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Common Sepedi to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Sepedi to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi 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: read the Shona line out loud three times, then cover the Sepedi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi 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. Dumela

    Mhoro

  2. Ke a leboga

    Ndatenda

  3. Dumelang

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Mokhutsong o motle

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mokhutsong o motle

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Borai bo botle

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tsamaya sentle

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Siyabonga

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. O na le leina lefe?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Leina la ka ke John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. O kae?

    Uri sei?

  12. Ke thabela go kopana le wena

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Na o bua Seisemane?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Ke sitwa go kwele

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Tsweetswee bua ka borai

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Borai bo kae?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ke etse eng go ya borai?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Fetola go le letšatši

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Fetola go le letona

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Ya ka pela

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Phetho ke bokae?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Na ke kgole go tswa fano?

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

  14. Ke sitwa go etse

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ee

    Ehe

  2. Aowa

    Kwete

  3. Mohlomong

    Pangove

  4. Ke a dumela

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ke sitwa go dumela

    Handibvumirane

  6. Seo se utlwa sentle

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. O nagana eng?

    Unofungei?

  8. O ka nthusa?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ke hloka thuso

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Emela nako

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndine urombo

  12. Ga go na bothata

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Dumelang

    Makorokoto

  14. Tlhogong e monate

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Dira leeto le le bolokehileng

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?

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

  2. Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?

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

  3. Ke sehlopha sefe?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nako efe e tlo fofa?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. A ke tsela e nepahetseng?

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

  6. E haufi le fa

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. E hole le fa

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. O ka mpontsha ka mape?

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

  9. Emisa fa, tsweetswee

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. E nka nako e kae?

    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. Ke bokae?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)

  3. O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)

  4. Nka lefa ka khadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (nka le-fa ka kha-di)

  5. Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)

  6. Bille, tswarela

    Chikwereti, ndapota (bil-le tswa-re-la)

  7. Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)

  8. Ke movegetarian

    Ndiri muvegetarian (ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)

  9. Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)

  10. Se ke se monate

    Izvi zvinonaka (se ke se mo-na-te)

  11. Nka fumana lenaneo?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)

  12. Khalase ya metsi, tswarela

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. B calla mapolesa

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. B calla ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Ke hloka ngaka

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ke na le allergy go peanuts

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospital e hwetšwa kae?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Go a bohloko fa

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Thusa!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Ke thabile go kopana le wena

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Nako efe e go kgonang?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Ke tla romela reportone gompieno

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. A re ka bua ka moso?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ke lebeletse go dira le wena

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. A ke tle ke boe go wena

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Nako ya borai ke Labohlano

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ke nako efe?

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

  2. Ke borai

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Gompieno

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Borai

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Maabane

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mantšhi

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Laboraro

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Laboraro

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Nngwe

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Pedi

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Tharo

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Lesome

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Ngwaga

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Hlaf

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Bokae

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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