Looking for practical Kanuri to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kanuri 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 Kanuri 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.
Sannu
Ayo(ah-yo)
Nagode
Naki(nah-kee)
Ina kwana
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Ina yamma
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Ina dare
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Sai da safe
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Zan ganka
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Sai anjima
Itye(ee-tye)
Menene sunanka?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Sunana John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Lafiya lau?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Itye konyo English?
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Ba na fahimta.
Nye neno.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ina wanka?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Juya hagu.
Konyo kuc.
Juya dama.
Konyo kuc.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Tye kanyim.
Nawa ne farashin?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
One ticket, please.
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Na ɓace.
Nye konyo.
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eey
Aye(ee-y)
A'a
Bila(ah-ah)
Wata
Kweyo(wah-tah)
Na amu
Ng'ato konyo(nah ah-moo)
Na a'a amu
Ng'ato konyo ni(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Iya na
Okwero kany(ee-yah nah)
Kaya ka yi tunani?
Ika kany?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Za ka iya taimaka min?
Ikwok kany?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Na bukaci taimako
Ng'ato konyo kany(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Duba dan lokaci
Tye kany(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Na yi hakuri
Ng'ato konyo(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Babu matsala
Bila kany(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Taya murna
Tye kany(tah-yah moor-nah)
Barka da haihuwa
Aye konyo(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Ka yi tafiya lafiya
Tye kany ma ng'ato(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Nye boko na gari?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Nye boko na bas?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Wane boko na?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Shin wannan hanya ce?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Yana kusa da nan
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Yana nesa da nan
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Tsaida nan, don Allah
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nayi na kudi?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ina so tebur don biyu.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Lissafi, don Allah.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Shin sabis ya haɗa?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Wannan yana da dadi.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Zan iya samun menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Dawari janga
Yat ma police(Dawari janga)
Dawari ambulan
Yat ma ambulance(Dawari ambulan)
Ni na doctor
Nye konyo doctor(Ni na doctor)
Ni na jaga
Nye konyo wot(Ni na jaga)
Ni na haji goro
Nye konyo kany kic(Ni na haji goro)
Ina asibiti na kusa?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Yana ciwo a nan
Okwero ineno(Yana ciwo a nan)
Ni na rasa passport na
Nye tye konyo passport(Ni na rasa passport na)
Za ka iya dawari otel na?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Taimako!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nde gaishe
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Mu gaishe taro
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Wai gaishe lokaci?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Zan tura rahoto yau
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Zamu iya magana gobe?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Na gode da lokacinka
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Bari in dawo gare ka
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Kwanan karshe ranar Jumma'a
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.