Looking for practical Kiga to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kiga phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.
Tip: when a Luganda phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Kiga wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kiga to Luganda 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
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Webale
Webale(Webale)
Osiibye bulungi
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi
Osiibye bulungi?(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye bulungi
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi
Lwaki olugendo?(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda okukutana
Tugenda kutya?(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Nneebwanga okukuyita
Nkwagala okukulaba(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Sikuganya.
Sijja kumanya.
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Ekitanda kiki?
Ekitanda kiki?
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Genda ku kkono.
Genda ku kkono.
Genda ku ddyo.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Genda mu maaso.
Genda mu maaso.
Ekitundu kiki?
Ekitundu kiki?
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Ticket emu, please.
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
Kiki kirekera wano?
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Ndi mu bubi.
Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eee
Ye
Oya
Nedda
Wali
Okwagala
Ndiinze
Nnaakuwandiika
Sindiinze
Sikuwandiika
Ekitanga kiza
Kyo kyekirungi
Oteka ki?
Otekayo ki?
Okwetegera?
Osobola okundabira?
Nfuna okwetegera
Nfuna obuyambi
Leka akaseke
Saba omukutu
Ndi mwefwe
Nsaba
Tera kintu
Tewali kibadde
Nkwagala
Okwagaliza
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Okwetegera mu nsi
Genda bulungi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eri heza y'ekitabo?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Eri heza y'ekibuga?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekiyungiriro ki?
Ekitangaala ki?(ekitangaala ki)
Ekitonde ki?
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?
Okwetegeka kwe?(okwetegeka kwe)
Eri wansi wano
Kiri wano wansi(kiri wano wansi)
Eri kure wano
Kiri mangu(kiri mangu)
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Mugume wano, nyabo
Ggenda wano, please(ggenda wano, please)
Ekitanga ki?
Tewali bungi ki?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ekitanga ki?
Kiki ky'ekitundu?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Ekitanga ky'ekikula
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.(ekitanga ky'ekikula)
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?(oli n'ekintu ekirungi)
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?(nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.(nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)
Ekitabo, nyabo
Ekitabo, please.(ekitabo, nyabo)
Okwetegereza kuli mu?
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?(okwetegereza kuli mu)
Ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.(ndi omukazi w'ebyokulya)