Looking for practical Kikongo to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kanuri-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kikongo 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.
Mbote
Sannu
Mele
Nagode
Mokolo mayele
Ina kwana
Mokolo ya ntango
Ina yamma
Mokolo ya mambu
Ina dare
Mokolo ya mpembe
Sai da safe
Tala mosi
Zan ganka
Tata
Sai anjima
Nki yina nzo?
Menene sunanka?
Nzo yami ke John
Sunana John
Oko wanga?
Lafiya lau?
Nki ya mosi na yo
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Nkeni kanga.
Ba na fahimta.
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Ina wanka?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Tanda na luma.
Juya hagu.
Tanda na mambu.
Juya dama.
Enda na mosi.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Nawa ne farashin?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Nki feti na wapi?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Nkeni zola.
Na ɓace.
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Eey(ee-y)
Te
A'a(ah-ah)
Kasi
Wata(wah-tah)
Nkiadi
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Nkiadi te
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Nkiadi nini?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Okanza kudi nki?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Nkiadi kudi nki
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Lela na nki
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Nkiadi na nki
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Te na nki
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Tata na nki
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Mokolo ya mbote
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Tala na nzala ya malamu
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.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Nye boko na gari?(Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?)
Wana wanga na bus?
Nye boko na bas?(Wana wanga na bus?)
Nki platform yai?
Wane boko na?(Nki platform yai?)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(Yai ke nzila ya nki?)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
Yana kusa da nan(Eza na nsi ya nzo)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
Yana nesa da nan(Eza na mosi ya nzo)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(Okanisa ngai na mape?)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Tsaida nan, don Allah(Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(Nki ntangu yina yenda?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Yina kele na nsi
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(yina kele na nsi)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(ona kima ki nsi)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(ncanza kudi na kadi)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Ina so tebur don biyu.(nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)
Kadi, ndakisa
Lissafi, don Allah.(kadi, ndakisa)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)
Ndi muvegetari
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(ndi muvegetari)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(kaka mfu, ndakisa)
Yina kele na nsi
Wannan yana da dadi.(yina kele na nsi)
Ncanza na menu?
Zan iya samun menu?(ncanza na menu)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Landa ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nkeni mosi
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Nkeni na mbisi
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Eka na nki
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Tala!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Tukala na mbandu
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Tukala na kanda se
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)