Common Sesotho to Shona phrases

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

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

    Mhoro

  2. Kea leboha

    Ndatenda

  3. Dumelang

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Molo

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Dumelang

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Borai

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Re tla kopana hamorao

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Tsamaya hantle

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. O na le lebitso lefe?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Lebitso la ka ke John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. O kae?

    Uri sei?

  12. Ke thabela ho kopana le wena

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Na u bua Senyesemane?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Ke sitwa ho utloisisa

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ka kopo bua butle

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Na u ka boela ua re?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Ntloana e kae?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Fetola ho ea letsohong

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Fetola ho ea ka ho letona

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Eya ka pela

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Na e hole le mona?

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

  14. Ke lahlehile

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?

    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. Che

    Kwete

  3. Mohlomong

    Pangove

  4. Ke lumela

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ke sitwa

    Handibvumirane

  6. Seo se utloahala hantle

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. O nahana eng?

    Unofungei?

  8. Na o ka nthusa?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ke hloka thuso

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndine urombo

  12. Ha ho bothata

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. O amohelehile

    Makorokoto

  14. Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Ebe le tsamaea hantle

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae seteishene sa terene?

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

  2. Ke kae borai?

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

  3. Ke sehlopha sefe?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nako e kae e tlohang?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?

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

  6. E haufi le mona

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. E hole le mona

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. O ka mpontša ka mapeng?

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

  9. Emisa mona, ka kopo

    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. Se kostang hakaale?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Seo ke se theko e phahameng

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (seo ke se theko e phahameng)

  3. Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (na le na le eng e theko e tlase)

  4. Na nka lefa ka kharete?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (na nka lefa ka kharete)

  5. Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)

  6. Bille, ka kopo

    Chikwereti, ndapota (bille, ka kopo)

  7. Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)

  8. Ke moithuti oa meroho

    Ndiri muvegetarian (ke moithuti oa meroho)

  9. Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)

  10. Se monate

    Izvi zvinonaka (se monate)

  11. Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)

  12. Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Calla mapolesa

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Calla ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Ke hloka ngaka

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ke ikutloa ke sitwa

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ke na le allergy ho peanuts

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospital e haufi e kae?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Ho bohloko mona

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Na o ka bitsa hotele ea 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 ho kopana le uena

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. A re etse kopano

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Nako e kae e loketseng uena?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Na re ka bua ka moso?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Kea leboha ka nako ea hau

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. A ke tle ke u boele

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Nako e felletseng 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 hora efe?

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

  2. Ke hora tse tharo

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Kajeno

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Hosane

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Maobane

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mantaha

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Labobeli

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Laboraro

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. E le 'ngoe

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Pele

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Tharo

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Leshome

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Sekete

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Hlafuna

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Haholo

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)