ee-tye)

  9. Iti ma ineno?

    Zita rako ndiani? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Ineno John

    Zita rangu ndiri John (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Iti ma inyo?

    Uri sei? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Gat ma inyo

    Ndinofara kukuziva (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Itye konyo English?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Nye neno.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Nye konyo tye kanyim.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Itye konyo tye kanyim?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Konyo kuc.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Konyo kuc.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Tye kanyim.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. One ticket, please.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Iti kanyim kanyim?

    Iko kure here kubva pano? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. Nye konyo.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Ehe

  2. Bila

    Kwete

  3. Kweyo

    Pangove

  4. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ng'ato konyo ni

    Handibvumirane

  6. Okwero kany

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Ika kany?

    Unofungei?

  8. Ikwok kany?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ng'ato konyo kany

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Tye kany

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndine urombo

  12. Bila kany

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Tye kany

    Makorokoto

  14. Aye konyo

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Tye kany ma ng'ato

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Atye kany kwo?

    Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima? (Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?)

  2. Atye kany bura?

    Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi? (Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?)

  3. Kati onyo kwo?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nye kwo nongo?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Kik kwo gwen?

    Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here? (Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?)

  6. Okwang kany ici

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Okwang kany piny

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Nye konyo i map?

    Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here? (Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?)

  9. Doko ici, pe?

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Nye kwo ngat?

    Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei? (Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Nye keken me?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Okwero keken

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (Okwero keken)

  3. Itye keken me?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Nye konyo kadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Nye tye kany kwo

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Kaka, nyinga

    Chikwereti, ndapota (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Kati kany me?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Nye konyo wot

    Ndiri muvegetarian (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Kati wot kany, nyinga

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Iti kany

    Izvi zvinonaka (Iti kany)

  11. Nye konyo kadi me?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Kadi me kic, nyinga

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Yat ma police

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Yat ma ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nye konyo doctor

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Nye konyo wot

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Nye konyo kany kic

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Kati ki hospital ma kany?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Okwero ineno

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nye tye konyo passport

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Yat!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nye kany me

    Ndinofara kukusangana (Nye kany me)

  2. Dano kany oting

    Ngatirongei musangano (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nye kany ma kany?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ngatye kany report kany

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Tingataure mangwana here? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Nye kany ma file kany

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Atye kany ma kany

    Ndatenda nenguva yako (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Nye kany ma kany kany

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Dano kany ma kany

    Ndichadzoka kwauri (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Kany kany Friday

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu (Kany kany Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Nye kany me?

    Ndeipi nguva? (N-dei-pi n-guh-wah?)

  2. Kany me tye keken

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Nye kany

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Nye kany me

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Nye kany tye

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Ponyo

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Ponyo keken

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Ponyo tye

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Moko

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Maka

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Mek

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Ten

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Paka

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Piny

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Kaka

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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