Looking for practical Shona to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Shona phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: read the Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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.
Mhoro
Lumelang
Ndatenda
Kea leboha
Mangwanani akanaka
Dumelang
Masikati akanaka
Molo
Manheru akanaka
Dumelang
Usiku hwakanaka
Borai
Tichasangana gare gare
Re tla kopana hamorao
Sara zvakanaka
Tsamaya hantle
Zita rako ndiani?
O na le lebitso lefe?
Zita rangu ndiri John
Lebitso la ka ke John
Uri sei?
O kae?
Ndinofara kukuziva
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unotaura Chirungu here?
Na u bua Senyesemane?(unotaura chirungu here)
Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle(handitauri hindi zvakanaka)
Handinzwisisi
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa(handinzwisisi)
Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma
Ka kopo bua butle(ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)
Ungazvitaura zvakare here?
Na u ka boela ua re?(ungazvitaura zvakare here)
Chimbuzi chiripi?
Ntloana e kae?(chimbuzi chiripi)
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?(ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)
Tendeuka kuruboshwe
Fetola ho ea letsohong(tendeuka kuruboshwe)
Tendeuka kurudyi
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona(tendeuka kurudyi)
Enda mberi
Eya ka pela(enda mberi)
Mari yechikwereti ingani?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?(mari yechikwereti ingani)
Tikiti imwe, ndapota
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo(tikiti imwe, ndapota)
Iko kure here kubva pano?
Na e hole le mona?(iko kure here kubva pano)
Ndakakanganiswa
Ke lahlehile(ndakakanganiswa)
Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?(ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Ee
Kwete
Che
Pangove
Mohlomong
Ndinobvumirana
Ke lumela
Handibvumirane
Ke sitwa
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Seo se utloahala hantle
Unofungei?
O nahana eng?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Ke hloka thuso
Mirira kwechinguva
Emisa motsotso
Ndine urombo
Ke maswabi
Hapana chakaipa
Ha ho bothata
Makorokoto
O amohelehile
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Ndeipi puratifomu?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Inobva nenguva ipi?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Iri pedyo pano
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Iri kure nepano
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Mira pano, ndapota
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zvinodhura here?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ndingada tafura yevaviri
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Sevhisi iri mukati here?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ndiri muvegetarian
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Izvi zvinonaka
Se monate(se monate)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fonera mapurisa
Calla mapolesa
Fonera amburensi
Calla ambulance
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Ke hloka ngaka
Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Ndine allergic kumapundu
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Zvinorwadza pano
Ho bohloko mona
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Rubatsiro!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndinofara kukusangana
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Ngatirongei musangano
A re etse kopano
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Tingataure mangwana here?
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ndichadzoka kwauri
A ke tle ke u boele
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.