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Common Shona to Acholi phrases

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

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Looking for practical Shona to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Shona phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.

Tip: read the Acholi line out loud three times, then cover the Shona 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 Shona to Acholi 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. Mhoro

    Ayo (ah-yo)

  2. Ndatenda

    Naki (nah-kee)

  3. Mangwanani akanaka

    Bok moti (bok mo-tee)

  4. Masikati akanaka

    Bok nongo (bok non-go)

  5. Manheru akanaka

    Bok obedo (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Usiku hwakanaka

    Bok ngat (bok ngat)

  7. Tichasangana gare gare

    Tye kany (tye kan-yee)

  8. Sara zvakanaka

    Itye (ee-tye)

  9. Zita rako ndiani?

    Iti ma ineno? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Zita rangu ndiri John

    Ineno John (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Uri sei?

    Iti ma inyo? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Ndinofara kukuziva

    Gat ma inyo (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Unotaura Chirungu here?

    Itye konyo English? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka

    Nye konyo Hindi kanyim. (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Handinzwisisi

    Nye neno. (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma

    Nye konyo tye kanyim. (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Ungazvitaura zvakare here?

    Itye konyo tye kanyim? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Chimbuzi chiripi?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?

    Nye konyo kanyim ku city center? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tendeuka kuruboshwe

    Konyo kuc. (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tendeuka kurudyi

    Konyo kuc. (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Enda mberi

    Tye kanyim. (enda mberi)

  11. Mari yechikwereti ingani?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tikiti imwe, ndapota

    One ticket, please. (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Iko kure here kubva pano?

    Iti kanyim kanyim? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. Ndakakanganiswa

    Nye konyo. (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?

    Iti kanyim ngat SIM card? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ehe

    Aye

  2. Kwete

    Bila

  3. Pangove

    Kweyo

  4. Ndinobvumirana

    Ng'ato konyo

  5. Handibvumirane

    Ng'ato konyo ni

  6. Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

    Okwero kany

  7. Unofungei?

    Ika kany?

  8. Unogona kundibatsira here?

    Ikwok kany?

  9. Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

    Ng'ato konyo kany

  10. Mirira kwechinguva

    Tye kany

  11. Ndine urombo

    Ng'ato konyo

  12. Hapana chakaipa

    Bila kany

  13. Makorokoto

    Tye kany

  14. Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

    Aye konyo

  15. Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

    Tye kany ma ng'ato

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?

    Atye kany kwo? (Atye kany kwo?)

  2. Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?

    Atye kany bura? (Atye kany bura?)

  3. Ndeipi puratifomu?

    Kati onyo kwo? (Kati onyo kwo?)

  4. Inobva nenguva ipi?

    Nye kwo nongo? (Nye kwo nongo?)

  5. Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?

    Kik kwo gwen? (Kik kwo gwen?)

  6. Iri pedyo pano

    Okwang kany ici (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Iri kure nepano

    Okwang kany piny (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?

    Nye konyo i map? (Nye konyo i map?)

  9. Mira pano, ndapota

    Doko ici, pe? (Doko ici, pe?)

  10. Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?

    Nye kwo ngat? (Nye kwo ngat?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Zvinodhura here?

    Nye keken me? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

    Okwero keken (Okwero keken)

  3. Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

    Itye keken me? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

    Nye konyo kadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Ndingada tafura yevaviri

    Nye tye kany kwo (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Chikwereti, ndapota

    Kaka, nyinga (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Sevhisi iri mukati here?

    Kati kany me? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Ndiri muvegetarian

    Nye konyo wot (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

    Kati wot kany, nyinga (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Izvi zvinonaka

    Iti kany (Iti kany)

  11. Ndingawana menyu here?

    Nye konyo kadi me? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Girazi remvura, ndapota

    Kadi me kic, nyinga (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fonera mapurisa

    Yat ma police

  2. Fonera amburensi

    Yat ma ambulance

  3. Ndiri kuda chiremba

    Nye konyo doctor

  4. Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

    Nye konyo wot

  5. Ndine allergic kumapundu

    Nye konyo kany kic

  6. Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

    Kati ki hospital ma kany?

  7. Zvinorwadza pano

    Okwero ineno

  8. Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

    Nye tye konyo passport

  9. Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

    Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

  10. Rubatsiro!

    Yat!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndinofara kukusangana

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  2. Ngatirongei musangano

    Dano kany oting (Dano kany oting)

  3. Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

    Nye kany ma kany? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

    Ngatye kany report kany (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Tingataure mangwana here?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

    Nye kany ma file kany (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Ndatenda nenguva yako

    Atye kany ma kany (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

    Nye kany ma kany kany (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Ndichadzoka kwauri

    Dano kany ma kany (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

    Kany kany Friday (Kany kany Friday)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndeipi nguva?

    Nye kany me? (Nye kany me?)

  2. Iri pa3

    Kany me tye keken (Kany me tye keken)

  3. Nhasi

    Nye kany (Nye kany)

  4. Mangwana

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  5. Zuro

    Nye kany tye (Nye kany tye)

  6. Muvhuro

    Ponyo (Ponyo)

  7. Chipiri

    Ponyo keken (Ponyo keken)

  8. Chitatu

    Ponyo tye (Ponyo tye)

  9. Imwe

    Moko (Moko)

  10. Piri

    Maka (Maka)

  11. Tatu

    Mek (Mek)

  12. Gumi

    Ten (Ten)

  13. Zana

    Paka (Paka)

  14. Hafu

    Piny (Piny)

  15. Zvimwe

    Kaka (Kaka)

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