The Shona course
Learn Shona ten words at a time
chiShona
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Shona words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Shona challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Shona · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- Mhorom-HOH-roh
- Hello
- Mhorom-HOH-roh
- Hi
- Mangwananimahn-gwah-NAH-nee
- Good morning
- Usiku wakanakaoo-SEE-koo wah-kah-NAH-kah
- Good night
- Ndatenda zvikurun-dah-TEN-dah zee-KOO-roo
- Thank you very much
- Ndatendan-dah-TEN-dah
- Thanks
- Zvakanakazvah-kah-NAH-kah
- You're welcome
- Ndapotan-dah-POH-tah
- Please
- Pamusoroipah-moo-soh-ROY
- Excuse me
- Chisaraichee-sah-RY
- Goodbye
Shona · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- Chimwe beer, ndapotaCHIM-weh BEER n-dah-POH-tah
- One beer, please
- Chimwe chezvi, ndapotaCHIM-weh CHEZ-vee n-dah-POH-tah
- One of these, please
- Chimwe kofi, ndapotaCHIM-weh KOH-fee n-dah-POH-tah
- One coffee, please
- Zvibiri, ndapotazvee-BEE-ree n-dah-POH-tah
- Two, please
- Chimwe chichimwe, ndapotaCHIM-weh chee-CHIM-weh n-dah-POH-tah
- One more, please
- Zvakakurira sei?zvah-kah-koo-REE-rah SAY
- How much is it?
- Iyo invoice, ndapotaEE-yoh in-VOY-su n-dah-POH-tah
- The bill, please
- Ndingadzvanya here...?n-ding-AH-DZVAN-yah HEH-reh
- May I...?
- Cheers!CHEERZ
- Cheers!
- Hutanohoo-TAH-no
- Bless you
Shona · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- Indein-DEH
- Yes
- Kwetekwe-TEH
- No
- Zvakanakazvah-kah-NAH-kah
- Okay
- Zvakanaka, hapana dambudzikozvah-kah-NAH-kah HAH-pah-nah dam-boo-DZEE-ko
- Sure, no problem
- Handizivihan-dee-ZEE-vee
- I don't know
- Handizvinzwisisihan-dee-ZVIN-zwee-SEE-see
- I don't understand
- Inzwisisai English here?in-zwee-see-SAY ENG-lish HEH-reh
- Do you speak English?
- Shoma shomaSHOH-mah SHOH-mah
- A little
- Inde honguin-DEH HONG-oo
- Of course
- Zvose zvakanakaZVOH-seh zvah-kah-NAH-kah
- Everything is fine
Shona · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- ChimweCHIM-weh
- One
- Zvibirizvee-BEE-ree
- Two
- Zvitatuzvee-TAH-too
- Three
- Zvinazee-NAH
- Four
- GumiGOO-mee
- Ten
- Makumi mashanumah-KOO-mee mah-SHAH-noo
- Fifty
- ZanaZAH-nah
- One hundred
- Zimbabwe dollarzim-BAB-way DUL-ar
- Zimbabwean dollar
- Ne kadineh KAH-dee
- By card
- Nemarineh-MAH-ree
- In cash
Shona · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- ChingwaCHING-wah
- Bread
- Mukakamoo-KAH-kah
- Milk
- ChiziCHEE-zee
- Cheese
- Mvuramoo-VOO-rah
- Water
- Nzira here?n-ZEE-rah HEH-reh
- A bag?
- Munayo here...?moo-NAH-yo HEH-reh
- Do you have...?
- Ndipi here...?n-DEE-pee HEH-reh
- Where is...?
