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Common Afrikaans to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Afrikaans to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afrikaans 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: when a Shona phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Afrikaans wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afrikaans 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. Hallo

    Mhoro

  2. Dankie

    Ndatenda

  3. Goeie more

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Goeie middag

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Goeie naand

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Goeie nag

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Sien jou later

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Totsiens

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Wat is jou naam?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. My naam is John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Hoe gaan dit?

    Uri sei?

  12. Lekker om jou te ontmoet

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Praat jy Engels?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Ek praat nie goed Hindi nie.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Ek verstaan nie.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Praat asseblief stadig.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Kan jy dit weer sê?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Waar is die badkamer?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Hoe kom ek by die stadsentrum?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Draai links.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Draai regs.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Gaan reguit.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Hoeveel is die tarief?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Een kaartjie, asseblief.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Is dit ver van hier?

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

  14. Ek is verlore.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Waar kan ek 'n SIM-kaart koop?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ja

    Ehe

  2. Nee

    Kwete

  3. Miskien

    Pangove

  4. Ek stem saam

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ek stem nie saam nie

    Handibvumirane

  6. Dit klink goed

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Wat dink jy?

    Unofungei?

  8. Kan jy my help?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ek het hulp nodig

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Wag 'n oomblik

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ek is jammer

    Ndine urombo

  12. Geen probleem

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Geluk

    Makorokoto

  14. Gelukkige verjaarsdag

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Veilige reis

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Waar is die treinstasie?

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

  2. Waar is die busstop?

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

  3. Watter platform is dit?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Watter tyd vertrek dit?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Is dit die regte pad?

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

  6. Dit is naby hier.

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Dit is ver van hier.

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Kan jy dit op die kaart wys?

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

  9. Stop hier, asseblief.

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Hoe lank neem dit?

    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. Hoeveel kos dit?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Dit is te duur.

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

  3. Het julle iets goedkoper?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

  4. Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

  5. Ek wil 'n tafel vir twee hê.

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Die rekening, asseblief.

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. Is diens ingesluit?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here?

  8. Ek is 'n vegetariër.

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. Geen pittige kos, asseblief.

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Dit is heerlik.

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Kan ek die spyskaart kry?

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. ‘n Glas water, asseblief.

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Bel die polisie

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Bel 'n ambulans

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Ek het 'n dokter nodig

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ek voel siek

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ek is allergies vir grondboontjies

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Waar is die naaste hospitaal?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Dit seergemaak hier

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Ek het my paspoort verloor

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Kan jy my hotel bel?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Help!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Lekker om jou te ontmoet

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Kom ons skeduleer 'n vergadering

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Watter tyd werk vir jou?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Ek sal die verslag vandag stuur

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Kan ons môre praat?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Asseblief vind die lêer aangeheg

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Dankie vir jou tyd

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ek sien uit daarna om saam met jou te werk

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Kan jy daardie punt verduidelik?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Laat ek jou terugbel

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Die sperdatum is Vrydag

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Hoe laat is dit?

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

  2. Dit is drie uur.

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Vandag

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Môre

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Gister

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Maandag

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Dinsdag

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Woensdag

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Een

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Twee

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Drie

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Tien

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Een honderd

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Half

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Meer

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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