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Common Tok Pisin to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Tok Pisin to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tok Pisin 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: read the Shona line out loud three times, then cover the Tok Pisin 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 Tok Pisin 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. Halo

    Mhoro

  2. Tenkyu

    Ndatenda

  3. Gutpela moning

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Gutpela apinun

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Gutpela nait

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Gutpela nait

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Lukim yu bihain

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Gudbai

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. Wanem nem bilong yu?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Mi nem em John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. Yu stap gut?

    Uri sei?

  12. Gutpela long mitim yu

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Yu tok Pisin?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Mi no tok Hindi gut.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Mi no save.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Plis, tok liklik.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. Yu ken tokim gen?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Wea toilet?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Olsem wanem mi ken go long centa?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Taim yu go, tanim left.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Taim yu go, tanim raet.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Go stret.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Olsem wanem pris bilong fare?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Wan tiket, plis.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. Em i long long wanem?

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

  14. Mi lus.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Wea mi ken baim SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yes

    Ehe

  2. No

    Kwete

  3. Baibe

    Pangove

  4. Mi agri

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Mi no agri

    Handibvumirane

  6. Em i gut

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. Yu ting wanem?

    Unofungei?

  8. Yu inap helpim mi?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Mi nidim help

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Wai liklik

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Mi sori

    Ndine urombo

  12. No problem

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Tenkyu

    Makorokoto

  14. Hapi baisde

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. Lukaut long trip

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Wea em train stesen?

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

  2. Wea em bus stop?

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

  3. Wea em platform?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Wanem taim em i likim?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Dispela em stret rot?

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

  6. Em i klostu hia

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Em i longwe long hia

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Yu inap soim mi long map?

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

  9. Stap hia, plis

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Hao long em i tek?

    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. Hamamas dispela i kost?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Dispela i tu mipela

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (mipela = expensive)

  3. Yu gat wanpela samting i nap?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (nap = cheaper)

  4. Inap mi peim long kad?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (peim = pay)

  5. Mi laikim wanpela tebol bilong tupela

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Bil, plis

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. Service i stap insait?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (stap = included)

  8. Mi vegetarian

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. No spicy kaikai, plis

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Dispela i naispela

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Inap mi kisim menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. Wanpela glas bilong wota, plis

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Kolim polis

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Kolim ambulans

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Mi nidim dokta

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Mi sik

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Mi gat alergi long pinat

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Wea hospital i klostu?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. I penim hia

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Mi lusim paspot

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. Yu inap kolim hotel bilong mi?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Help!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Nais long mitim yu

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. Makim wanpela miting

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Wanem taim i gut long yu?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Mi bai sendim report tude

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Inap bilong yumi tokim tede?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Plis lukim fael i atach

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Tenkyu long yu taim

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Mi lukim forward long wok wantaim yu

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. Yu inap kliaim dispela point?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. Lukim mi bai kam bek long yu

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Deidlain i Fraida

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Dispela taim em i wanem?

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

  2. Em i tri oklok

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Tude

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Tumora

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Yestede

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mande

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Tiusde

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Wensde

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Wan

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Tu

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Tri

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Ten

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Wan hanred

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Haf

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Mo

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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