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Common Chichewa to Acholi phrases

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

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Looking for practical Chichewa to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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: read the Acholi line out loud three times, then cover the Chichewa side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chichewa 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.

  1. Moni

    Ayo (ah-yo)

  2. Zikomo

    Naki (nah-kee)

  3. M'mawa wabwino

    Bok moti (bok mo-tee)

  4. Masana abwino

    Bok nongo (bok non-go)

  5. Madziwabwino

    Bok obedo (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Bok ngat (bok ngat)

  7. Tiwonana

    Tye kany (tye kan-yee)

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Itye (ee-tye)

  9. Dzina lako ndi ndani?

    Iti ma ineno? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Ineno John (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Iti ma inyo? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

    Gat ma inyo (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Mukulankhula Chingerezi?

    Itye konyo English? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino

    Nye konyo Hindi kanyim. (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Sindikumva

    Nye neno. (Sindikumva)

  4. Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono

    Nye konyo tye kanyim. (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?

    Itye konyo tye kanyim? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?

    Nye konyo kanyim ku city center? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Pangani kumanzere

    Konyo kuc. (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Pangani kumanzere

    Konyo kuc. (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Pitani mwachindunji

    Tye kanyim. (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Tiket imodzi, chonde

    One ticket, please. (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?

    Iti kanyim kanyim? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Ndakhalapo

    Nye konyo. (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?

    Iti kanyim ngat SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inde

    Aye

  2. Ayi

    Bila

  3. Mwina

    Kweyo

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Ng'ato konyo

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Ng'ato konyo ni

  6. Zimakoma

    Okwero kany

  7. Mumaganiza chiyani?

    Ika kany?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Ikwok kany?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Ng'ato konyo kany

  10. Dikirani pang'ono

    Tye kany

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Ng'ato konyo

  12. Palibe vuto

    Bila kany

  13. Zikomo

    Tye kany

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Aye konyo

  15. Pita bwino

    Tye kany ma ng'ato

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

    Atye kany kwo? (Atye kany kwo?)

  2. Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

    Atye kany bura? (Atye kany bura?)

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Kati onyo kwo? (Kati onyo kwo?)

  4. Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

    Nye kwo nongo? (Nye kwo nongo?)

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Kik kwo gwen? (Kik kwo gwen?)

  6. Ili pafupi pano

    Okwang kany ici (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Ili kutali pano

    Okwang kany piny (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

    Nye konyo i map? (Nye konyo i map?)

  9. Khalani pano, chonde

    Doko ici, pe? (Doko ici, pe?)

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Nye kwo ngat? (Nye kwo ngat?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zimatenga ndalama zingati?

    Nye keken me? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

    Okwero keken (Okwero keken)

  3. Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

    Itye keken me? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Nye konyo kadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

    Nye tye kany kwo (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Chikonthe, chonde.

    Kaka, nyinga (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

    Kati kany me? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Ndine mvegetarian.

    Nye konyo wot (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

    Kati wot kany, nyinga (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Izi ndizochuluka.

    Iti kany (Iti kany)

  11. Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

    Nye konyo kadi me? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

    Kadi me kic, nyinga (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fufuzani apolisi

    Yat ma police

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Yat ma ambulance

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nye konyo doctor

  4. Ndikumva kutopa

    Nye konyo wot

  5. Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

    Nye konyo kany kic

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

    Kati ki hospital ma kany?

  7. Kukonda apa

    Okwero ineno

  8. Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

    Nye tye konyo passport

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

  10. Thandizani!

    Yat!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  2. Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting

    Dano kany oting (Dano kany oting)

  3. Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?

    Nye kany ma kany? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ndzatumiza lipoti lero

    Ngatye kany report kany (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa

    Nye kany ma file kany (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Atye kany ma kany (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Nye kany ma kany kany (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu

    Dano kany ma kany (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu

    Kany kany Friday (Kany kany Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ndi nthawi yanji?

    Nye kany me? (Nye kany me?)

  2. Ndi nthawi itatu.

    Kany me tye keken (Kany me tye keken)

  3. Lero

    Nye kany (Nye kany)

  4. Mawa

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  5. Ch yesterday

    Nye kany tye (Nye kany tye)

  6. Lolemba

    Ponyo (Ponyo)

  7. Lachiwiri

    Ponyo keken (Ponyo keken)

  8. Lachitatu

    Ponyo tye (Ponyo tye)

  9. Chimodzi

    Moko (Moko)

  10. Chiwiri

    Maka (Maka)

  11. Chitatu

    Mek (Mek)

  12. Kumi

    Ten (Ten)

  13. Zana

    Paka (Paka)

  14. Pafupifupi

    Piny (Piny)

  15. Zambiri

    Kaka (Kaka)

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