Translate now

Common Kikongo to Shona phrases

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

← Back to Kikongo to Shona Translator

Looking for practical Kikongo to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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. Mbote

    Mhoro

  2. Mele

    Ndatenda

  3. Mokolo mayele

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Mokolo ya ntango

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mokolo ya mambu

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Mokolo ya mpembe

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tala mosi

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Tata

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Nki yina nzo?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Nzo yami ke John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Oko wanga?

    Uri sei?

  12. Nki ya mosi na yo

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Oyo o zola kutu English?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Nkeni kanga.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Kutu wapi banzela?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tanda na luma.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tanda na mambu.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Enda na mosi.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Nki mbongo ya ndako?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Ticket mosi, mokolo.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Nki feti na wapi?

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

  14. Nkeni zola.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ewe

    Ehe

  2. Te

    Kwete

  3. Kasi

    Pangove

  4. Nkiadi

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Nkiadi te

    Handibvumirane

  6. Oyo ke nkiadi malamu

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Nkiadi nini?

    Unofungei?

  8. Okanza kudi nki?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Nkiadi kudi nki

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Lela na nki

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Nkiadi na nki

    Ndine urombo

  12. Te na nki

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Tata na nki

    Makorokoto

  14. Mokolo ya mbote

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Tala na nzala ya malamu

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?

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

  2. Wana wanga na bus?

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

  3. Nki platform yai?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Yai ke nzila ya nki?

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

  6. Eza na nsi ya nzo

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Eza na mosi ya nzo

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Okanisa ngai na mape?

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

  9. Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Nki ntangu yina yenda?

    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. Nki yina kudi?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Yina kele na nsi

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (yina kele na nsi)

  3. Ona kima ki nsi?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (ona kima ki nsi)

  4. Ncanza kudi na kadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (ncanza kudi na kadi)

  5. Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)

  6. Kadi, ndakisa

    Chikwereti, ndapota (kadi, ndakisa)

  7. Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)

  8. Ndi muvegetari

    Ndiri muvegetarian (ndi muvegetari)

  9. Kaka mfu, ndakisa

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (kaka mfu, ndakisa)

  10. Yina kele na nsi

    Izvi zvinonaka (yina kele na nsi)

  11. Ncanza na menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (ncanza na menu)

  12. Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Landa boma

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Landa ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nkeni mosi

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Nkeni na mbisi

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Wana hospital ya mbote?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Eka na nki

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Olanda hotel na ngai?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Tala!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nzo ya kima

    Ndinofara kukusangana (Nzò ya kima)

  2. Tukala na mbandu

    Ngatirongei musangano (Tukàla na mbàndu)

  3. Nki nsi ya ntangu?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri? (Nki nsi ya ntángu?)

  4. Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi (Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)

  5. Tukala na kanda se

    Tingataure mangwana here? (Tukàla na kànda sè?)

  6. Tula nsi ya file ya kima

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa (Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)

  7. Mosi na nsi ya ntangu

    Ndatenda nenguva yako (Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)

  8. Ndi zola ku zola na yo

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe (Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)

  9. Nki o zola ku zola nki?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa? (Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)

  10. Ndi zola ku yindula na yo

    Ndichadzoka kwauri (Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)

  11. Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu (Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nkiadi ki zole?

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

  2. Kikuma kinsatu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Lelo

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Kuna

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Kima

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mokolo wa mbandu

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Mokolo wa mosi

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Mokolo wa ntete

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Mosi

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Mbale

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Mitatu

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Kumi

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Kimo na nkama

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Nseke

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Nzo

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Kikongo to Shona translator.

Open translator