Translate now

Common Shona to Afrikaans phrases

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

← Back to Shona to Afrikaans Translator

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

Tip: pick five Afrikaans 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 Shona to Afrikaans 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

    Hallo

  2. Ndatenda

    Dankie

  3. Mangwanani akanaka

    Goeie more

  4. Masikati akanaka

    Goeie middag

  5. Manheru akanaka

    Goeie naand

  6. Usiku hwakanaka

    Goeie nag

  7. Tichasangana gare gare

    Sien jou later

  8. Sara zvakanaka

    Totsiens

  9. Zita rako ndiani?

    Wat is jou naam?

  10. Zita rangu ndiri John

    My naam is John

  11. Uri sei?

    Hoe gaan dit?

  12. Ndinofara kukuziva

    Lekker om jou te ontmoet

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Unotaura Chirungu here?

    Praat jy Engels? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka

    Ek praat nie goed Hindi nie. (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Handinzwisisi

    Ek verstaan nie. (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma

    Praat asseblief stadig. (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Ungazvitaura zvakare here?

    Kan jy dit weer sê? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Chimbuzi chiripi?

    Waar is die badkamer? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?

    Hoe kom ek by die stadsentrum? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tendeuka kuruboshwe

    Draai links. (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tendeuka kurudyi

    Draai regs. (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Enda mberi

    Gaan reguit. (enda mberi)

  11. Mari yechikwereti ingani?

    Hoeveel is die tarief? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tikiti imwe, ndapota

    Een kaartjie, asseblief. (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Iko kure here kubva pano?

    Is dit ver van hier? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. Ndakakanganiswa

    Ek is verlore. (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?

    Waar kan ek 'n SIM-kaart koop? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ehe

    Ja

  2. Kwete

    Nee

  3. Pangove

    Miskien

  4. Ndinobvumirana

    Ek stem saam

  5. Handibvumirane

    Ek stem nie saam nie

  6. Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

    Dit klink goed

  7. Unofungei?

    Wat dink jy?

  8. Unogona kundibatsira here?

    Kan jy my help?

  9. Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

    Ek het hulp nodig

  10. Mirira kwechinguva

    Wag 'n oomblik

  11. Ndine urombo

    Ek is jammer

  12. Hapana chakaipa

    Geen probleem

  13. Makorokoto

    Geluk

  14. Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

    Gelukkige verjaarsdag

  15. Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

    Veilige reis

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?

    Waar is die treinstasie? (Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?)

  2. Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?

    Waar is die busstop? (Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?)

  3. Ndeipi puratifomu?

    Watter platform is dit? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Inobva nenguva ipi?

    Watter tyd vertrek dit? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?

    Is dit die regte pad? (Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?)

  6. Iri pedyo pano

    Dit is naby hier. (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Iri kure nepano

    Dit is ver van hier. (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?

    Kan jy dit op die kaart wys? (Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?)

  9. Mira pano, ndapota

    Stop hier, asseblief. (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?

    Hoe lank neem dit? (Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zvinodhura here?

    Hoeveel kos dit? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

    Dit is te duur.

  3. Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

    Het julle iets goedkoper?

  4. Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

    Kan ek met 'n kaart betaal?

  5. Ndingada tafura yevaviri

    Ek wil 'n tafel vir twee hê.

  6. Chikwereti, ndapota

    Die rekening, asseblief.

  7. Sevhisi iri mukati here?

    Is diens ingesluit?

  8. Ndiri muvegetarian

    Ek is 'n vegetariër.

  9. Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

    Geen pittige kos, asseblief.

  10. Izvi zvinonaka

    Dit is heerlik.

  11. Ndingawana menyu here?

    Kan ek die spyskaart kry?

  12. Girazi remvura, ndapota

    ‘n Glas water, asseblief.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fonera mapurisa

    Bel die polisie

  2. Fonera amburensi

    Bel 'n ambulans

  3. Ndiri kuda chiremba

    Ek het 'n dokter nodig

  4. Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

    Ek voel siek

  5. Ndine allergic kumapundu

    Ek is allergies vir grondboontjies

  6. Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

    Waar is die naaste hospitaal?

  7. Zvinorwadza pano

    Dit seergemaak hier

  8. Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

    Ek het my paspoort verloor

  9. Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

    Kan jy my hotel bel?

  10. Rubatsiro!

    Help!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndinofara kukusangana

    Lekker om jou te ontmoet

  2. Ngatirongei musangano

    Kom ons skeduleer 'n vergadering

  3. Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

    Watter tyd werk vir jou?

  4. Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

    Ek sal die verslag vandag stuur

  5. Tingataure mangwana here?

    Kan ons môre praat?

  6. Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

    Asseblief vind die lêer aangeheg

  7. Ndatenda nenguva yako

    Dankie vir jou tyd

  8. Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

    Ek sien uit daarna om saam met jou te werk

  9. Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

    Kan jy daardie punt verduidelik?

  10. Ndichadzoka kwauri

    Laat ek jou terugbel

  11. Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

    Die sperdatum is Vrydag

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndeipi nguva?

    Hoe laat is dit? (N-dei-pi n-guh-wah?)

  2. Iri pa3

    Dit is drie uur. (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Nhasi

    Vandag (N-ha-see)

  4. Mangwana

    Môre (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Zuro

    Gister (Zoo-roh)

  6. Muvhuro

    Maandag (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Chipiri

    Dinsdag (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Chitatu

    Woensdag (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Imwe

    Een (Ee-mweh)

  10. Piri

    Twee (Pee-ree)

  11. Tatu

    Drie (Tah-too)

  12. Gumi

    Tien (Goo-mee)

  13. Zana

    Een honderd (Zah-nah)

  14. Hafu

    Half (Hah-foo)

  15. Zvimwe

    Meer (Zvee-mweh)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Shona to Afrikaans translator.

Open translator