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Common Luganda to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Luganda to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: pick five Shona phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda 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. Oli otya?

    Mhoro (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Ndatenda (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    Mangwanani akanaka (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Masikati akanaka (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Manheru akanaka (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Usiku hwakanaka (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Tichasangana gare gare (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Sara zvakanaka (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Zita rako ndiani? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Zita rangu ndiri John (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Uri sei? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Ndinofara kukuziva (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

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

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ye

    Ehe

  2. Nedda

    Kwete

  3. Okwagala

    Pangove

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Handibvumirane

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Unofungei?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Saba omukutu

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Nsaba

    Ndine urombo

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Okwagaliza

    Makorokoto

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Genda bulungi

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

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

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

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

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

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

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

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

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Tewali bungi 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. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Mbadde!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Ndinofara kukusangana (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Ngatirongei musangano (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Tingataure mangwana here? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Ndatenda nenguva yako (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Ndichadzoka kwauri (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu (Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ki nsonga?

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

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Leero

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Nne

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Yaka

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mmande

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Olwokubiri

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Olwokutaano

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Emu

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Bbiri

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Ssatu

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Kkumi

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Kikumi

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Okwetaba

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Mungeri

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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