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Swahili to Shona Translator

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How Swahili and Shona compare

Shared writing system

Swahili 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.

Related languages

Both Swahili and Shona 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

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

Common Swahili phrases in Shona

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

Greetings

Greetings: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
HabariMhoro
Habari za asubuhiMangwanani akanaka
Habari za mchanaMasikati akanaka
Habari za jioniManheru akanaka
Usiku mwemaHusiku hwakanaka
KwaheriMofamba zvakanaka
Tuonane baadayeTozoonana
Tuonane keshoTosangana mangwana
KaribuWelcome
Habari yako?Makadii henyu?
Sijambo, asanteNdaswera ndatenda
Uwe na siku njemaMuve nezuva rakanaka

Courtesy

Courtesy: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
TafadhaliNdapota
AsanteNdatenda
Asante sanaNdinokutendai zvikuru
MnakaribishwaUnogamuchirwa
NdiyoHongu
HapanaKwete
SamahaniPamusoroi
SamahaniNdine urombo
Hakuna tatizoHapana dambudziko
Bila shakaChokwadi
Hongera sanaMakorokoto
Bahati nzuriRombo rakanaka

Introductions

Introductions: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
Jina lako ni nani?Zita rako ndiani?
Nimefurahi kukutana naweNdafara kukuzivai
Unatoka wapi?Unobva kupi?
Una umri gani?Une makore mangani?
Mimi ni mwanafunziNdiri mudzidzi
Niko hapa likizoNdiri pano pazororo
Niko hapa kwa kaziNdiri kuno kubasa
Huyu ni rafiki yanguIyi ishamwari yangu

Numbers

Numbers: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
MojaImwe
MbiliVaviri
TatuVatatu
NneFour
TanoShanu
SitaNhanhatu
SabaNomwe
NaneEight
TisaNine
KumiGumi
Mia mojaZana
Elfu mojaChiuru chimwe

Time and dates

Time and dates: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
LeoNhasi
KeshoMangwana
JanaNezuro
SasaZvino
BaadayeGare gare
Ni saa ngapi?Inguvai?
AsubuhiMangwanani
Wakati wa jioniManheru
JumatatuMuvhuro
IjumaaChishanu
Wiki ijayoSvondo rinouya
Saa mojaAwa imwe

Directions and travel

Directions and travel: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
Bafuni iko wapi?Ko imba yekugezera iripi?
Kituo cha gari moshi kiko wapi?Chiteshi chechitima chiripi?
Uwanja wa ndege uko wapi?Ndeipi airport?
Nitafikaje huko?Ndosvika seiko?
Pinduka kushotoEnda kuruboshwe
Geuka kuliaEnda kurudyi
Nenda mbele moja kwa mojaEnda mberi
Iko karibuYava pedyo
Ni mbaliZviri kure
NimepoteaNdarasika
Nahitaji teksiNdinoda tekisi
Je, ninaweza kununua tikiti wapi?Ndingatenga tikiti kupi?
Tikiti ni shilingi ngapi?Imarii tikiti?
Je, ni salama kutembea?Kwakachengeteka here kufamba?

Food and restaurants

Food and restaurants: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
Nina njaaNdine nzara
Nina kiuNdine nyota
Maji, tafadhaliMvura, ndapota
Jedwali la watu wawili, tafadhaliTafura yevaviri ndapota
Menyu, tafadhaliMenyu, ndapota
Je, unapendekeza nini?Chii chaunorumbidza?
Ningependa hiiNdinoda izvi
Ni ladhaZvinonaka
Mswada, tafadhaliBhiri, ndapota
Sili nyamaHandidyi nyama
Nina mzio wa chakulaNdine allergy yechikafu
KahawaKofi
ChaiTea
MkateChingwa

Shopping and money

Shopping and money: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?Izvi zvinoda marii?
Ni ghali sanaInodhura zvakanyanya
Je, unakubali kadi za mkopo?Unogamuchira makadhi echikwereti here?
Natafuta tuNdiri kungotarisa
NitaichukuaNdichaitora
FunguaVhura
ImefungwaYakavharwa
KiingilioEntrance
TokaExit
Soko liko wapi?Musika uripi?

Emergency and health

Emergency and health: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
MsaadaHelp
Piga daktariDana chiremba
Piga polisiDana mapurisa
Nahitaji msaadaNdinoda rubatsiro
Mimi ni mgonjwaNdiri kurwara
Hospitali iko wapi?Chipatara chiripi?
Duka la dawa liko wapi?Pharmacy iripi?
Inauma hapaZvinorwadza apa
Nahitaji daktariNdinoda chiremba
Je, kuna hospitali karibu?Pane chipatara padhuze here?

Getting help with language

Getting help with language: Swahili phrases and their Shona translations
SwahiliShona
Je, unazungumza Kiingereza?Unotaura chirungu here?
SielewiHandinzwisise
NinaelewaNdinonzwisisa
Tafadhali ongea polepoleNdapota taura zvishoma nezvishoma
Tafadhali rudia hiloNdapota dzokorora izvozvo
Tafadhali iandikeNdapota nyora pasi
Hii ina maana gani?Izvi zvinorevei?
Unasemaje hili?Unozvitaura sei izvi?
NinajifunzaNdiri kudzidza
Naongea kidogoNdinotaura zvishoma
Unaweza kunisaidia?Mungandibatsirewo here?
SijuiHandizive

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

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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our translation service

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