Shona Flashcards

Explore the examples below at your own pace. Choose a small set, recall it without looking, and return to it in your next practice session.

Prompt	Answer
One	potsi
Two	piri
Three	tatu
Four	ina
Five	shanu
Six	nhanhatu
Seven	nomwe
Eight	sere
Nine	pfumbamwe
Ten	gumi
First	yokutanga
Second	yepiri
Monday	muvhuro
Tuesday	chipiri
Wednesday	chitatu
Thursday	china
Friday	chishanu
Saturday	mugovera
Sunday	svondo
Now	iye zvino
Yesterday	nezuro
Today	nhasi
Tonight	manheru anhasi
Tomorrow	mangwana
Fruits	michero
Apples	maapuro
Bananas	mabhanana
Tomatoes	matomati
Potatoes	mbatatisi
Onions	hanyanisi
Red	tsvuku
Green	girini
Blue	bhuruu
White	chena
Black	nhema
Grey	pfumbu
Breakfast	kudya kwemangwanani
Lunch	kudya kwemasikati
Dinner	kudya kwemanheru
Milk	mukaka
Coffee	kofi
Bread	chingwa
Sunny	kune zuva
Windy	kune mhepo
Rainy	kuri kunaya
Snowy	kune sinou
Cold	kutonhora
Hot	kupisa
Boy	mukomana
Girl	musikana
Son	mwanakomana
Daughter	mwanasikana
Brother	hanzvadzi
Sister	hanzvadzi
Man	murume
Woman	mukadzi
Father	baba
Mother	amai
Grandfather	sekuru
Grandmother	ambuya
House	imba
Toilet	chimbudzi
Room	imba
Bedroom	imba yokurara
Kitchen	kicheni
Table	tafura
Cat	katsi
Dog	imbwa
Mouse	mbeva
Bird	shiri
Cow	mombe
Horse	bhiza
Socks	masokisi
Shoes	bhutsu
Trousers	tirauzi
Shirt	hembe
Sweater	juzi
Coat	chibhachi
English	chirungu
French	chifrench
German	chigerman
Spanish	chispanish
Italian	chiitaly
Portuguese	chiputukezi
Greek	chigreek
Russian	chirussia
Arabic	chiarabhu
Hindi	chihindi
Chinese	chichina
Japanese	chijapanese
Taxi	tekisi
Bus	bhazi
Hotel	hotera
Reservation	kubhuka
Airport	nhandare yendege
Passport	pasipoti
Student	mudzidzi
Teacher	mudzidzisi
Pen	chinyoreso
Books	mabhuku
Page	peji
Dictionary	duramazwi
Hand	ruoko
Feet	tsoka
Hair	bvudzi
Eye	ziso
Mouth	muromo
Nose	mhino
Ambulance	amburenzi
Doctor	chiremba
Hospital	chipatara
Pharmacy	famasi
Police	mapurisa
Stomach ache	kurwadziwa nomudumbu
And	uye
Under	pasi
Before	pamberi
After	pashure
Inside	mukati
Outside	panze
With	na
But	asi
For	nokuda
From	kubva
To	ku
In	mu
What?	chii?
Who?	ani?
How?	sei?
Why?	nei?
Where?	kupi?
Never	zvachose
Rarely	kashoma
Sometimes	dzimwe nguva
Usually	kakawanda
Always	nguva dzose
Very	chaizvo
I	ini
You	iwe
He	iye
She	iye
We	isu
They	ivo
My	chake
Your	chako
His	chake
Her	chake
Our	chedu
Their	chavo
I speak English	ndinotaura chirungu
You speak French	unotaura chifrench
He speaks German	anotaura chigerman
She speaks Italian	anotaura chiitaly
I visited France	ndakashanyira france
I will drink milk	ndichanwa mukaka
I understand you	ndinokunzwisisa
I don't understand you	handisi kukunzwisisa
I don't speak French	handitauri chifrench
This is my house	iyi ndiyo imba yangu
That restaurant is far	restorendi iyo haisi kure
No problem	hapana chinetso
Hi	hesi
What is your name?	zita rako ndiani?
Nice to meet you	ndafara kukuona
How are you?	wakadini?
I'm good, thanks	ndakasimba, waita hako
And you?	ko iwe?
Do you speak (English/Shona)?	unotaura (chirungu/ chishona) here?
Does she speak Chinese?	anotaura chichinese here?
A little bit	zvishoma
How old are you?	une makore mangani?
I'm 33 years old	ndine makore makumi matatu nematatu
It was nice talking to you	ndafara kutaura newe
What do you mean?	uri kurevei?
I don't understand	handisi kunzwisisa
I don't know	handizivi
Sorry	ndine urombo
What is that called in Shona?	icho chinonzii muchishona?
What does that word mean in English?	shoko iro rinorevei muchirungu?
Where are you from?	unobva kupi?
I'm from the U.S	ndinobva kuu.s
I'm American	ndiri wokuamerica
Where do you live?	unogara kupi?
I live in the U.S	ndinogara muu.s
What do you do for a living?	unoitei chinokuraramisa?
I'm a student	ndiri mudzidzi
Can I help you?	ndingakubatsira here?
Can you help me?	ungandibatsirawo here?
Where is the airport?	nhandare yendege iri kupi?
Go straight	ramba wakananga mberi
Then	uye
Turn left	kona kuruboshwe
Turn right	kona kurudyi
Happy birthday	makorokoto ezuva rokuzvarwa
Happy New Year	makorokoto egore idzva
Merry Christmas	ivai nekisimusi inofadza
Good luck	tinokushuvirai zvakanaka
Congratulations	makorokoto
I have a reservation	ndabhuka
Do you have rooms available?	mune dzimba dzisina vanhu here?
I would like a non-smoking room	ndinoda imba musingaputwi fodya
How much it costs per night?	imarii usiku humwechete?
Waiter	hweta
How much is this?	ichi imarii?
What is this?	ichi chii?
Are you okay?	hauna kukuvara here?
I need a doctor	ndiri kuda chiremba
Help	rubatsiro
Call the ambulance	daidza amburenzi
Call the police	daidza mapurisa
I am sick	ndiri kurwara

