Language/Shona/Vocabulary/How-to-Say-Hello-and-Greetings

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🤗 Shona Greetings for Everyday Life

Hi Shona learners! 😃

Shona is a Bantu language spoken mainly in Zimbabwe where it is one of the 16 official languages, also in several other southern African countries, such as Botswana, Zambia or Mozambique.

Do you want to learn how to say “Hello” in Shona?

Greetings are an important part of any language because they allow you to connect and communicate with others.

If you’re planning a trip to the country or are trying to learn Shona, keep reading to discover some of the most important greetings.

Let’s get started! 🤗

Greetings[edit | edit source]

English	Shona	Comment
general greeting spoken to one person	Mhoro	A casual greeting. Used when greeting a friend, sibling, youth or somebody at your level.
general greeting spoken to a group	Mhoroi	You end with i when greeting an elder or senior person to show respect.
reply to Mhoro and Mhoroi	Ehoi
morning greeting	Mamuka sei	You start with Ma when you are greeting an elderly person, senior or someone of importance.The opening is used to show respect.
morning greeting	Wamuka sei	You start with Wa when you are greeting a youth, friend, sibling or somebody at your level.
morning greeting	Mangwánaní	General term for greeting anybody in the morning. Apparently there is a South African Spa with this name
How was your day?	Masvera sei	The opening Ma is used to show respect to an elder
How was your day?	Wasvera sei	The opening Wa is used when it’s a casual greeting i.e. when greeting a youth, friend, sibling or somebody at your level.
general greeting spoken by a man	Masíkatí chirombówe
general greeting spoken by a woman	Masíkatí shéwe
general greeting spoken to a man	Masíkatí babá
general greeting spoken to a woman	Masíkatí mái
general greeting	Masíkatí
reply to Masíkatí	Ndaswera maswerawo
formal greeting	Tikukwazisei
reply to Tikukwazisei	Kwaziwai
formal greeting	Kanjani
informal greeting	Kanjan
how are you?	Muri rayiti?
how are you? informal	Uri rayiti?
reply to Muri rayiti and Uri rayiti	Ndiri rayiti
how are you?	Muribho here?
how are you? informal	Uribho here?
reply to Muribho here and Uribho here	Ndiripo
reply to Mangwánaní marara sei	Ndarara kana mararawo
evening greeting spoken by a man	Manheru chirombówe
evening greeting spoken by a woman	Manheru shéwe
general greeting spoken to one person in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Kwaziwa
general greeting spoken to a group of people in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Kwaziwai
morning greeting, "how have you slept?" in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Ma ka vata?
reply to Ma ka vata in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Ta ka vata hedu
how are you? in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Ma ka fara?
how are you? in the Chikaranga dialect [sna-kar]	Ma ka dini?
how are you? in the Mutoko dialect	Madoka chere?