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English and Shona are both written in Latin, so the translated output uses characters you already recognise. You can usually read the result aloud without transliteration, though spelling conventions and accented characters still differ.
English belongs to the Indo-European family while Shona belongs to the Niger-Congo family. With no shared ancestry there are few cognates to fall back on, so idioms and fixed expressions rarely map word-for-word. Short, literal sentences translate more accurately than figurative ones.
Both languages follow subject-verb-object (SVO) order, so clauses usually keep their shape during translation. Words tend to land in a similar position, which makes it easier to check a translation against the original even without fluency.
English: Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers. Shona: Approximately 14.2 million speakers worldwide, with about 13.1 million in Zimbabwe.
Everyday phrases translated from English to Shona — useful for travel, conversation and learning.
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Hello | Mhoro |
| Good morning | Mangwanani akanaka |
| Good afternoon | Masikati akanaka |
| Good evening | Manheru akanaka |
| Good night | Husiku hwakanaka |
| Goodbye | Mofamba zvakanaka |
| See you later | Tozoonana |
| See you tomorrow | Tosangana mangwana |
| Welcome | Welcome |
| How are you? | Makadii henyu? |
| I am fine, thank you | Ndaswera ndatenda |
| Have a good day | Muve nezuva rakanaka |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Please | Ndapota |
| Thank you | Ndatenda |
| Thank you very much | Ndinokutendai zvikuru |
| You are welcome | Unogamuchirwa |
| Yes | Hongu |
| No | Kwete |
| Excuse me | Pamusoroi |
| I am sorry | Ndine urombo |
| No problem | Hapana dambudziko |
| Of course | Chokwadi |
| Congratulations | Makorokoto |
| Good luck | Rombo rakanaka |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| What is your name? | Zita rako ndiani? |
| Nice to meet you | Ndafara kukuzivai |
| Where are you from? | Unobva kupi? |
| How old are you? | Une makore mangani? |
| I am a student | Ndiri mudzidzi |
| I am here on holiday | Ndiri pano pazororo |
| I am here for work | Ndiri kuno kubasa |
| This is my friend | Iyi ishamwari yangu |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| One | Imwe |
| Two | Vaviri |
| Three | Vatatu |
| Four | Four |
| Five | Shanu |
| Six | Nhanhatu |
| Seven | Nomwe |
| Eight | Eight |
| Nine | Nine |
| Ten | Gumi |
| One hundred | Zana |
| One thousand | Chiuru chimwe |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Today | Nhasi |
| Tomorrow | Mangwana |
| Yesterday | Nezuro |
| Now | Zvino |
| Later | Gare gare |
| What time is it? | Inguvai? |
| In the morning | Mangwanani |
| In the evening | Manheru |
| Monday | Muvhuro |
| Friday | Chishanu |
| Next week | Svondo rinouya |
| One hour | Awa imwe |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Where is the bathroom? | Ko imba yekugezera iripi? |
| Where is the train station? | Chiteshi chechitima chiripi? |
| Where is the airport? | Ndeipi airport? |
| How do I get there? | Ndosvika seiko? |
| Turn left | Enda kuruboshwe |
| Turn right | Enda kurudyi |
| Go straight ahead | Enda mberi |
| It is near | Yava pedyo |
| It is far | Zviri kure |
| I am lost | Ndarasika |
| I need a taxi | Ndinoda tekisi |
| Where can I buy a ticket? | Ndingatenga tikiti kupi? |
| How much is the ticket? | Imarii tikiti? |
| Is it safe to walk? | Kwakachengeteka here kufamba? |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| I am hungry | Ndine nzara |
| I am thirsty | Ndine nyota |
| Water, please | Mvura, ndapota |
| A table for two, please | Tafura yevaviri ndapota |
| The menu, please | Menyu, ndapota |
| What do you recommend? | Chii chaunorumbidza? |
| I would like this | Ndinoda izvi |
| It is delicious | Zvinonaka |
| The bill, please | Bhiri, ndapota |
| I do not eat meat | Handidyi nyama |
| I have a food allergy | Ndine allergy yechikafu |
| Coffee | Kofi |
| Tea | Tea |
| Bread | Chingwa |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| How much does this cost? | Izvi zvinoda marii? |
| It is too expensive | Inodhura zvakanyanya |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Unogamuchira makadhi echikwereti here? |
| I am just looking | Ndiri kungotarisa |
| I will take it | Ndichaitora |
| Open | Vhura |
| Closed | Yakavharwa |
| Entrance | Entrance |
| Exit | Exit |
| Where is the market? | Musika uripi? |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Help | Help |
| Call a doctor | Dana chiremba |
| Call the police | Dana mapurisa |
| I need help | Ndinoda rubatsiro |
| I am sick | Ndiri kurwara |
| Where is the hospital? | Chipatara chiripi? |
| Where is the pharmacy? | Pharmacy iripi? |
| It hurts here | Zvinorwadza apa |
| I need a doctor | Ndinoda chiremba |
| Is there a hospital nearby? | Pane chipatara padhuze here? |
| English | Shona |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Unotaura chirungu here? |
| I do not understand | Handinzwisise |
| I understand | Ndinonzwisisa |
| Please speak slowly | Ndapota taura zvishoma nezvishoma |
| Please repeat that | Ndapota dzokorora izvozvo |
| Please write it down | Ndapota nyora pasi |
| What does this mean? | Izvi zvinorevei? |
| How do you say this? | Unozvitaura sei izvi? |
| I am learning | Ndiri kudzidza |
| I speak a little | Ndinotaura zvishoma |
| Can you help me? | Mungandibatsirewo here? |
| I do not know | Handizive |
Translations are generated automatically and may vary by region or context.
Primarily spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique, with communities in Botswana, Zambia, and Shona diaspora worldwide.
Uses Latin alphabet with 23 letters: A, B, CH, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, SV, T, U, V, W, Y, Z, ZH, ZV
Features 5 vowel phonemes, distinctive whistled sibilants (sv, zv), and high-low tone system affecting grammatical and lexical meaning.
Subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. Complex noun class system with 21 classes and extensive concordial agreement.
Contains loanwords from English, Afrikaans, and other Bantu languages due to colonial history and regional contact.
Part of the Niger-Congo family, specifically the Bantu subfamily, closely related to other southeastern Bantu languages.
Uses Latin script with digraphs for complex consonant sounds.
Written system developed by missionaries in late 19th century, orthography standardized for educational and official use.
Approximately 14.2 million speakers worldwide, with about 13.1 million in Zimbabwe.
English is a global language, spoken as a first language in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also widely used as a second language worldwide.
Uses the Latin alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Features a complex phonetic system with significant variations in accent and pronunciation across different regions. Includes around 44 phonemes in Received Pronunciation and diphthongs and triphthongs.
Typically follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. Known for its relatively flexible syntax and extensive use of auxiliary verbs.
English vocabulary includes a vast number of loanwords from Latin, French, Norse, and many other languages, reflecting its historical development and adaptability.
Part of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.
Currently uses the Latin script, with a history of using other scripts such as Old English runes and the Anglo-Saxon futhorc
The Latin script was adopted during the medieval period, replacing the earlier runic alphabets used by Anglo-Saxon settlers.
Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers.
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