Prompt

Answer

One

potsi

Two

piri

Three

tatu

Four

ina

Five

shanu

Six

nhanhatu

Seven

nomwe

Eight

sere

Nine

pfumbamwe

Ten

gumi

First

yokutanga

Second

yepiri

Monday

muvhuro

Tuesday

chipiri

Wednesday

chitatu

Thursday

china

Friday

chishanu

Saturday

mugovera

Sunday

svondo

Now

iye zvino

Yesterday

nezuro

Today

nhasi

Tonight

manheru anhasi

Tomorrow

mangwana

Fruits

michero

Apples

maapuro

Bananas

mabhanana

Tomatoes

matomati

Potatoes

mbatatisi

Onions

hanyanisi

Red

tsvuku

Green

girini

Blue

bhuruu

White

chena

Black

nhema

Grey

pfumbu

Breakfast

kudya kwemangwanani

Lunch

kudya kwemasikati

Dinner

kudya kwemanheru

Milk

mukaka

Coffee

kofi

Bread

chingwa

Sunny

kune zuva

Windy

kune mhepo

Rainy

kuri kunaya

Snowy

kune sinou

Cold

kutonhora

Hot

kupisa

Boy

mukomana

Girl

musikana

Son

mwanakomana

Daughter

mwanasikana

Brother

hanzvadzi

Sister

hanzvadzi

Man

murume

Woman

mukadzi

Father

baba

Mother

amai

Grandfather

sekuru

Grandmother

ambuya

House

imba

Toilet

chimbudzi

Room

imba

Bedroom

imba yokurara

Kitchen

kicheni

Table

tafura

Cat

katsi

Dog

imbwa

Mouse

mbeva

Bird

shiri

Cow

mombe

Horse

bhiza

Socks

masokisi

Shoes

bhutsu

Trousers

tirauzi

Shirt

hembe

Sweater

juzi

Coat

chibhachi

English

chirungu

French

chifrench

German

chigerman

Spanish

chispanish

Italian

chiitaly

Portuguese

chiputukezi

Greek

chigreek

Russian

chirussia

Arabic

chiarabhu

Hindi

chihindi

Chinese

chichina

Japanese

chijapanese

Taxi

tekisi

Bus

bhazi

Hotel

hotera

Reservation

kubhuka

Airport

nhandare yendege

Passport

pasipoti

Student

mudzidzi

Teacher

mudzidzisi

Pen

chinyoreso

Books

mabhuku

Page

peji

Dictionary

duramazwi

Hand

ruoko

Feet

tsoka

Hair

bvudzi

Eye

ziso

Mouth

muromo

Nose

mhino

Ambulance

amburenzi

Doctor

chiremba

Hospital

chipatara

Pharmacy

famasi

Police

mapurisa

Stomach ache

kurwadziwa nomudumbu

And

uye

Under

pasi

Before

pamberi

After

pashure

Inside

mukati

Outside

panze

With

But

asi

For

nokuda

From

kubva

What?

chii?

Who?

ani?

How?

sei?

Why?

nei?

Where?

kupi?

Never

zvachose

Rarely

kashoma

Sometimes

dzimwe nguva

Usually

kakawanda

Always

nguva dzose

Very

chaizvo

ini

You

iwe

iye

She

iye

isu

They

ivo

chake

Your

chako

His

chake

Her

chake

Our

chedu

Their

chavo

I speak English

ndinotaura chirungu

You speak French

unotaura chifrench

He speaks German

anotaura chigerman

She speaks Italian

anotaura chiitaly

I visited France

ndakashanyira france

I will drink milk

ndichanwa mukaka