- IyiEE-yee
- This one
- Hapana chindimweHAH-pah-nah CHIN-dim-weh
- Nothing else
- Dzimba nenzira dzakadzamaDZIM-bah nen-ZEE-rah DZAH-kah-DZAH-mah
- Have a nice day
Shona · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- Tafura yezvibiri, ndapotatah-FOO-rah yeh-zvee-BEE-ree n-dah-POH-tah
- A table for two
- Risipi, ndapotaREE-see-pee n-dah-POH-tah
- The menu, please
- Chimwe espressoCHIM-weh es-PRES-soh
- One espresso
- Glazi yewainiGLAH-zee yeh-wah-EE-nee
- A glass of wine
- BiyaBEE-yah
- Draft beer
- Zvinhu zvose zvepanyikaZVEE-thoo ZVOH-seh zveh-pah-nee-KAH
- The local specialty
- Zvakakura kusvikazvah-kah-KOO-rah koo-SVEE-kah
- It's delicious
- Pasina icepah-SEE-nah ICE
- Without ice
- Kuzotakurakoo-zoh-tah-KOO-rah
- To take away
- Chigare chakoCHEE-gah-reh CHAH-koh
- Keep the change
Shona · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- Makadii henyu?mah-kah-DEE HEH-nyu
- How are you? (polite)
- Wakadinani?wah-kah-dee-NAH-nee
- How are you? (casual)
- Ndiripiko, zvakanakan-DEER-ee-pee-koh zvah-kah-NAH-kah
- I'm fine
- Iyewe?ee-YEH-weh
- And you?
- Nzira dzeshona dzii dzaita sei?n-ZEE-rah dzeh-SHOH-nah DZEE DZAH-ee-tah SAY
- What's new?
- Zuva rakanaka here?ZOO-vah rah-kah-NAH-kah HEH-reh
- Nice day, huh?
- Tichasangana rwendotee-chah-sang-AH-nah RWEN-doh
- See you soon
- Mangwanani mangwanamahn-gwah-NAH-nee MAHN-gwah-nah
- Have a nice evening
- Rambira mhuri yakoRAHM-bee-rah MOO-ree YAH-koh
- Say hi to the family
- Zvakanaka nezvosezvah-kah-NAH-kah neh-ZVOH-seh
- All the best
Shona · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Mvura iripi?moo-VOO-rah ee-REE-pee
- Where is the toilet?
- Kumasoyikoo-mah-SOH-yee
- Left
- Kurudyikoo-roo-DEE
- Right
- MberiMBEH-ree
- Straight ahead
- PanoPAH-noh
- Here
- IpoEE-poh
- There
- BhaziBAH-zee
- Bus
- Musha wemabhasiMOO-shah weh-mah-BAH-see
- Train station
- Tikiti chimwe, ndapotatee-KEE-tee CHIM-weh n-dah-POH-tah
- One ticket, please
- Mirai pano, ndapotaMEE-rah PAH-noh n-dah-POH-tah
- Stop here, please
Shona · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- Nhasin-HAH-see
- Today
- Mangwananimahn-gwah-NAH-nee
- Tomorrow
- Nezuroneh-ZOO-roh
- Yesterday
- Ikozvinoee-koz-VEE-noh
- Now
- Mamumemah-MOO-meh
- Later
- Nguva yei?NGOO-vah YEH
- What time is it?
- Muvhuromoo-VHOO-roh
- Monday
- Mugoveramoo-go-VEH-rah
- Saturday
- SvondoSVONN-doh
- Sunday
- Mugovera nesvondomoo-go-VEH-rah neh-SVONN-doh
- The weekend
Shona · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Rubatsai!roo-baht-SAY
- Help!
- Daidza chirembadah-EE-dzah chee-REM-bah
- Call a doctor
- Mapurisamah-poo-REE-sah
- Police
- ChemistCHEM-ist
- Pharmacy
- Chipatarachee-pah-TAH-rah
- Hospital
- Ndafara vildn-dah-FAH-rah VEEL
- I'm lost
- Handizivi zvarikuitikahan-dee-ZEE-vee zvah-ree-koo-EE-tee-kah
- I don't feel well
- Foni yanguFOH-nee YAN-goo
- My phone
- Yaibvunzwayah-ee-BVOON-zwah
- It was stolen
- Zvinhu zvinoshanda budiriraZVEE-thoo ZVEE-noh-SHAN-dah boo-DEER-ee-rah
- It's urgent