Looking for practical Dombe to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dombe 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 Dombe 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.
Salibonani
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ngiyabonga
Naki(nah-kee)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Uhlanga oluhle
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Lala kahle
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Siyaphinda
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Hamba kahle
Itye(ee-tye)
Ubani igama lakho?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Igama lami nguJohn
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Unjani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uta kuta chiRungu?
Itye konyo English?
Ndi ndakuta Hindi zvakanaka.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ndi ndinzwisise.
Nye neno.
Ndapota kuta zvishoma.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ungazvitaura zvakare?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Chikamu chechimbuzi chiri kupi?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwekugara?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Tendeuka kuruboshwe.
Konyo kuc.
Tendeuka kurudyi.
Konyo kuc.
Enda mberi.
Tye kanyim.
Mitero inodhura zvakadini?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Tikiti imwe, ndapota.
One ticket, please.
Iri kure here kubva pano?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndakanyura.
Nye konyo.
Ndingatenga sei kadhi reSIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Aye
Aih
Bila
Zvichida
Kweyo
Ndinobvumirana
Ng'ato konyo
Ndinopikisa
Ng'ato konyo ni
Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Okwero kany
Unofungei?
Ika kany?
Unogona kundibatsira here?
Ikwok kany?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Ng'ato konyo kany
Mirira kwechinguva
Tye kany
Ndine hurombo
Ng'ato konyo
Hapana dambudziko
Bila kany
Makorokoto
Tye kany
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Aye konyo
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi yehamba yechitima?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Kupi yehamba yebhazi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ndeipi chikuva?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ndeipi nguva inobva?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Iyi ndiyo nzira yakarurama?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iri pedyo pano
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iri kure nepanotangira
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Mira pano, ndapota
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Inotora nguva yakareba?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iri chingani?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Iri kutengesa kwazvo
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Une chimwe chiri kutengesa chiri pasi?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ndinoda tafura yevaviri
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Sevhisi yakasanganisirwa here?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndiri vegetarian
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iri rinonaka
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fona mapurisa
Yat ma police
Fona amburensi
Yat ma ambulance
Ndiri kuda chiremba
Nye konyo doctor
Ndiri kurwara
Nye konyo wot
Ndine allergy kumapere
Nye konyo kany kic
Papi chipatara chiri pedyo?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Zvinorwadza pano
Okwero ineno
Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu
Nye tye konyo passport
Unogona kufona hotera yangu?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Rubatsiro!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndiwe wakanaka
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Ngatironge musangano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndichatumira mushumo nhasi
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tingataure mangwana here?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndapota tsvaga faira rakabatanidzwa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ungajekesa ipapo here?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nditende kuti ndidzoke kwauri
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.