I understand you

ndinokunzwisisa

I don't understand you

handisi kukunzwisisa

I don't speak French

handitauri chifrench

This is my house

iyi ndiyo imba yangu

That restaurant is far

restorendi iyo haisi kure

No problem

hapana chinetso

hesi

What is your name?

zita rako ndiani?

Nice to meet you

ndafara kukuona

How are you?

wakadini?

I'm good, thanks

ndakasimba, waita hako

And you?

ko iwe?

Do you speak (English/Shona)?

unotaura (chirungu/ chishona) here?

Does she speak Chinese?

anotaura chichinese here?

A little bit

zvishoma

How old are you?

une makore mangani?

I'm 33 years old

ndine makore makumi matatu nematatu

It was nice talking to you

ndafara kutaura newe

What do you mean?

uri kurevei?

I don't understand

handisi kunzwisisa

I don't know

handizivi

Sorry

ndine urombo

What is that called in Shona?

icho chinonzii muchishona?

What does that word mean in English?

shoko iro rinorevei muchirungu?

Where are you from?

unobva kupi?

I'm from the U.S

ndinobva kuu.s

I'm American

ndiri wokuamerica

Where do you live?

unogara kupi?

I live in the U.S

ndinogara muu.s

What do you do for a living?

unoitei chinokuraramisa?

I'm a student

ndiri mudzidzi

Can I help you?

ndingakubatsira here?

Can you help me?

ungandibatsirawo here?

Where is the airport?

nhandare yendege iri kupi?

Go straight

ramba wakananga mberi

Then

uye

Turn left

kona kuruboshwe

Turn right

kona kurudyi

Happy birthday

makorokoto ezuva rokuzvarwa

Happy New Year

makorokoto egore idzva

Merry Christmas

ivai nekisimusi inofadza

Good luck

tinokushuvirai zvakanaka

Congratulations

makorokoto

I have a reservation

ndabhuka

Do you have rooms available?

mune dzimba dzisina vanhu here?

I would like a non-smoking room

ndinoda imba musingaputwi fodya

How much it costs per night?

imarii usiku humwechete?

Waiter

hweta

How much is this?

ichi imarii?

What is this?

ichi chii?

Are you okay?

hauna kukuvara here?

I need a doctor

ndiri kuda chiremba

Help

rubatsiro

Call the ambulance

daidza amburenzi

Call the police

daidza mapurisa

I am sick

ndiri kurwara

Fresh learning guides

Your first Shona conversation: questions, replies and recovery phrases

Shona numbers and time words: a practical beginner’s guide

Reading Shona sentence patterns: a guide to noticing what changes

Related lessons

Vocabulary

Phrases

Grammar

Flashcards

Quiz

Word practice

Alphabet

Fresh learning guides

Your first Shona conversation: questions, replies and recovery phrases

Shona numbers and time words: a practical beginner’s guide

Reading Shona sentence patterns: a guide to noticing what changes