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Common Acholi to Tumbuka phrases

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

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Looking for practical Acholi to Tumbuka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Tumbuka translation (Tumbuka) — 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 Tumbuka.

Tip: pick five Tumbuka 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 Tumbuka 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

    Muli bwanji (bok mo-tee)

  4. Bok nongo

    Muli bwanji (bok non-go)

  5. Bok obedo

    Muli bwanji (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 lanu 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

    Ndine wokondwa 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?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Nye neno.

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. Nye konyo tye kanyim.

    Chonde yankhulani pang'ono (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. Itye konyo tye kanyim?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?

    Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. Konyo kuc.

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Konyo kuc.

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Tye kanyim.

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. One ticket, please.

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Iti kanyim kanyim?

    Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. Nye konyo.

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Iye

  2. Bila

    Ayi

  3. Kweyo

    Pang'ono

  4. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Ng'ato konyo ni

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Okwero kany

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. Ika kany?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  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 vutoli

  13. Tye kany

    Zikomo

  14. Aye konyo

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Tye kany ma ng'ato

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Atye kany kwo?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (Atye kany kwo?)

  2. Atye kany bura?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi? (Atye kany bura?)

  3. Kati onyo kwo?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (Kati onyo kwo?)

  4. Nye kwo nongo?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita? (Nye kwo nongo?)

  5. Kik kwo gwen?

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

  6. Okwang kany ici

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Okwang kany piny

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Nye konyo i map?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi? (Nye konyo i map?)

  9. Doko ici, pe?

    Chimitsa apa, 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?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Okwero keken

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. Itye keken me?

    Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. Nye konyo kadi?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Nye tye kany kwo

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. Kaka, nyinga

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Kati kany me?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Nye konyo wot

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. Kati wot kany, nyinga

    Chonde, osati chakudya chothira (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. Iti kany

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Nye konyo kadi me?

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Kadi me kic, nyinga

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Yat ma police

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Yat ma ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Nye konyo doctor

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Nye konyo wot

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Nye konyo kany kic

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Kati ki hospital ma kany?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Okwero ineno

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Nye tye konyo passport

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  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

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu (Nye kany me)

  2. Dano kany oting

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nye kany ma kany?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ngatye kany report kany

    Ndidzatumiza 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 onani fayilo yolembedwa (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 imeneyi? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Dano kany ma kany

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Kany kany Friday

    Nthawi yomaliza 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 chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Kany me tye keken

    Ndi saa tatu (Kany me tye keken)

  3. Nye kany

    Lero (Nye kany)

  4. Nye kany me

    Maŵa (Nye kany me)

  5. Nye kany tye

    Kale (Nye kany tye)

  6. Ponyo

    Lolemba (Ponyo)

  7. Ponyo keken

    Lachiwiri (Ponyo keken)

  8. Ponyo tye

    Lachitatu (Ponyo tye)

  9. Moko

    Mmodzi (Moko)

  10. Maka

    Awiri (Maka)

  11. Mek

    Atatu (Mek)

  12. Ten

    Kumi (Ten)

  13. Paka

    Zana (Paka)

  14. Piny

    Pachikhalidwe (Piny)

  15. Kaka

    Zambiri (Kaka)

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