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Common Kinyarwanda to Shona phrases

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

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

    Mhoro

  2. Urakoze

    Ndatenda

  3. Bwakire bwiza

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Nimugoroba mwiza

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mwaramutse mwiza

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Ijoro ryiza

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tuzabonana nyuma

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Murabeho

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Witwa nde?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Nitwa John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Umeze ute?

    Uri sei?

  12. Nishimiye kukumenya

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Uravuga Icyongereza?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Sinavuga Hindi neza

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Sinumva

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Nyabuneka vuga buhoro

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Wabivuga ukundi?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Aho ubwiherero buri he?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nagenda nte ku mugi?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Hindukira ibumoso

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Hindukira iburyo

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Genda imbere

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Igiciro ni ikihe?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Itike imwe, nyabuneka

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Ni kure hano?

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

  14. Ndi mu kaga

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Nshobora kugura SIM card he?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yego

    Ehe

  2. Oya

    Kwete

  3. Birashoboka

    Pangove

  4. Ndemeranya

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Sinemeranya

    Handibvumirane

  6. Birumvikana neza

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Ubitekerezaho iki?

    Unofungei?

  8. Urashobora kumfasha?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Nkeneye ubufasha

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Tegereza gato

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ndakwinginze

    Ndine urombo

  12. Nta kibazo

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Ibyishimo

    Makorokoto

  14. Isabukuru nziza

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Ugire urugendo rwiza

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?

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

  2. Aho ahagarara bisi?

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

  3. Ni iyihe platform?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Igihe izava ryari?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?

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

  6. Iri hafi hano

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Iri kure hano

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?

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

  9. Hagarara hano, nyabuneka

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Bifata igihe kingana iki?

    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. Iyi igura angahe?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

  3. Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

  4. Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

  5. Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Ndagusabye, umwenda.

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. Serivisi irimo?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here?

  8. Ndi umunyvegetari.

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Ibi biraryoshye.

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Hamagara polisi

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Hamagara ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nkeneye umuganga

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ndumva ndwaye

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Birambabaza hano

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nabuze pasiporo yanjye

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Fasha!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nishimiye guhura nawe

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Reka dushyireho inama

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Ni ryari byakugendekera?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Dushobora kuvugana ejo?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Urakoze ku gihe cyawe

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ntegereje gukorana nawe

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Nzakugarukira

    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. Ni saa ingahe?

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

  2. Ni saa tatu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Uyu munsi

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Ejo hazaza

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Ejo

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Kuwa Mbere

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Kuwa Kabiri

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Kuwa Gatatu

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Kimwe

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Kabiri

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Gatatu

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Cumi

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Ijana

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Igice

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Byinshi

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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