Looking for practical Kikongo to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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.
Mbote
Ayo(ah-yo)
Mele
Naki(nah-kee)
Mokolo mayele
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Mokolo ya ntango
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mokolo ya mambu
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Mokolo ya mpembe
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tala mosi
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Tata
Itye(ee-tye)
Nki yina nzo?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nzo yami ke John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Oko wanga?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nki ya mosi na yo
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Itye konyo English?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Nkeni kanga.
Nye neno.
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Tanda na luma.
Konyo kuc.
Tanda na mambu.
Konyo kuc.
Enda na mosi.
Tye kanyim.
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
One ticket, please.
Nki feti na wapi?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Nkeni zola.
Nye konyo.
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Aye
Te
Bila
Kasi
Kweyo
Nkiadi
Ng'ato konyo
Nkiadi te
Ng'ato konyo ni
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Okwero kany
Nkiadi nini?
Ika kany?
Okanza kudi nki?
Ikwok kany?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Ng'ato konyo kany
Lela na nki
Tye kany
Nkiadi na nki
Ng'ato konyo
Te na nki
Bila kany
Tata na nki
Tye kany
Mokolo ya mbote
Aye konyo
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Wana wanga na bus?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Nki platform yai?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Yina kele na nsi
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kadi, ndakisa
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndi muvegetari
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Yina kele na nsi
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ncanza na menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Yat ma police
Landa ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Nkeni mosi
Nye konyo doctor
Nkeni na mbisi
Nye konyo wot
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Nye konyo kany kic
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Eka na nki
Okwero ineno
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Nye tye konyo passport
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Tala!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tukala na mbandu
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tukala na kanda se
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.