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Common Tswana to Shona phrases

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

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Looking for practical Tswana to Shona phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana 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: pick five Shona phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tswana 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. Dumela

    Mhoro

  2. Ke a leboga

    Ndatenda

  3. Dumelang

    Mangwanani akanaka

  4. Dumela mo afternoon

    Masikati akanaka

  5. Dumela mo evening

    Manheru akanaka

  6. Borai

    Usiku hwakanaka

  7. Tsamaya sentle

    Tichasangana gare gare

  8. Tsamaya sentle

    Sara zvakanaka

  9. O na le leina mang?

    Zita rako ndiani?

  10. Leina la me ke John

    Zita rangu ndiri John

  11. O kae?

    Uri sei?

  12. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ndinofara kukuziva

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. A o bua Seisemane?

    Unotaura Chirungu here? (unotaura chirungu here)

  2. Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle

    Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka (handitauri hindi zvakanaka)

  3. Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya

    Handinzwisisi (handinzwisisi)

  4. Tsweetswee bua ka bonako

    Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma (ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma)

  5. A o ka bo o bua seo gape?

    Ungazvitaura zvakare here? (ungazvitaura zvakare here)

  6. Borai bo kae?

    Chimbuzi chiripi? (chimbuzi chiripi)

  7. Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?

    Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta? (ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta)

  8. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona

    Tendeuka kuruboshwe (tendeuka kuruboshwe)

  9. Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng

    Tendeuka kurudyi (tendeuka kurudyi)

  10. Tswelela ka fao

    Enda mberi (enda mberi)

  11. Gaeletsi e bokae?

    Mari yechikwereti ingani? (mari yechikwereti ingani)

  12. Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee

    Tikiti imwe, ndapota (tikiti imwe, ndapota)

  13. A ke kgole go tswa fano?

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

  14. Ke a latlhela

    Ndakakanganiswa (ndakakanganiswa)

  15. Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang 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. Nnyaa

    Kwete

  3. Mafoko

    Pangove

  4. Ke a dumela

    Ndinobvumirana

  5. Ke sitwa go dumela

    Handibvumirane

  6. Seo se utlwisa molemo

    Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

  7. O akanya eng?

    Unofungei?

  8. O ka nthusa?

    Unogona kundibatsira here?

  9. Ke tlhoka thuso

    Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

  10. Emisa motsotso

    Mirira kwechinguva

  11. Ke maswabi

    Ndine urombo

  12. Ga go na bothata

    Hapana chakaipa

  13. A re amogele

    Makorokoto

  14. Tlhogomelo e e monate

    Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

  15. O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong

    Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ke kae borai jwa terene?

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

  2. Ke kae borai jwa boso?

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

  3. Ke phetogo efe?

    Ndeipi puratifomu? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Nako efe e tlogang?

    Inobva nenguva ipi? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. A ke tsela e e siameng?

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

  6. E kgaogang fa

    Iri pedyo pano (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. E le kgakala le fa

    Iri kure nepano (Iri kure nepano)

  8. O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?

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

  9. Emisa fa, tsweetswee

    Mira pano, ndapota (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. E tsaya nako e kae?

    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. Ke bokae?

    Zvinodhura here? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Seo ke se expensive

    Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo (se ke se expensive)

  3. A o na le sengwe se se cheap?

    Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here? (a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)

  4. Na nka lefa ka khadi?

    Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here? (na nka lefa ka khadi?)

  5. Ke kopa tafole ya babedi

    Ndingada tafura yevaviri (ke kopa tafole ya babedi)

  6. Bille, tsweetswee

    Chikwereti, ndapota (bille, tsweetswee)

  7. Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?

    Sevhisi iri mukati here? (na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)

  8. Ke movegetarian

    Ndiri muvegetarian (ke mo vegetarian)

  9. A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee

    Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota (a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)

  10. Se ke se monate

    Izvi zvinonaka (se ke se monate)

  11. Na nka nna le menu?

    Ndingawana menyu here? (na nka nna le menu?)

  12. Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee

    Girazi remvura, ndapota (glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Bua le mapolesa

    Fonera mapurisa

  2. Bua le ambulance

    Fonera amburensi

  3. Ke tlhoka ngaka

    Ndiri kuda chiremba

  4. Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa

    Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

  5. Ke na le allergy go peanuts

    Ndine allergic kumapundu

  6. Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?

    Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

  7. Go botlhoko fa

    Zvinorwadza pano

  8. Ke sitwa passport ya me

    Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

  9. O ka bua le hotele ya me?

    Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

  10. Thusa!

    Rubatsiro!

Work and business

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

  1. Ke itumetse go kopana le wena

    Ndinofara kukusangana

  2. A re beye ngwaga ya kopano

    Ngatirongei musangano

  3. Nako efe e go thusang?

    Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

  4. Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno

    Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

  5. A re ka bua ka borai?

    Tingataure mangwana here?

  6. Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang

    Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

  7. Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago

    Ndatenda nenguva yako

  8. Ke itumelela go dira le wena

    Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

  9. A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?

    Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

  10. A ke boele go wena

    Ndichadzoka kwauri

  11. Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano

    Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ke neng?

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

  2. Ke borai

    Iri pa3 (Ee-ree pah-tatu)

  3. Gompieno

    Nhasi (N-ha-see)

  4. Borai

    Mangwana (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Maabane

    Zuro (Zoo-roh)

  6. Mošupologo

    Muvhuro (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Labobedi

    Chipiri (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Labone

    Chitatu (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Ngwaga

    Imwe (Ee-mweh)

  10. Beke

    Piri (Pee-ree)

  11. Borai

    Tatu (Tah-too)

  12. Lesome

    Gumi (Goo-mee)

  13. Bolekane

    Zana (Zah-nah)

  14. Sephiri

    Hafu (Hah-foo)

  15. Go feta

    Zvimwe (Zvee-mweh)

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