Looking for practical Acholi to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: when a Kanuri phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Acholi wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Kanuri 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.
Ayo
Sannu(ah-yo)
Naki
Nagode(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Ina kwana(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Ina yamma(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Ina dare(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Sai da safe(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Zan ganka(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Sai anjima(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Menene sunanka?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Sunana John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Lafiya lau?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Nye neno.
Ba na fahimta.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ina wanka?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Konyo kuc.
Juya hagu.
Konyo kuc.
Juya dama.
Tye kanyim.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nawa ne farashin?
One ticket, please.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Nye konyo.
Na ɓace.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Eey(ee-y)
Bila
A'a(ah-ah)
Kweyo
Wata(wah-tah)
Ng'ato konyo
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Ng'ato konyo ni
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Okwero kany
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Ika kany?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Ikwok kany?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Ng'ato konyo kany
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Tye kany
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Ng'ato konyo
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Bila kany
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Tye kany
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Aye konyo
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Nye boko na gari?(Atye kany kwo?)
Atye kany bura?
Nye boko na bas?(Atye kany bura?)
Kati onyo kwo?
Wane boko na?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Nye kwo nongo?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Kik kwo gwen?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Okwang kany ici
Yana kusa da nan(Okwang kany ici)
Okwang kany piny
Yana nesa da nan(Okwang kany piny)
Nye konyo i map?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(Nye konyo i map?)
Doko ici, pe?
Tsaida nan, don Allah(Doko ici, pe?)
Nye kwo ngat?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Okwero keken
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ina so tebur don biyu.(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Lissafi, don Allah.(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
Wannan yana da dadi.(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Zan iya samun menu?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Yat ma ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nye konyo doctor
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Nye konyo wot
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Nye konyo kany kic
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Okwero ineno
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nye tye konyo passport
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Yat!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Dano kany oting
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Nye kany ma kany?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Ngatye kany report kany
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Nye kany ma file kany
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Atye kany ma kany
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)