Looking for practical Acholi to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Nuer-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Nuer 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
Nhiar(ah-yo)
Naki
Nyaak(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Nhiar kɔ̈c(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Kɛ̈n(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Nye neno.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Konyo kuc.
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Konyo kuc.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Tye kanyim.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
One ticket, please.
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Nye konyo.
Nyaac ke nyin.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Bila
Naa
Kweyo
Nyaak
Ng'ato konyo
Nyeek a kech
Ng'ato konyo ni
Nyeek a kech naa
Okwero kany
Iye kech kɛl
Ika kany?
Nyaak a kech?
Ikwok kany?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Tye kany
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Ng'ato konyo
Nyeek a kech
Bila kany
Naa a kech kɛl
Tye kany
Aye kɛl
Aye konyo
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Atye kany bura?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Kati onyo kwo?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Nye kwo nongo?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
Kik kwo gwen?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
Okwang kany ici
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
Okwang kany piny
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
Nye konyo i map?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Doko ici, pe?
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Nye kwo ngat?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Okwero keken
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
Itye keken me?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Nye konyo kadi?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Nye tye kany kwo
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Kaka, nyinga
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Kati kany me?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Nye konyo wot
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Iti kany
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Yat ma ambulance
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Nye konyo doctor
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Nye konyo wot
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Nye konyo kany kic
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Okwero ineno
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Nye tye konyo passport
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Yat!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Dano kany oting
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.