Looking for practical Acholi to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: pick five Sesotho phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Sesotho 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
Lumelang(ah-yo)
Naki
Kea leboha(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Dumelang(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Molo(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Dumelang(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Borai(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Re tla kopana hamorao(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Tsamaya hantle(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
O na le lebitso lefe?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Lebitso la ka ke John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
O kae?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Nye neno.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ka kopo bua butle
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ntloana e kae?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Konyo kuc.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Konyo kuc.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Tye kanyim.
Eya ka pela
Iti kanyim ngat?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
One ticket, please.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Na e hole le mona?
Nye konyo.
Ke lahlehile
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Bila
Che
Kweyo
Mohlomong
Ng'ato konyo
Ke lumela
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ke sitwa
Okwero kany
Seo se utloahala hantle
Ika kany?
O nahana eng?
Ikwok kany?
Na o ka nthusa?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Ke hloka thuso
Tye kany
Emisa motsotso
Ng'ato konyo
Ke maswabi
Bila kany
Ha ho bothata
Tye kany
O amohelehile
Aye konyo
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Atye kany bura?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Kati onyo kwo?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nye kwo nongo?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Kik kwo gwen?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Okwang kany ici
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Okwang kany piny
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Nye konyo i map?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Doko ici, pe?
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
Nye kwo ngat?
E nka nako e kae?(e nka nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Okwero keken
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Itye keken me?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Nye konyo kadi?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Kaka, nyinga
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Kati kany me?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Nye konyo wot
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Iti kany
Se monate(se monate)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Calla mapolesa
Yat ma ambulance
Calla ambulance
Nye konyo doctor
Ke hloka ngaka
Nye konyo wot
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Nye konyo kany kic
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Okwero ineno
Ho bohloko mona
Nye tye konyo passport
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Yat!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
A re etse kopano(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Na re ka bua ka moso?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
A ke tle ke u boele(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.