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Common Kiga to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Kiga to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga 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: read the Shona line out loud three times, then cover the Kiga side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.

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

    Mhoro

  2. Webale

    Ndatenda

  3. Osiibye bulungi

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Osiibye bulungi

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Osiibye bulungi

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Osiibye bulungi

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tugenda okukutana

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Nkwagala

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Oli otya?

    Uri sei?

  12. Nneebwanga okukuyita

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Oli muwandiika kiingereza?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Sikuganya.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nkwenda otya mu kiti?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Genda ku ddyo.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Ekitanda emu, nyamba.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?

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

  14. Ndi mu kwegendereza.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Eee

    Ehe

  2. Oya

    Kwete

  3. Wali

    Pangove

  4. Ndiinze

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Sindiinze

    Handibvumirane

  6. Ekitanga kiza

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Oteka ki?

    Unofungei?

  8. Okwetegera?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Nfuna okwetegera

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Leka akaseke

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ndi mwefwe

    Ndine urombo

  12. Tera kintu

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Nkwagala

    Makorokoto

  14. Okwagala omwaka omukya

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Okwetegera mu nsi

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Eri heza y'ekitabo?

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

  2. Eri heza y'ekibuga?

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

  3. Ekiyungiriro ki?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Ekitonde ki?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?

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

  6. Eri wansi wano

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Eri kure wano

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Oyinza okundabira ku karita?

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

  9. Mugume wano, nyabo

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Ekitanga ki?

    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. Ekitanga ki?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Ekitanga ky'ekikula

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (ekitanga ky'ekikula)

  3. Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (oli n'ekintu ekirungi)

  4. Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)

  5. Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)

  6. Ekitabo, nyabo

    Chikwereti, ndapota (ekitabo, nyabo)

  7. Okwetegereza kuli mu?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (okwetegereza kuli mu)

  8. Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya

    Ndiri muvegetarian (ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya)

  9. Tewali ebyokulya ebikalu

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (tewali ebyokulya ebikalu)

  10. Ekitanga ky'ekyokulya

    Izvi zvinonaka (ekitanga ky'ekyokulya)

  11. Nkwenda okufuna omukutu?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (nkwenda okufuna omukutu)

  12. Ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Funa polisi

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Funa ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nkeneye omuganga

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ndi mu bubi

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ndi na allergy ku nkuzi

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Ehe hospital ey'ekyenkya?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Bikunyumya wano

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nfunye passport yange

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Okwesiga okufuna hotel yange?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Mbadde!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nishimwe kuganira

    Ndinofara kukusangana (Nishimwe kuganira)

  2. Tugende mu nama

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Ni ryari byakugendekera?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Twashobora kuganira ejo?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hamwe

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Urakoze ku mwanya wawe

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ntegereje gukorana nawe

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Wansobanurira icyo?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Nzakugarukaho

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ekitundu ki?

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

  2. Kiri musanvu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Lwaki

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Ekitundu ky'ekiro

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Ekitundu ky'ekiro

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mmande

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Wakabaka

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Wakabiri

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Emu

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Ebi

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Ekitatu

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Ekitundu

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Ekitanga

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Okwesiga

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Okwongera

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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