Looking for practical Kikongo to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: when a Yoruba phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Kikongo 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 Kikongo to Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Mele
O seun(oh shayoon)
Mokolo mayele
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Mokolo ya ntango
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Mokolo ya mambu
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Mokolo ya mpembe
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tala mosi
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Tata
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Nki yina nzo?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Nzo yami ke John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Oko wanga?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nki ya mosi na yo
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Nkeni kanga.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Kutu wapi banzela?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Tanda na luma.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Tanda na mambu.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Enda na mosi.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Nki feti na wapi?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nkeni zola.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Bẹẹni
Te
Rara
Kasi
Bóyá
Nkiadi
Mo gba
Nkiadi te
Mo kọ
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Iyẹn dára
Nkiadi nini?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Okanza kudi nki?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Lela na nki
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Nkiadi na nki
Mo bínú
Te na nki
Kò sí ìṣòro
Tata na nki
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Mokolo ya mbote
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Wana wanga na bus?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Nki platform yai?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
O sunmọ ibi yi(Eza na nsi ya nzo)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
O jinna si ibi yi(Eza na mosi ya nzo)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Duro nibi, jọwọ(Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(Nki ntangu yina yenda?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Yina kele na nsi
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Kadi, ndakisa
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Ndi muvegetari
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Yina kele na nsi
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Ncanza na menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Landa ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nkeni mosi
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Nkeni na mbisi
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Eka na nki
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Tala!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tukala na mbandu
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade(Tukàla na mbàndu)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?(Nki nsi ya ntángu?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni(Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)
Tukala na kanda se
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?(Tukàla na kànda sè?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́(Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
O seun fun akoko rẹ(Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ(Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?(Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ(Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Akoko ipari ni Friday(Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.