Looking for practical Acholi to Venda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Venda translation (Venda) — 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 Venda.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Venda-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Venda 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
Ndi matsheloni(ah-yo)
Naki
Ndi a livhuwa(nah-kee)
Bok moti
Ndi matsheloni(bok mo-tee)
Bok nongo
Ndi masiari(bok non-go)
Bok obedo
Ndi madekwana(bok oh-beh-do)
Bok ngat
Ndi masiari a u fhela(bok ngat)
Tye kany
Tshilidzi(tye kan-yee)
Itye
Vhuyani(ee-tye)
Iti ma ineno?
Ndi mini dzina lenu?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ineno John
Dzina langa ndi John(ee-neh-no John)
Iti ma inyo?
Ni khou itea?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Gat ma inyo
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?(ni a thota n'wambo)
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
Nye neno.
A ndi ḓivhi(a ndi dhiwi)
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
Iti kanyim ngat?
Bani hu na khotani?(bani hu na khotani)
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
Konyo kuc.
Fhulu u ya shango(fhulu u ya shango)
Konyo kuc.
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho(fhulu u ya thoho)
Tye kanyim.
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho(dhi thota nga thoho)
Iti kanyim ngat?
Fhasi i na hani?(fhasi i na hani)
One ticket, please.
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please(ticket ye la, nd please)
Iti kanyim kanyim?
I na fhasi u bva hone?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
Nye konyo.
Ndi a fhedza(ndi a fhedza)
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Bila
Aih
Kweyo
Ndi nga si
Ng'ato konyo
Ndi a livhuwa
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ndi a sa livhuwi
Okwero kany
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
Ika kany?
U vhona mini?
Ikwok kany?
U nga nthusa?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Ndi na nyito
Tye kany
Langa muthu
Ng'ato konyo
Ndi a humbula
Bila kany
A hu na nḓila
Tye kany
Ndi a livhuwa
Aye konyo
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Uphi i-station ye-train?(Atye kany kwo?)
Atye kany bura?
Uphi i-bus stop?(Atye kany bura?)
Kati onyo kwo?
I-platform efani na?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Nye kwo nongo?
Iri ngafhi?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Kik kwo gwen?
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Okwang kany ici
Iri khathihi na.(Okwang kany ici)
Okwang kany piny
Iri khulwane na.(Okwang kany piny)
Nye konyo i map?
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?(Nye konyo i map?)
Doko ici, pe?
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.(Doko ici, pe?)
Nye kwo ngat?
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Zwi khou itea ngani?(Nye keken me?)
Okwero keken
Izwi ndi zwihulu.(Okwero keken)
Itye keken me?
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?(Itye keken me?)
Nye konyo kadi?
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nye tye kany kwo
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kaka, nyinga
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.(Kaka, nyinga)
Kati kany me?
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?(Kati kany me?)
Nye konyo wot
Ndi muvegetarian.(Nye konyo wot)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iti kany
Izi ndi zwitukwama.(Iti kany)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Fhonelela mapolisa
Yat ma ambulance
Fhonelela ambulanse
Nye konyo doctor
Ndi funa ngaka
Nye konyo wot
Ndi a shota
Nye konyo kany kic
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
Okwero ineno
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
Nye tye konyo passport
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
Yat!
Ramba!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga(Nye kany me)
Dano kany oting
A ri vhe na thendo(Dano kany oting)
Nye kany ma kany?
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho(Nye kany ma file kany)
Atye kany ma kany
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo(Atye kany ma kany)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Dano kany ma kany
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi(Dano kany ma kany)
Kany kany Friday
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.