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Shona to Swahili Translator

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Swahili to Shona

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How Shona and Swahili compare

Shared writing system

Shona and Swahili 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.

Related languages

Both Shona and Swahili belong to the Niger-Congo language family. Related languages tend to share vocabulary roots and comparable sentence structure, which generally makes machine translation between them more reliable — though false friends, words that look alike but mean different things, are also more common between relatives.

Matching sentence structure

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.

Speakers

Shona: Approximately 14.2 million speakers worldwide, with about 13.1 million in Zimbabwe. Swahili: Approximately 100 million speakers, making it a widely spoken language in East Africa and a lingua franca for the region.

Common Shona phrases in Swahili

Everyday phrases translated from Shona to Swahili — useful for travel, conversation and learning.

Greetings

Mhoro
Habari
Mangwanani akanaka
Habari za asubuhi
Masikati akanaka
Habari za mchana
Manheru akanaka
Habari za jioni
Husiku hwakanaka
Usiku mwema
Mofamba zvakanaka
Kwaheri
Tozoonana
Tuonane baadaye
Tosangana mangwana
Tuonane kesho
Welcome
Karibu
Makadii henyu?
Habari yako?
Ndaswera ndatenda
Sijambo, asante
Muve nezuva rakanaka
Uwe na siku njema

Courtesy

Ndapota
Tafadhali
Ndatenda
Asante
Ndinokutendai zvikuru
Asante sana
Unogamuchirwa
Mnakaribishwa
Hongu
Ndiyo
Kwete
Hapana
Pamusoroi
Samahani
Ndine urombo
Samahani
Hapana dambudziko
Hakuna tatizo
Chokwadi
Bila shaka
Makorokoto
Hongera sana
Rombo rakanaka
Bahati nzuri

Introductions

Zita rako ndiani?
Jina lako ni nani?
Ndafara kukuzivai
Nimefurahi kukutana nawe
Unobva kupi?
Unatoka wapi?
Une makore mangani?
Una umri gani?
Ndiri mudzidzi
Mimi ni mwanafunzi
Ndiri pano pazororo
Niko hapa likizo
Ndiri kuno kubasa
Niko hapa kwa kazi
Iyi ishamwari yangu
Huyu ni rafiki yangu

Numbers

Imwe
Moja
Vaviri
Mbili
Vatatu
Tatu
Four
Nne
Shanu
Tano
Nhanhatu
Sita
Nomwe
Saba
Eight
Nane
Nine
Tisa
Gumi
Kumi
Zana
Mia moja
Chiuru chimwe
Elfu moja

Time and dates

Nhasi
Leo
Mangwana
Kesho
Nezuro
Jana
Zvino
Sasa
Gare gare
Baadaye
Inguvai?
Ni saa ngapi?
Mangwanani
Asubuhi
Manheru
Wakati wa jioni
Muvhuro
Jumatatu
Chishanu
Ijumaa
Svondo rinouya
Wiki ijayo
Awa imwe
Saa moja

Directions and travel

Ko imba yekugezera iripi?
Bafuni iko wapi?
Chiteshi chechitima chiripi?
Kituo cha gari moshi kiko wapi?
Ndeipi airport?
Uwanja wa ndege uko wapi?
Ndosvika seiko?
Nitafikaje huko?
Enda kuruboshwe
Pinduka kushoto
Enda kurudyi
Geuka kulia
Enda mberi
Nenda mbele moja kwa moja
Yava pedyo
Iko karibu
Zviri kure
Ni mbali
Ndarasika
Nimepotea
Ndinoda tekisi
Nahitaji teksi
Ndingatenga tikiti kupi?
Je, ninaweza kununua tikiti wapi?
Imarii tikiti?
Tikiti ni shilingi ngapi?
Kwakachengeteka here kufamba?
Je, ni salama kutembea?

Food and restaurants

Ndine nzara
Nina njaa
Ndine nyota
Nina kiu
Mvura, ndapota
Maji, tafadhali
Tafura yevaviri ndapota
Jedwali la watu wawili, tafadhali
Menyu, ndapota
Menyu, tafadhali
Chii chaunorumbidza?
Je, unapendekeza nini?
Ndinoda izvi
Ningependa hii
Zvinonaka
Ni ladha
Bhiri, ndapota
Mswada, tafadhali
Handidyi nyama
Sili nyama
Ndine allergy yechikafu
Nina mzio wa chakula
Kofi
Kahawa
Tea
Chai
Chingwa
Mkate

Shopping and money

Izvi zvinoda marii?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Inodhura zvakanyanya
Ni ghali sana
Unogamuchira makadhi echikwereti here?
Je, unakubali kadi za mkopo?
Ndiri kungotarisa
Natafuta tu
Ndichaitora
Nitaichukua
Vhura
Fungua
Yakavharwa
Imefungwa
Entrance
Kiingilio
Exit
Toka
Musika uripi?
Soko liko wapi?

