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Common Tsonga to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Tsonga to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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. Xewani

    Mhoro

  2. Ndza khensa

    Ndatenda

  3. Xewani xitulu

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Xewani ntlhanu

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Xewani nhloko

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Xewani xihlayo

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tshamisa

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Sala kahle

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. U vitaniwani?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Ndzina i John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. U njhani?

    Uri sei?

  12. Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. U vulavula Xitsonga?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. A ndzi twisisi.

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Xikombiso xihi?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Khandziya ekhaya.

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Khandziya ekunene.

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Famba u ya emahlweni.

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Mafambiselo ma yini?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. I yini ku tlula kona?

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

  14. Ndzi khomiwe.

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?

    Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM? (ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inhlawulo

    Ehe

  2. A hi kona

    Kwete

  3. Swi nga va tano

    Pangove

  4. Ndzi amukela

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ndzi nga amukeli

    Handibvumirane

  6. Iku na switlhavelo

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. U ehleketa yini?

    Unofungei?

  8. U nga ndzi pfuna?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ndzi lava mpfuno

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Hlayisa nkarhi

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ndzi tsundzuka

    Ndine urombo

  12. A hi na xiphiqo

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. Ndzakuva

    Makorokoto

  14. Mavongele yo tsakela

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. U va na ndlela yo olova

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

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

  2. Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?

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

  3. I platform yihi?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. I nkarhi muni yi hamba?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. I ndlela leyi nga right?

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

  6. I kona edzongeni.

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. I le n'hweti.

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?

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

  9. Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. I nkarhi muni ku taka?

    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. I ku humelela njhani?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. I kona ku phindzelela.

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

  3. U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

  4. Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

  5. Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri

  6. Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.

    Chikwereti, ndapota

  7. I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here?

  8. Ndza va vegetarian.

    Ndiri muvegetarian

  9. A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

  10. Leswi i switlhavi.

    Izvi zvinonaka

  11. Ndzaku na menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here?

  12. Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.

    Girazi remvura, ndapota

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tivisa mapolisa

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Tivisa ambalansi

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Ndzi lava dokotela

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ndzi khoma ku vava

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Ku vava laha

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Shelp!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. A hi endla xihlanganiso

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. A ndzi ta vuya eka wena

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Nkarhi wo heta i Friday

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. I yini nkarhi?

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

  2. I na nkarhi wa ntlhanu

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Namuntlha

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Swaswivula

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Vulavula

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mondza

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Tiyu

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Wensde

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. N'we

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. N'hlanu

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. N'khulu

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. N'khume

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. N'khulu

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. N'hlangula

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Kopfu

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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