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Common Acholi to Xhosa phrases

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

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

Tip: when a Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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

    Molo (ah-yo)

  2. Naki

    Enkosi (nah-kee)

  3. Bok moti

    Ubusuku obuhle (bok mo-tee)

  4. Bok nongo

    Ubusuku obuhle (bok non-go)

  5. Bok obedo

    Ubusuku obuhle (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Bok ngat

    Lala ngoxolo (bok ngat)

  7. Tye kany

    Ndiza kubonana kamva (tye kan-yee)

  8. Itye

    Hamba kakuhle (ee-tye)

  9. Iti ma ineno?

    Ngubani igama lakho? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Ineno John

    Igama lam nguJohn (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Iti ma inyo?

    Unjani? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Gat ma inyo

    Kuhle ukukwazi (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Itye konyo English?

    Uthetha isiNgesi?

  2. Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.

    Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

  3. Nye neno.

    Andiqondi

  4. Nye konyo tye kanyim.

    Nceda thethe kancinci

  5. Itye konyo tye kanyim?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Iphi ibhafu?

  7. Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?

    Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

  8. Konyo kuc.

    Jolisa kwesokunxele

  9. Konyo kuc.

    Jolisa kwesokudla

  10. Tye kanyim.

    Hamba ngqo

  11. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Iholo ingakanani?

  12. One ticket, please.

    Ithikithi elinye, nceda

  13. Iti kanyim kanyim?

    Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

  14. Nye konyo.

    Ndilahlekile

  15. Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?

    Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Ewe

  2. Bila

    Hayi

  3. Kweyo

    Mhlawumbi

  4. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndiyavuma

  5. Ng'ato konyo ni

    Andivumi

  6. Okwero kany

    Okuhle

  7. Ika kany?

    Ucinga ntoni?

  8. Ikwok kany?

    Ungandinceda?

  9. Ng'ato konyo kany

    Ndidinga uncedo

  10. Tye kany

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Ng'ato konyo

    Ndicela uxolo

  12. Bila kany

    Akukho ngxaki

  13. Tye kany

    Wamkelekile

  14. Aye konyo

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Tye kany ma ng'ato

    Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Atye kany kwo?

    Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo? (uphi umphakathi wemithwalo)

  2. Atye kany bura?

    Uphi umphakathi weebhasi? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Kati onyo kwo?

    Yeyiphi iphondo? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. Nye kwo nongo?

    Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Kik kwo gwen?

    Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. Okwang kany ici

    Ikho kufutshane apha (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Okwang kany piny

    Ikude apha (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Nye konyo i map?

    Ungandibonisa kwiimeko? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Doko ici, pe?

    Misa apha, nceda (Doko ici, pe?)

  10. Nye kwo ngat?

    Ithatha ixesha elingakanani? (Nye kwo ngat?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Nye keken me?

    Ithini le mali? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Okwero keken

    Le mali ibiza kakhulu. (Okwero keken)

  3. Itye keken me?

    Unayo into engabizi? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Nye konyo kadi?

    Ndingakhokha ngekhadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Nye tye kany kwo

    Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini. (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Kaka, nyinga

    Ibhili, nceda. (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Kati kany me?

    Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Nye konyo wot

    Ndiyavegetarian. (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Kati wot kany, nyinga

    Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda. (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Iti kany

    Oku kumnandi. (Iti kany)

  11. Nye konyo kadi me?

    Ndingafumana imenyu? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Kadi me kic, nyinga

    Ingxube ye water, nceda. (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Yat ma police

    Biza uphondo

  2. Yat ma ambulance

    Biza i-ambulensi

  3. Nye konyo doctor

    Ndifuna ugqirha

  4. Nye konyo wot

    Ndiziva ndingalunganga

  5. Nye konyo kany kic

    Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

  6. Kati ki hospital ma kany?

    Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

  7. Okwero ineno

    Kubuhlungu apha

  8. Nye tye konyo passport

    Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

  9. Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

    Ungabiza ihotele yam?

  10. Yat!

    Uncedo!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nye kany me

    Kuhle ukukwazi (Nye kany me)

  2. Dano kany oting

    Masihlele umhlangano (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nye kany ma kany?

    Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ngatye kany report kany

    Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Singathetha ngomso? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Nye kany ma file kany

    Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Atye kany ma kany

    Enkosi ngexesha lakho (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Nye kany ma kany kany

    Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Ungacacisa le ndawo? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Dano kany ma kany

    Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Kany kany Friday

    Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu (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?

    Yintoni ixesha? (Yin-toh-nee ikh-leh-zah?)

  2. Kany me tye keken

    Iiyure ezintathu (Ee-yoo-reh e-zin-tah-thu)

  3. Nye kany

    Namhlanje (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Nye kany me

    Manga (Man-gah)

  5. Nye kany tye

    Izolo (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Ponyo

    Mvulo (M-vu-lo)

  7. Ponyo keken

    Lwesibini (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Ponyo tye

    Lwesithathu (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Moko

    Ene (Eh-neh)

  10. Maka

    Mbini (M-bee-nee)

  11. Mek

    Thathu (Thah-thu)

  12. Ten

    Ishumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Paka

    Ishumi elinye (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Piny

    Umgama (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Kaka

    Ngaphezulu (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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