Looking for practical Bemba to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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: pick five Acholi 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Ayo(ah-yo)
Natotela
Naki(nah-kee)
Muli shani
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Muli shani
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Muli shani
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Shalenipo bwino
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tukakutana
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Twalumba
Itye(ee-tye)
Iwe ulishani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ndefwaya John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Uli bwanji?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nashitasha kukumona
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Itye konyo English?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Nye neno.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ningaloleleko?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Fumya kumwendo
Konyo kuc.
Fumya kumwendo
Konyo kuc.
Enda pamo
Tye kanyim.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ticket imwe, nomba
One ticket, please.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndi lost
Nye konyo.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Aye
Awe
Bila
Panga
Kweyo
Ndi bwino
Ng'ato konyo
Ndi bwino na
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ilyo lishibukile
Okwero kany
Uchite shani?
Ika kany?
Ushakufwa?
Ikwok kany?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Ng'ato konyo kany
Leka ifi
Tye kany
Nshakufwa
Ng'ato konyo
Takwaba shani
Bila kany
Nshakufwa bwino
Tye kany
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Aye konyo
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Ili pamo na pano.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Ili lishilu na pano.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Leka pano, chonde.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kuli shani?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ili shani?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Ili lya kuli
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Icilanga, tapali
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndi mvegetarian
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Ili lya bwino
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tuma abashitisha
Yat ma police
Tuma ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Nshikala na doctor
Nye konyo doctor
Nshikala bwino
Nye konyo wot
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
Nye konyo kany kic
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kuli ububi pano
Okwero ineno
Nashitile passport yangu
Nye tye konyo passport
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Chikondi!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Natotela pa nshita
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nizakukumbusha
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.