Looking for practical Bambara to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Acholi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Acholi 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.
I ni ce
Ayo(ah-yo)
I ni sogoma
Naki(nah-kee)
I ni bɔ
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
I ni kɛ
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
I ni sɔgɔ
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
I ni tulu
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
N bɛ se ka
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
A bɛ se ka
Itye(ee-tye)
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
I ni fɛ?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I ni ce English?
Itye konyo English?(ee nee che English)
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
N mɔgɔ bɛ
Nye neno.(N mo-go beh)
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ
Nye konyo tye kanyim.(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
I ka fɔ a la?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Bamanakan kɛn na?
Iti kanyim ngat?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ
Konyo kuc.(Keh-lehn boh)
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ
Konyo kuc.(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Fɔ kɛlɛn
Tye kanyim.(Fo keh-lehn)
Fɛ kɛ?
Iti kanyim ngat?(Feh keh)
Kɛnɛ ticket, please
One ticket, please.(Ken-eh ticket, please)
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?
Iti kanyim kanyim?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
N tɛ bɔ
Nye konyo.(N teh boh)
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Ala
Bila
Bara
Kweyo
N bɛ bɔ
Ng'ato konyo
N bɛ fɔ
Ng'ato konyo ni
I bɛ sɛbɛn
Okwero kany
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Ika kany?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Ikwok kany?
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Ng'ato konyo kany
Sira kɛ
Tye kany
N tɛgɛ
Ng'ato konyo
Ala ka fɔ
Bila kany
I ni kɛ
Tye kany
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Aye konyo
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
I ni tîgê kô?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Kô tîgê bô?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
I ni tîgê bô?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
I tîgê kâ.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
I tîgê kâ fô.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
I bô kô tîgê fô?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kô tîgê kô?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
I ni ce?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
I ye sɔgɔ.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ
Yat ma police(nogo folo)
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ
Yat ma ambulance(nogo koro)
N bɛ sɔrɔ
Nye konyo doctor(n be soro)
N bɛ tɛgɛn
Nye konyo wot(n be tegen)
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ
Nye konyo kany kic(n be folokele)
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?(n be koro folo)
I tɛgɛ fɛ
Okwero ineno(i tege fe)
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ
Nye tye konyo passport(n be kele folo)
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?(i be nogo koro folo)
Tɛgɛ!
Yat!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
I ni bɔ a la?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.