Looking for practical Afar to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: when a Nuer phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Afar 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 Afar to Nuer 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.
Nagaad
Nhiar(nagaad)
Galatooma
Nyaak(galatooma)
Bariis
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r(bariis)
Galab
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(galab)
Haal
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(haal)
Haalka habeen
Nhiar kɔ̈c(haalka habeen)
Ilaa mar kale
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(ilaa mar kale)
Nagaad
Kɛ̈n(nagaad)
Maa magacaa?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?(maa magacaa)
Magacaygu waa John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John(magacaygu waa John)
Iska waran?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?(iska waran)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Nyaac ke nyin English?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Nyaac ma nyin.(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Yin ke nyin kɛl.(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Yin thok a kɛl?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Yin ke nyin a laar.(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Yin ke nyin a thok.(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Yin ke nyin a ticket.(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
Yin ke nyin a thok?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Nyaac ke nyin.(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Aye(ee-yee)
Maya
Naa(mah-yah)
Gara
Nyaak(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Nyeek a kech(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Nyeek a kech naa(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Iye kech kɛl(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
Nyaak a kech?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Kɛl a jɔɔr(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Nyeek a kech(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Naa a kech kɛl(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Aye kɛl(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Aye kɛl a wɛr(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Keenya kaafaa?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Waqti maayti?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
Maayta kaan?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
Ittaa hara
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
Ittaa faar
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
Maafaa naafaa?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Waqti mee?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Iyayka xayl
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Karta ka'ayka?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Xisaab, fadlan
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Tani waa macaan
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Waaqa booliisi
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
Hoteela koo waaqa?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Gargaarsa!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin(na-gaad kaa-bir-na waa-yi)
Waqti mee waayi?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?(waq-ti mee waa-yi)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl(war-qad kaan di-ra-ya har-ra)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?(maan-ta waa-yi ha-dal-naa)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth(fayl-ka ku li-faa-qan fad-lan)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth(ma-had-sa-nid waq-ti-ga-a-ga)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke(wax-aan ra-jeen-yaa-in aan la sha-qee-yo)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?(ma ca-dayn kar-taa dhi-bi-cda-as)