Looking for practical Kiga to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: pick five Kanuri 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 Kiga to Kanuri 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.
Okwagala
Sannu
Webale
Nagode
Osiibye bulungi
Ina kwana
Osiibye bulungi
Ina yamma
Osiibye bulungi
Ina dare
Osiibye bulungi
Sai da safe
Tugenda okukutana
Zan ganka
Nkwagala
Sai anjima
Erinnya lyo ani?
Menene sunanka?
Erinnya lyange nze John
Sunana John
Oli otya?
Lafiya lau?
Nneebwanga okukuyita
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Sikuganya.
Ba na fahimta.
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Ekitanda kiki?
Ina wanka?
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Genda ku kkono.
Juya hagu.
Genda ku ddyo.
Juya dama.
Genda mu maaso.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Ekitundu kiki?
Nawa ne farashin?
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Na ɓace.
Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eee
Eey(ee-y)
Oya
A'a(ah-ah)
Wali
Wata(wah-tah)
Ndiinze
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Sindiinze
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Ekitanga kiza
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Oteka ki?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Okwetegera?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Nfuna okwetegera
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Leka akaseke
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Ndi mwefwe
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Tera kintu
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Nkwagala
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Okwetegera mu nsi
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eri heza y'ekitabo?
Nye boko na gari?(Eri heza y'ekitabo?)
Eri heza y'ekibuga?
Nye boko na bas?(Eri heza y'ekibuga?)
Ekiyungiriro ki?
Wane boko na?(Ekiyungiriro ki?)
Ekitonde ki?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(Ekitonde ki?)
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?)
Eri wansi wano
Yana kusa da nan(Eri wansi wano)
Eri kure wano
Yana nesa da nan(Eri kure wano)
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(Oyinza okundabira ku karita?)
Mugume wano, nyabo
Tsaida nan, don Allah(Mugume wano, nyabo)
Ekitanga ki?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(Ekitanga ki?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ekitanga ki?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Ekitanga ky'ekikula
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(ekitanga ky'ekikula)
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(oli n'ekintu ekirungi)
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri
Ina so tebur don biyu.(nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)
Ekitabo, nyabo
Lissafi, don Allah.(ekitabo, nyabo)
Okwetegereza kuli mu?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(okwetegereza kuli mu)
Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya)
Tewali ebyokulya ebikalu
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(tewali ebyokulya ebikalu)
Ekitanga ky'ekyokulya
Wannan yana da dadi.(ekitanga ky'ekyokulya)
Nkwenda okufuna omukutu?
Zan iya samun menu?(nkwenda okufuna omukutu)
Ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(ekitanda ky'amazi, nyabo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Funa polisi
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Funa ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nkeneye omuganga
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Ndi mu bubi
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Ndi na allergy ku nkuzi
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Ehe hospital ey'ekyenkya?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Bikunyumya wano
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nfunye passport yange
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Okwesiga okufuna hotel yange?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Mbadde!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimwe kuganira
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Tugende mu nama
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Twashobora kuganira ejo?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hamwe
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Wansobanurira icyo?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)