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Common Tiv to Shona phrases

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

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

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

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

    Mhoro

  2. Ior na

    Ndatenda

  3. Mgbakpa u sha

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Mgbakpa u kpa

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Mgbakpa u ter

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Mgbakpa u ter sha

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Kpa a joo

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Ior a joo

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Ior m ngu?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. M ngu John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Ior m nande?

    Uri sei?

  12. Ior m nande a joo

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I kpa English?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. M nahan Hindi nahan.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. M nahan usha.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. M nahan usha kpa.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. I kpa a sha?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. I we a joo?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Nenge a kpa a city center?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Kpa a joo.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Kpa a nahan.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Kpa a sha.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Nenge a kpa a fare?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. I kpa a ticket, please.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. I we a nahan a nahan?

    Iko kure here kubva pano? (iko kure here kubva pano)

  14. M nahan sha.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. I we a kpa a SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ee

    Ehe

  2. Naa

    Kwete

  3. Iye

    Pangove

  4. M na a kpa

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. M na a kpa nahan

    Handibvumirane

  6. I kpa a kpa

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. U kpa a nahan?

    Unofungei?

  8. U kpa m nahan?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. M na a kpa nahan

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Kpa a kpa

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. M na a kpa

    Ndine urombo

  12. Naa a kpa

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. I kpa a kpa

    Makorokoto

  14. A kpa a kpa

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. U kpa a kpa

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

    Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima? (Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?)

  2. Ior a nyam?

    Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi? (Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?)

  3. Ior a gande?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nenge a kpa?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Ior a nenge a?

    Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here? (Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?)

  6. I na kpa a.

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. I na kpa a kpa.

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. I ma ior a gande?

    Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here? (Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?)

  9. Kpa a, please.

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Nenge a kpa?

    Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei? (Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ior kwagh nahan?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Ior u kpa a kpa

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (ior u kpa a kpa)

  3. Ior m ngu u kpa?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (ior m ngu u kpa)

  4. Ior m gban a card?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (ior m gban a card)

  5. A doo a table m ngu a yô

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (a doo a table m ngu a yô)

  6. Ior a bill, please

    Chikwereti, ndapota (ior a bill, please)

  7. Ior a service m nahan?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (ior a service m nahan)

  8. A m vegetarian

    Ndiri muvegetarian (a m vegetarian)

  9. A m nahan a spicy food

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (a m nahan a spicy food)

  10. Ior a kpa

    Izvi zvinonaka (ior a kpa)

  11. Ior m gban a menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (ior m gban a menu)

  12. A glass a water, please

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (a glass a water)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Kpa a police

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Kpa a ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. M ba a doctor

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. M kpa a kpa

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. M kpa a nyam

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. I kpa a hospital mza?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. I kpa a sha

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. M kpa a passport m

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. I kpa a hotel m?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Kpa!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Ior u kpa.

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Ka a hia ikyô.

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Nî kpa u kpa?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. M gbanor u kpe.

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. A hia nî u hia?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. M kpa u venge.

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Ior u nenge.

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. M hia u kpa.

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Ior a hia u mba?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Ka m hia u.

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Ikyô u kpa a Friday.

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

    Ndeipi nguva? (N-dei-pi n-guh-wah?)

  2. Ior a tyoor

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Ior

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Kpa

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Ior a sha

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Ior a yô

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Ior a kô

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Ior a ngô

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Mba

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Ishô

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Tyoor

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Ishê

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Mba kpa

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Ior a kpa

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Ior a kpa

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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