Zimbabwe Travel Guide: Shona Phrasebook. Useful Shona Words and Phrases.
When you travel to a new country, learning the language is as important as packing your travel essentials. It will help you to communication with the people that you will meet, perhaps get a better price because you strived to bargain using the local language, or get faster service because you know how to make simple requests and orders. It will also help you to understand the country and its people better.
However, learning a new language is not that easy. If you are traveling to a new country as a tourist or for a short vacation, a phrasebook will suffice. But if you are going to a new country for further education or you are relocating due to work, it is best to enroll in a language school months before your scheduled trip. A formal approach to learning a new language will help you to speak it better by learn the proper grammar and conjugation and have a wider vocabulary. People who are traveling to another country for business should also strive to learn the language to better understand your business partners. And if you need your business papers and legal documents translated, it is best to partner with a professional translation service company to ensure that your documents are translated accurately in the least amount of time possible.
Our travel guide to Zimbabwe contains a comprehensive overview of Zimbabwe, a few handy travel safety tips, a bit of local knowledge in the Nice to Know section, a background on the country’s general temperatures and climate and a few of the major places to visit and things to do while enjoying your vacation in Zimbabwe. It makes for a nice reading and you can download a copy of it to take along with you. We also have section in our travel guide to Zimbabwe that lists some helpful Shona words and phrases that can be of practical help when you are going around the country. While English is widely spoken, there is a large majority that speaks the other official language of Zimbabwe, which is called Shona. It can take some getting used to but if you take the time to learn a few words, it will help you to understand the locals better.
Zimbabwe Useful Words and Phrases (Useful Shona Words and Phrases)
Here are some words and phrases in Shona that you will surely find useful as you travel around Zimbabwe.
~dy is pronounced like ~jg
~ty is said like ~chk
~mbw is pronounced as ~mbugg
~zv is like ~je
~sv is pronounced like ~sh
~sw is pronounced like ~skw
~vh is almost the same as the V in velvet
~v sounds in between a V and W
Basic Greetings in Shona
Hi there
How are you?
I’m fine.
Hi / how are you?
May I greet you / greetings (polite)
–
Good morning
Good morning, did you sleep well?
Ndarara (kana) mararawo
Good afternoon
Good afternoon, had a good day?
I did if you did / I did.
Good evening.
We’ll see each other tomorrow.
Good night
–
Goodbye
–
Good luck
–
Have a nice day.
–
Kanjan / kanjani
(M)urirayiti? / (M)uribho here?
Ndirirayiti / ndiripo
Mhoro(i)
Tikukwazisei
(response is – Kwaziwai)
Mangwanani
Mangwanani, mararasei?
I slept well if you did / I did sleep well
Masikati
Masikati, maswerasei?
Ndasweramaswerawo.
Manheru. Maswerasei (reply)
Tonanamangwana.
Urarezvakanaka (singular)
MurareZvakanaka (pl)
Sara Zvakanaka (singular)
SariayiZvakanaka (plural)
Uvenemhanzayakanaka (singular)
Muvenemhanzayakanaka (plural)
Uvenezuvarakanaka (singular)
Muvenezuvarakanaka (plural)
Basic Shona Phrases
What’s your name?
–
My name is…..
Who is it?
I am…
Go well (said by person staying)
Stay well (said by person going)
Goodbye (person leaving)
Excuse me
Do you speak English?
Thank you ( a general word)
Thank you (for doing a task)
Welcome
Hello
How are you?
–
I’m fine, thanks. And you?
Long time no see
Where are you from?
–
I am from…
Pleased to meet you
–
Bon voyage
–
I don’t understand
Please speak more slowly
Please say that again
Please write it down
Do you speak…?
Excuse me
Sorry
Help!
Fire!
Stop!
Call the police!
I
You
He / She
We
You (plural)
They
Yes
No
boy
girl
brother(of a boy), sister (of a girl)
sister (of a boy), brother (of a girl)
Unonzani? (singular)
Munonzani? (plural) / Zitarenyundiani?
Ndinonzi… / Zitarangu i…..
Ndiani?
Ndini….
Fambaizvakanaka
Saraizvakanaka
Fambaizvakanaka
Pamsoro / ipindeo
Unodzivakutawarachirungu?
Tatenda / Tinotenda / Ndatenda
Mazviita / Maitabasa / Maitazvenyu
Mauya
Mhoro (singular) Mhoroi (plural)
Makadinizvako? (singular)
Makadinizvenyu? (plural)
Ndiripo
Ko, vemakore!
Unobvakupi? (singular),
Munobvakupi? (plural)
Ndinobvaku…
Ndafarakukuziva (singular)
Ndafarakukuzivai (plural)
Ufambezvakanaka (singular)
Mufambezvakanaka (plural)
Handisikunyasonzwisisa
Ndinokumbirawokutimusakurumidzekutaura
Ndinokumbirawokutimuzvitaurefuti
Ndinokumbirawokutimuzvinyorepasi
Unotaura …? (singular) Munotaura …? (plural)
Pamusoro (singular)
Ndineurombo
Ndibatsireiwo!
Moto!
Mira!
Daiidzayimapurisa!
Ndi
U
A
Ti
Mu
Va
Ehe
Aiw
mukomana
musikana
mukoma
hanzvadzi
Shona Useful Words and Phrases – Asking for Directions
Where’s the toilet?
I am going to…
Let’s go!
I’m not going
Where is the…?
May we pass through?
May we come in?
Watch out!
When?
What’s the time?
Chimbuzichiripi?
Ndirikuendaku…
Handei!
Handisikuenda
Arikupi…?
Tipfuurei?
Tipindei?
Chenjerai!
Rini?
Inguvaii?
Shona Useful Words and Phrases – When Shopping
I don’t want to buy
How much?
How much is this?
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
100
1,000
This gentleman / lady will pay
for everything.
Leave me alone!
Handidikutenga
I marii?
Chinoitamarii?
potsi
piri
tatu
ina
shanu
tantahu
nomwe
tsere
pfumbanwe
gumi
makumimashanuepondho
churuchemadhora
Baba avandivovachabhadhara (gentleman)
Amaiavandivovachabhadhara (lady)
Ndisiye!!
Shona Useful Words and Phrases – When Dining Out
Bon appetit
I am full.
knife
vegetable
egg(s)
water
coffee
tea
potatoes
milk
cabbage
butter
food
dessert
bananas
biscuit
breakfast
soda
cucumber
beer
milk
meat
chicken
salty
fruit
salmon
rice
sandwich
cake
salt
pepper
sugar
sweet
sweets
plate
spoon
fork
cup
glass
cheese
Pamusoroyi
Ndaguta
banga (mapanga)
muriwo (miriwo)…
(ma) zai
mvura
kofi
ti
mbatatisi
mukaka
kavichi
bhata
chidyo / chokudya / zvidyo
chiseredzero
mhabhanana
bisikiti
chisvusvuro
svoda
gaka
doro
mukaka
nyama
hukwana
vava
muchero
ndungu
mupunga
sangwichi
keke
munyu
mhiripiri
shuga
tapiri
chiwitsi
ndiro
chipunu
forogo
komichi
girazi
chizi
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