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Common Shona to Kinyarwanda phrases

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

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

Tip: when a Kinyarwanda phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Shona wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Shona to Kinyarwanda 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

    Muraho

  2. Ndatenda

    Urakoze

  3. Mangwanani akanaka

    Bwakire bwiza

  4. Masikati akanaka

    Nimugoroba mwiza

  5. Manheru akanaka

    Mwaramutse mwiza

  6. Usiku hwakanaka

    Ijoro ryiza

  7. Tichasangana gare gare

    Tuzabonana nyuma

  8. Sara zvakanaka

    Murabeho

  9. Zita rako ndiani?

    Witwa nde?

  10. Zita rangu ndiri John

    Nitwa John

  11. Uri sei?

    Umeze ute?

  12. Ndinofara kukuziva

    Nishimiye kukumenya

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Unotaura Chirungu here?

    Uravuga Icyongereza? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka

    Sinavuga Hindi neza (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Handinzwisisi

    Sinumva (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma

    Nyabuneka vuga buhoro (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Ungazvitaura zvakare here?

    Wabivuga ukundi? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Chimbuzi chiripi?

    Aho ubwiherero buri he? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?

    Nagenda nte ku mugi? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tendeuka kuruboshwe

    Hindukira ibumoso (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tendeuka kurudyi

    Hindukira iburyo (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Enda mberi

    Genda imbere (enda mberi)

  11. Mari yechikwereti ingani?

    Igiciro ni ikihe? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tikiti imwe, ndapota

    Itike imwe, nyabuneka (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Iko kure here kubva pano?

    Ni kure hano? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. Ndakakanganiswa

    Ndi mu kaga (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?

    Nshobora kugura SIM card he? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ehe

    Yego

  2. Kwete

    Oya

  3. Pangove

    Birashoboka

  4. Ndinobvumirana

    Ndemeranya

  5. Handibvumirane

    Sinemeranya

  6. Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

    Birumvikana neza

  7. Unofungei?

    Ubitekerezaho iki?

  8. Unogona kundibatsira here?

    Urashobora kumfasha?

  9. Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

    Nkeneye ubufasha

  10. Mirira kwechinguva

    Tegereza gato

  11. Ndine urombo

    Ndakwinginze

  12. Hapana chakaipa

    Nta kibazo

  13. Makorokoto

    Ibyishimo

  14. Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

    Isabukuru nziza

  15. Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

    Ugire urugendo rwiza

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?

    Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri? (Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?)

  2. Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?

    Aho ahagarara bisi? (Aho ahagarara bisi?)

  3. Ndeipi puratifomu?

    Ni iyihe platform? (Ni iyihe platform?)

  4. Inobva nenguva ipi?

    Igihe izava ryari? (Igihe izava ryari?)

  5. Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?

    Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza? (Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?)

  6. Iri pedyo pano

    Iri hafi hano (Iri hafi hano)

  7. Iri kure nepano

    Iri kure hano (Iri kure hano)

  8. Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?

    Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita? (Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?)

  9. Mira pano, ndapota

    Hagarara hano, nyabuneka (Hagarara hano, nyabuneka)

  10. Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?

    Bifata igihe kingana iki? (Bifata igihe kingana iki?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zvinodhura here?

    Iyi igura angahe? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

    Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.

  3. Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

    Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?

  4. Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

    Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?

  5. Ndingada tafura yevaviri

    Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.

  6. Chikwereti, ndapota

    Ndagusabye, umwenda.

  7. Sevhisi iri mukati here?

    Serivisi irimo?

  8. Ndiri muvegetarian

    Ndi umunyvegetari.

  9. Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

    Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.

  10. Izvi zvinonaka

    Ibi biraryoshye.

  11. Ndingawana menyu here?

    Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?

  12. Girazi remvura, ndapota

    Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fonera mapurisa

    Hamagara polisi

  2. Fonera amburensi

    Hamagara ambulance

  3. Ndiri kuda chiremba

    Nkeneye umuganga

  4. Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

    Ndumva ndwaye

  5. Ndine allergic kumapundu

    Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene

  6. Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

    Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?

  7. Zvinorwadza pano

    Birambabaza hano

  8. Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

    Nabuze pasiporo yanjye

  9. Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

    Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?

  10. Rubatsiro!

    Fasha!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndinofara kukusangana

    Nishimiye guhura nawe

  2. Ngatirongei musangano

    Reka dushyireho inama

  3. Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

    Ni ryari byakugendekera?

  4. Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

    Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi

  5. Tingataure mangwana here?

    Dushobora kuvugana ejo?

  6. Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

    Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano

  7. Ndatenda nenguva yako

    Urakoze ku gihe cyawe

  8. Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

    Ntegereje gukorana nawe

  9. Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

    Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?

  10. Ndichadzoka kwauri

    Nzakugarukira

  11. Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

    Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndeipi nguva?

    Ni saa ingahe? (ni saa ingahe)

  2. Iri pa3

    Ni saa tatu (ni saa tatu)

  3. Nhasi

    Uyu munsi (uyu munsi)

  4. Mangwana

    Ejo hazaza (ejo hazaza)

  5. Zuro

    Ejo (ejo)

  6. Muvhuro

    Kuwa Mbere (kuwa mbere)

  7. Chipiri

    Kuwa Kabiri (kuwa kabiri)

  8. Chitatu

    Kuwa Gatatu (kuwa gatatu)

  9. Imwe

    Kimwe (kimwe)

  10. Piri

    Kabiri (kabiri)

  11. Tatu

    Gatatu (gatatu)

  12. Gumi

    Cumi (cumi)

  13. Zana

    Ijana (ijana)

  14. Hafu

    Igice (igice)

  15. Zvimwe

    Byinshi (byinshi)

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