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Common Lingala to Shona phrases

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

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

    Ndatenda

  3. Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Mbote na ntango ya midi

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mbote na ntango ya soir

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Malamu na butu

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tala yo nsima

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Kende malamu

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Nkombo na yo nani?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Nkombo na ngai ezali John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Ozalaki malamu?

    Uri sei?

  12. Nayoki malamu na yo

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ozali koloba lingala?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Nasalaka hindi malamu te

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Nalingi te

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. S'il vous plaît, koloba butu

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Okoki koloba yango lisusu?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tika na mobali

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tika na mwasi

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Kende na ntango

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Mbala nini ezali?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Billet moko, s'il vous plaît

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Ezali na esika ya mbali?

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

  14. Nazali na esika ya mabe

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Oyo

    Ehe

  2. Te

    Kwete

  3. Soki

    Pangove

  4. Nalingi

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Nalingi te

    Handibvumirane

  6. Eza malamu

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Oyo olingi nini?

    Unofungei?

  8. Okoki kosalisa ngai?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Sunga moke

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Nasalaki mabe

    Ndine urombo

  12. Nani azali na problème

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Mokolo malamu

    Makorokoto

  14. Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

    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. Eko zali wapi?

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

  2. Eko zali wapi na bis?

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

  3. Eko zali na esika nini?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Ekozanga na ntango nini?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

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

  6. Ezali pene awa.

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Ezali mbali awa.

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

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

  9. Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Ekozala ntango nini?

    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. Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

  3. Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

  4. Nalingi kobonga na carte?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

  5. Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. Service eza na kati?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here?

  8. Nazali mvegetarian.

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Yango ezali malamu.

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tindá polisi

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Tindá ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nalingi médecin

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Nazali na maladi

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Nazali na allergie na mbala

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Ezalaka na nse awa

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nazwi passport na ngai

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. S.O.S!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nasepeli na yo

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Tika tozala na mitema

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Naboya raport lelo

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Tango tozali na mposo?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Nasalela yo na mosala

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Napesi yo nzela

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nini tango ezali?

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

  2. Ezali ntango ya misato

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Lelo

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Bokoko

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Kaka

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Lundi

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Mardi

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Mercredi

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Moko

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Mbala

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Misato

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Libwa

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Sankuru

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Bato

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Soki

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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