Emergency and health

Help
Msaada
Dana chiremba
Piga daktari
Dana mapurisa
Piga polisi
Ndinoda rubatsiro
Nahitaji msaada
Ndiri kurwara
Mimi ni mgonjwa
Chipatara chiripi?
Hospitali iko wapi?
Pharmacy iripi?
Duka la dawa liko wapi?
Zvinorwadza apa
Inauma hapa
Ndinoda chiremba
Nahitaji daktari
Pane chipatara padhuze here?
Je, kuna hospitali karibu?

Getting help with language

Unotaura chirungu here?
Je, unazungumza Kiingereza?
Handinzwisise
Sielewi
Ndinonzwisisa
Ninaelewa
Ndapota taura zvishoma nezvishoma
Tafadhali ongea polepole
Ndapota dzokorora izvozvo
Tafadhali rudia hilo
Ndapota nyora pasi
Tafadhali iandike
Izvi zvinorevei?
Hii ina maana gani?
Unozvitaura sei izvi?
Unasemaje hili?
Ndiri kudzidza
Ninajifunza
Ndinotaura zvishoma
Naongea kidogo
Mungandibatsirewo here?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Handizive
Sijui

Translations are generated automatically and may vary by region or context.

About Swahili Language

Geographical Distribution

Spoken in several countries in East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique, as well as in the African Great Lakes region.

Alphabet

Uses the Latin alphabet, with additional letters CH (ch as in 'church'), DH (dh as in 'this'), GH (gh as in 'giant'), KH (kh as in 'khan'), NG' (ng as in 'sing'), NY (ny as in 'canyon'), SH (sh as in 'shoe'), TH (th as in 'thin'), UU (uu as in 'boot'), and vowels with diacritical marks (É as in 'é', Ó as in 'ó').

Vowels

a (ah as in 'father')e (eh as in 'pet')i (ee as in 'meet')o (oh as in 'go')u (oo as in 'boot')É (eh as in 'é')Ó (oh as in 'ó')

Consonants

b (b as in 'bat')c (c as in 'cat')d (d as in 'dog')dh (dh as in 'this')f (f as in 'fox')g (g as in 'go')gh (gh as in 'giant')h (h as in 'house')j (j as in 'jump')k (k as in 'kat')kh (kh as in 'khan')l (l as in 'love')m (m as in 'mat')n (n as in 'nut')ng (ng as in 'sing')ny (ny as in 'canyon')p (p as in 'pat')r (r as in 'red')s (s as in 'sat')sh (sh as in 'shoe')t (t as in 'tot')th (th as in 'thin')u (u as in 'put')uu (uu as in 'boot')v (v as in 'vat')w (w as in 'wet')y (y as in 'yes')z (z as in 'zoo')

Phonetics

Features a distinctive set of sounds, including the 'dh' sound (like 'th' in 'this') and the 'kh' sound (like 'ch' in 'loch').

Grammar and Syntax

Subject-verb-object (SVO) order predominates. Features complex verb conjugation and an extensive noun class system.

Loanwords

Includes words from Arabic, Portuguese, English, and other languages due to historical and modern influences.

Language Family

Part of the Bantu language family, under the Niger-Congo language group.

Writing Systems

Currently uses the Latin script. Historically, also used the Arabic script.

Writing System History

Transitioned from Arabic to Latin script during the colonial period.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 100 million speakers, making it a widely spoken language in East Africa and a lingua franca for the region.

About Shona Language

Geographical Distribution

Primarily spoken in Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique, with communities in Botswana, Zambia, and Shona diaspora worldwide.

Alphabet

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

Vowels

a - pronounced like 'ah'e - pronounced like 'eh'i - pronounced like 'ee'o - pronounced like 'oh'u - pronounced like 'oo'

Consonants

bchdfghjklmnprssvtvwyzzhzv

Phonetics

Features 5 vowel phonemes, distinctive whistled sibilants (sv, zv), and high-low tone system affecting grammatical and lexical meaning.

Grammar and Syntax

Subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. Complex noun class system with 21 classes and extensive concordial agreement.

Loanwords

Contains loanwords from English, Afrikaans, and other Bantu languages due to colonial history and regional contact.

Language Family

Part of the Niger-Congo family, specifically the Bantu subfamily, closely related to other southeastern Bantu languages.

Writing Systems

Uses Latin script with digraphs for complex consonant sounds.

Writing System History

Written system developed by missionaries in late 19th century, orthography standardized for educational and official use.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 14.2 million speakers worldwide, with about 13.1 million in Zimbabwe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our translation service

  • 1Type or paste the Shona text.
  • 2Click on the Translate button.
  • 3Translated Swahili text appears instantly.
  • 4Copy or download translated text.

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