SemaSoma
Shona overview

How to say hello, thank you and more in Shona

25 essential Shona phrases with pronunciation written out for English speakers. Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. The stressed syllable is in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.

Quick answers

Hello

Mhoro

/MHO-ro/

Thank you

Ndatenda

/n-da-TEN-da/

Goodbye

Chisarai

/chee-sa-RAI/

Yes

Hongu

/HON-goo/

No

Kwete

/KWEH-teh/

Please

Ndapota

/n-da-PO-ta/

Welcome

Mauya

/ma-OO-ya/

Sorry

Ndine urombo

/n-DEE-neh oo-ROM-bo/

How are you?

Makadii?

/ma-ka-DEE-ee/

Practise these in the Shona courseTranslate your own phrase

Free

Get one Shona phrase a day by email

A short phrase with its pronunciation, every day. No account and no card needed — just an email address.

One click to unsubscribe. We never sell your email.

First words

Greet someone and be polite

  • MhoroHello/MHO-ro/
  • NdatendaThank you/n-da-TEN-da/
  • MauyaWelcome/ma-OO-ya/
  • ChisaraiGoodbye/chee-sa-RAI/
  • HonguYes/HON-goo/
  • KweteNo/KWEH-teh/
  • NdapotaPlease/n-da-PO-ta/
  • Ndine uromboSorry/n-DEE-neh oo-ROM-bo/

Meeting people

Introduce yourself and ask how someone is

  • Zita rangu ndinonzi AmaraMy name is Amara/ZEE-ta RAN-goo n-dee-NON-zee a-MA-ra/
  • Zita rako ndiani?What is your name?/ZEE-ta RA-ko n-dee-A-nee/
  • Makadii?How are you?/ma-ka-DEE-ee/
  • NdiripoI am fine/n-dee-REE-po/
  • MvuraWater/m-VOO-ra/
  • ChikafuFood/chee-KA-foo/
  • ShamwariFriend/sha-m-WA-ree/
  • ImbaHouse/EEM-ba/

Counting

Numbers one to five and market basics

  • PoshiOne/PO-shee/
  • PiriTwo/PEE-ree/
  • TatuThree/TA-too/
  • InaFour/EE-na/
  • ShanuFive/SHA-noo/
  • Imarii?How much is it?/ee-ma-REE-ee/
  • MusikaMarket/moo-SEE-ka/
  • MvuraWater/m-VOO-ra/
  • Ndinoda kutengaI want to buy/n-dee-NO-da koo-TEN-ga/

Questions people ask about Shona

How do you say "hello" in Shona?

"Hello" in Shona is Mhoro, pronounced /MHO-ro/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

How do you say "thank you" in Shona?

"Thank you" in Shona is Ndatenda, pronounced /n-da-TEN-da/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

How do you say "how are you?" in Shona?

"How are you?" in Shona is Makadii?, pronounced /ma-ka-DEE-ee/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

Is Shona hard to learn?

  • Spelling is highly regular — words are read exactly as written.
  • Every syllable ends in a vowel, so pronunciation is even and rhythmic.
  • Greetings change depending on how many people you are addressing.

Where is Shona spoken?

Zimbabwe, with speakers in Mozambique and Zambia — around 15 million. Writing system: Latin alphabet.

Can I learn Shona for free?

Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.

Comparing apps? See how SemaSoma compares to other African language apps.