Translate now

Common Kituba to Shona phrases

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

← Back to Kituba to Shona Translator

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

    Ndatenda

  3. Mbote na ntanga

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Mbote na moke

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mbote na nsuka

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Malamu na lola

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tala moke

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Kende malamu

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Nani na yo?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Nani na ngai John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Oyo olingi?

    Uri sei?

  12. Nionso na yo

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Oyo azali koloba Lingala?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Nani nazali koloba Hindi malamu te

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Nani nazali koyeba te

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Soki, koloba na mbala moke

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Okoki koloba yango lisusu?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Bato ya mbala eza wapi?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nani nakoki kokende na centre ya ville?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tika na ngonga ya mabele

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tika na ngonga ya likolo

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Yaka na mbala moke

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Mbongo ya nzela ezali boni?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Billet moko, s'il vous plaît

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Eza mbali na awa?

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

  14. Nani nazali na nzela te

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Nani nakoki kotonga SIM card wapi?

    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. Te

    Kwete

  3. Pamba

    Pangove

  4. Nani na yo

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Nani te na yo

    Handibvumirane

  6. Eza malamu

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Oyo olingi nini?

    Unofungei?

  8. Okanisa ngai?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Nalingi lisungi

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Tika moke

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Nasalisa

    Ndine urombo

  12. Te na mabe

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Mbote na yo

    Makorokoto

  14. Mbote na mokolo ya mbotama

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Zala na nzela ya malamu

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Nani esika ya ndako ya treni?

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

  2. Nani esika ya ndako ya bisi?

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

  3. Nani esika ya platform?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nani ntango ebandaka?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Nani nzela ya malamu?

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

  6. Eza na nsima

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Eza na mbali

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Okoki na ngai na mape?

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

  9. Kanga awa, s'il vous plaît

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Nani ntango ebandaka?

    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. Mbuta nini?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Eza mingi mbala

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (eza mingi mbala)

  3. Oyo oza na ntina ya moke?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (oyo oza na ntina ya moke)

  4. Nakanisa na carte?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (nakanisa na carte)

  5. Nalingi mesa ya mibale

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (nalingi mesa ya mibale)

  6. Bilanga, s'il vous plaît

    Chikwereti, ndapota (bilanga, s'il vous plaît)

  7. Eza na mosala?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (eza na mosala)

  8. Nani moke

    Ndiri muvegetarian (nani moke)

  9. Te mbongo ya mpasi, s'il vous plaît

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (te mbongo ya mpasi)

  10. Oyo eza malamu

    Izvi zvinonaka (oyo eza malamu)

  11. Nakanisa menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (nakanisa menu)

  12. Mokolo ya mai, s'il vous plaît

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (mokolo ya mai)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tanga polisi

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Tanga ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nazali na nganga

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Nazali na maladi

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Nayebi na maladi ya mbala

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospital ya libanda ezali wapi?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Ezalaka na nzala awa

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nasali pasi ya passport na ngai

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Okoki kolinga hotel na ngai?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Lendaki!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nki na yo

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Tondima kosala libanda

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Ntango nini eza malamu na yo?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Nakanisa lipanda lelo

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Tosala nzela lelo?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Soki, tanga file oyo ekomi na likolo

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Mersi po na ntango na yo

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Nabondeli na kosala na yo

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Okoki kolakisa yango?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Nakanisa yo na nsima

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Tango ya nsuka eza na Mokolo ya zamba

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nani nsuka?

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

  2. Eza na ntuku tatu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Lelo

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Bokoko

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Bokutani

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mokolo mwa liboso

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Mokolo mwa mibale

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Mokolo mwa misato

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Moko

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Mibale

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Misato

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Zomi

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Nkama

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Mokolo ya nsuka

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Bingi

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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

Open translator