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Common Acholi to Zulu phrases

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

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

Tip: pick five Zulu 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 Zulu 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

    Sawubona (ah-yo)

  2. Naki

    Ngiyabonga (nah-kee)

  3. Bok moti

    Sawubona (bok mo-tee)

  4. Bok nongo

    Good afternoon (bok non-go)

  5. Bok obedo

    Ubusuku obuhle (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Bok ngat

    Lala kahle (bok ngat)

  7. Tye kany

    Sizobonana (tye kan-yee)

  8. Itye

    Hamba kahle (ee-tye)

  9. Iti ma ineno?

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

  10. Ineno John

    Igama lami nginguJohn (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Iti ma inyo?

    Unjani? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Gat ma inyo

    Ngiyajabula 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?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

  2. Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

  3. Nye neno.

    Angiqondi.

  4. Nye konyo tye kanyim.

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

  5. Itye konyo tye kanyim?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Iphi indlu yangasese?

  7. Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

  8. Konyo kuc.

    Jika kwesobunxele.

  9. Konyo kuc.

    Jika kwesokudla.

  10. Tye kanyim.

    Hamba phambili.

  11. Iti kanyim ngat?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

  12. One ticket, please.

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

  13. Iti kanyim kanyim?

    Ingabe kude lapha?

  14. Nye konyo.

    Ngilahlekile.

  15. Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Aye

    Yebo

  2. Bila

    Cha

  3. Kweyo

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Ng'ato konyo

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Ng'ato konyo ni

    Angivumi

  6. Okwero kany

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. Ika kany?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. Ikwok kany?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Ng'ato konyo kany

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Tye kany

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Ng'ato konyo

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Bila kany

    Akukho nkinga

  13. Tye kany

    Halala

  14. Aye konyo

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Tye kany ma ng'ato

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Atye kany kwo?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Atye kany bura?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Kati onyo kwo?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Nye kwo nongo?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Kik kwo gwen?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Okwang kany ici

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Okwang kany piny

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. Nye konyo i map?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Doko ici, pe?

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Nye kwo ngat?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Nye keken me?

    Kubiza malini lokhu? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Okwero keken

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu. (Okwero keken)

  3. Itye keken me?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Nye konyo kadi?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Nye tye kany kwo

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili. (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Kaka, nyinga

    Ibhili, ngiyacela. (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Kati kany me?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Nye konyo wot

    Ngiyisithuthuthu. (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Kati wot kany, nyinga

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo. (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Iti kany

    Lokhu kuhle. (Iti kany)

  11. Nye konyo kadi me?

    Ngicela imenyu? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Kadi me kic, nyinga

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela. (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Yat ma police

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Yat ma ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Nye konyo doctor

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Nye konyo wot

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Nye konyo kany kic

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Kati ki hospital ma kany?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Okwero ineno

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Nye tye konyo passport

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. Yat!

    Usizo!

Work and business

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

  1. Nye kany me

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi (Nye kany me)

  2. Dano kany oting

    Masihlele umhlangano (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nye kany ma kany?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ngatye kany report kany

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Singakhuluma kusasa? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Nye kany ma file kany

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Atye kany ma kany

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Nye kany ma kany kany

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Nye kany ma kany tye?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Dano kany ma kany

    Ngizobuyela kuwe (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Kany kany Friday

    Usuku lokugcina 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?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Kany me tye keken

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Nye kany

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Nye kany me

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Nye kany tye

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Ponyo

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Ponyo keken

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Ponyo tye

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Moko

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Maka

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Mek

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Ten

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Paka

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Piny

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Kaka

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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