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Swahili to Shona Translator

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Shona to Swahili

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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

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

Courtesy

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

Introductions

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

Numbers

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

Time and dates

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

Directions and travel

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 kushoto
Enda kuruboshwe
Geuka kulia
Enda kurudyi
Nenda mbele moja kwa moja
Enda mberi
Iko karibu
Yava pedyo
Ni mbali
Zviri kure
Nimepotea
Ndarasika
Nahitaji teksi
Ndinoda 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

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

Shopping and money

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

Emergency and health

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

Getting help with language

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

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

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

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