Translate now

Common Acholi to Chichewa phrases

100 practical Acholi to Chichewa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

← Back to Acholi to Chichewa Translator

Looking for practical Acholi to Chichewa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Chichewa translation (Chichewa) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.

The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Chichewa.

Tip: read the Chichewa line out loud three times, then cover the Acholi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Chichewa translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.

Greetings and pleasantries

Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.

  1. Ayo

    Moni (ah-yo)

  2. Naki

    Zikomo (nah-kee)

  3. Bok moti

    M'mawa wabwino (bok mo-tee)

  4. Bok nongo

    Masana abwino (bok non-go)

  5. Bok obedo

    Madziwabwino (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Bok ngat

    Usiku wabwino (bok ngat)

  7. Tye kany

    Tiwonana (tye kan-yee)

  8. Itye

    Tsalani bwino (ee-tye)

  9. Iti ma ineno?

    Dzina lako ndi ndani? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Ineno John

    Dzina langa ndi John (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Iti ma inyo?

    Muli bwanji? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Gat ma inyo

    Ndikufuna kukumana nanu (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Itye konyo English?

    Mukulankhula Chingerezi? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.

    Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Nye neno.

    Sindikumva (Sindikumva)

  4. Nye konyo tye kanyim.

    Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Itye konyo tye kanyim?

    Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?

    Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Konyo kuc.

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Konyo kuc.

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Tye kanyim.

    Pitani mwachindunji (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. One ticket, please.

    Tiket imodzi, chonde (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Iti kanyim kanyim?

    Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Nye konyo.

    Ndakhalapo (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Inde

  2. Bila

    Ayi

  3. Kweyo

    Mwina

  4. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ng'ato konyo ni

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Okwero kany

    Zimakoma

  7. Ika kany?

    Mumaganiza chiyani?

  8. Ikwok kany?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Ng'ato konyo kany

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Tye kany

    Dikirani pang'ono

  11. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Bila kany

    Palibe vuto

  13. Tye kany

    Zikomo

  14. Aye konyo

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Tye kany ma ng'ato

    Pita bwino

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Atye kany kwo?

    Kuti ndi kuti sitima? (Atye kany kwo?)

  2. Atye kany bura?

    Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka? (Atye kany bura?)

  3. Kati onyo kwo?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (Kati onyo kwo?)

  4. Nye kwo nongo?

    Ndi nthawi iti imatenga? (Nye kwo nongo?)

  5. Kik kwo gwen?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (Kik kwo gwen?)

  6. Okwang kany ici

    Ili pafupi pano (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Okwang kany piny

    Ili kutali pano (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Nye konyo i map?

    Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu? (Nye konyo i map?)

  9. Doko ici, pe?

    Khalani pano, chonde (Doko ici, pe?)

  10. Nye kwo ngat?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (Nye kwo ngat?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Nye keken me?

    Zimatenga ndalama zingati? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Okwero keken

    Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri. (Okwero keken)

  3. Itye keken me?

    Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Nye konyo kadi?

    Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Nye tye kany kwo

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri. (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Kaka, nyinga

    Chikonthe, chonde. (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Kati kany me?

    Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Nye konyo wot

    Ndine mvegetarian. (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Kati wot kany, nyinga

    Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde. (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Iti kany

    Izi ndizochuluka. (Iti kany)

  11. Nye konyo kadi me?

    Ndingathe kupeza menyu? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Kadi me kic, nyinga

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde. (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Yat ma police

    Fufuzani apolisi

  2. Yat ma ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Nye konyo doctor

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Nye konyo wot

    Ndikumva kutopa

  5. Nye konyo kany kic

    Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

  6. Kati ki hospital ma kany?

    Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

  7. Okwero ineno

    Kukonda apa

  8. Nye tye konyo passport

    Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

  9. Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Yat!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nye kany me

    Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu (Nye kany me)

  2. Dano kany oting

    Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nye kany ma kany?

    Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ngatye kany report kany

    Ndzatumiza lipoti lero (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Nye kany ma file kany

    Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Atye kany ma kany

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Nye kany ma kany kany

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Dano kany ma kany

    Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Kany kany Friday

    Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu (Kany kany Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Nye kany me?

    Ndi nthawi yanji? (Nye kany me?)

  2. Kany me tye keken

    Ndi nthawi itatu. (Kany me tye keken)

  3. Nye kany

    Lero (Nye kany)

  4. Nye kany me

    Mawa (Nye kany me)

  5. Nye kany tye

    Ch yesterday (Nye kany tye)

  6. Ponyo

    Lolemba (Ponyo)

  7. Ponyo keken

    Lachiwiri (Ponyo keken)

  8. Ponyo tye

    Lachitatu (Ponyo tye)

  9. Moko

    Chimodzi (Moko)

  10. Maka

    Chiwiri (Maka)

  11. Mek

    Chitatu (Mek)

  12. Ten

    Kumi (Ten)

  13. Paka

    Zana (Paka)

  14. Piny

    Pafupifupi (Piny)

  15. Kaka

    Zambiri (Kaka)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Acholi to Chichewa translator.

Open translator