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Common Shona to Tok Pisin phrases

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

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

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tok Pisin-speaking trip in a few weeks.

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

    Halo

  2. Ndatenda

    Tenkyu

  3. Mangwanani akanaka

    Gutpela moning

  4. Masikati akanaka

    Gutpela apinun

  5. Manheru akanaka

    Gutpela nait

  6. Usiku hwakanaka

    Gutpela nait

  7. Tichasangana gare gare

    Lukim yu bihain

  8. Sara zvakanaka

    Gudbai

  9. Zita rako ndiani?

    Wanem nem bilong yu?

  10. Zita rangu ndiri John

    Mi nem em John

  11. Uri sei?

    Yu stap gut?

  12. Ndinofara kukuziva

    Gutpela long mitim yu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Unotaura Chirungu here?

    Yu tok Pisin? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka

    Mi no tok Hindi gut. (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Handinzwisisi

    Mi no save. (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma

    Plis, tok liklik. (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Ungazvitaura zvakare here?

    Yu ken tokim gen? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Chimbuzi chiripi?

    Wea toilet? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?

    Olsem wanem mi ken go long centa? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Tendeuka kuruboshwe

    Taim yu go, tanim left. (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Tendeuka kurudyi

    Taim yu go, tanim raet. (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Enda mberi

    Go stret. (enda mberi)

  11. Mari yechikwereti ingani?

    Olsem wanem pris bilong fare? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tikiti imwe, ndapota

    Wan tiket, plis. (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Iko kure here kubva pano?

    Em i long long wanem? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. Ndakakanganiswa

    Mi lus. (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?

    Wea mi ken baim SIM card? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ehe

    Yes

  2. Kwete

    No

  3. Pangove

    Baibe

  4. Ndinobvumirana

    Mi agri

  5. Handibvumirane

    Mi no agri

  6. Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

    Em i gut

  7. Unofungei?

    Yu ting wanem?

  8. Unogona kundibatsira here?

    Yu inap helpim mi?

  9. Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

    Mi nidim help

  10. Mirira kwechinguva

    Wai liklik

  11. Ndine urombo

    Mi sori

  12. Hapana chakaipa

    No problem

  13. Makorokoto

    Tenkyu

  14. Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

    Hapi baisde

  15. Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

    Lukaut long trip

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?

    Wea em train stesen? (Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?)

  2. Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?

    Wea em bus stop? (Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?)

  3. Ndeipi puratifomu?

    Wea em platform? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Inobva nenguva ipi?

    Wanem taim em i likim? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?

    Dispela em stret rot? (Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?)

  6. Iri pedyo pano

    Em i klostu hia (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Iri kure nepano

    Em i longwe long hia (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?

    Yu inap soim mi long map? (Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?)

  9. Mira pano, ndapota

    Stap hia, plis (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?

    Hao long em i tek? (Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zvinodhura here?

    Hamamas dispela i kost? (hamamas = how much)

  2. Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

    Dispela i tu mipela (mipela = expensive)

  3. Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

    Yu gat wanpela samting i nap? (nap = cheaper)

  4. Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

    Inap mi peim long kad? (peim = pay)

  5. Ndingada tafura yevaviri

    Mi laikim wanpela tebol bilong tupela

  6. Chikwereti, ndapota

    Bil, plis

  7. Sevhisi iri mukati here?

    Service i stap insait? (stap = included)

  8. Ndiri muvegetarian

    Mi vegetarian

  9. Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

    No spicy kaikai, plis

  10. Izvi zvinonaka

    Dispela i naispela

  11. Ndingawana menyu here?

    Inap mi kisim menu?

  12. Girazi remvura, ndapota

    Wanpela glas bilong wota, plis

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fonera mapurisa

    Kolim polis

  2. Fonera amburensi

    Kolim ambulans

  3. Ndiri kuda chiremba

    Mi nidim dokta

  4. Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

    Mi sik

  5. Ndine allergic kumapundu

    Mi gat alergi long pinat

  6. Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

    Wea hospital i klostu?

  7. Zvinorwadza pano

    I penim hia

  8. Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

    Mi lusim paspot

  9. Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

    Yu inap kolim hotel bilong mi?

  10. Rubatsiro!

    Help!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndinofara kukusangana

    Nais long mitim yu

  2. Ngatirongei musangano

    Makim wanpela miting

  3. Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

    Wanem taim i gut long yu?

  4. Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

    Mi bai sendim report tude

  5. Tingataure mangwana here?

    Inap bilong yumi tokim tede?

  6. Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

    Plis lukim fael i atach

  7. Ndatenda nenguva yako

    Tenkyu long yu taim

  8. Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

    Mi lukim forward long wok wantaim yu

  9. Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

    Yu inap kliaim dispela point?

  10. Ndichadzoka kwauri

    Lukim mi bai kam bek long yu

  11. Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

    Deidlain i Fraida

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndeipi nguva?

    Dispela taim em i wanem? (N-dei-pi n-guh-wah?)

  2. Iri pa3

    Em i tri oklok (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Nhasi

    Tude (N-ha-see)

  4. Mangwana

    Tumora (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Zuro

    Yestede (Zoo-roh)

  6. Muvhuro

    Mande (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Chipiri

    Tiusde (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Chitatu

    Wensde (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Imwe

    Wan (Ee-mweh)

  10. Piri

    Tu (Pee-ree)

  11. Tatu

    Tri (Tah-too)

  12. Gumi

    Ten (Goo-mee)

  13. Zana

    Wan hanred (Zah-nah)

  14. Hafu

    Haf (Hah-foo)

  15. Zvimwe

    Mo (Zvee-mweh)

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