Looking for practical Kinyarwanda to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kinyarwanda 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: when a Acholi phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Kinyarwanda 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 Kinyarwanda 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.
Muraho
Ayo(ah-yo)
Urakoze
Naki(nah-kee)
Bwakire bwiza
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Nimugoroba mwiza
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mwaramutse mwiza
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Ijoro ryiza
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tuzabonana nyuma
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Murabeho
Itye(ee-tye)
Witwa nde?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nitwa John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Umeze ute?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nishimiye kukumenya
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uravuga Icyongereza?
Itye konyo English?
Sinavuga Hindi neza
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Sinumva
Nye neno.
Nyabuneka vuga buhoro
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Wabivuga ukundi?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Aho ubwiherero buri he?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nagenda nte ku mugi?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Hindukira ibumoso
Konyo kuc.
Hindukira iburyo
Konyo kuc.
Genda imbere
Tye kanyim.
Igiciro ni ikihe?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Itike imwe, nyabuneka
One ticket, please.
Ni kure hano?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndi mu kaga
Nye konyo.
Nshobora kugura SIM card he?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yego
Aye
Oya
Bila
Birashoboka
Kweyo
Ndemeranya
Ng'ato konyo
Sinemeranya
Ng'ato konyo ni
Birumvikana neza
Okwero kany
Ubitekerezaho iki?
Ika kany?
Urashobora kumfasha?
Ikwok kany?
Nkeneye ubufasha
Ng'ato konyo kany
Tegereza gato
Tye kany
Ndakwinginze
Ng'ato konyo
Nta kibazo
Bila kany
Ibyishimo
Tye kany
Isabukuru nziza
Aye konyo
Ugire urugendo rwiza
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Aho ahagarara bisi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ni iyihe platform?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Igihe izava ryari?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iri hafi hano
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iri kure hano
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Hagarara hano, nyabuneka
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Bifata igihe kingana iki?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi igura angahe?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ndagusabye, umwenda.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Serivisi irimo?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndi umunyvegetari.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Ibi biraryoshye.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Hamagara polisi
Yat ma police
Hamagara ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Nkeneye umuganga
Nye konyo doctor
Ndumva ndwaye
Nye konyo wot
Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene
Nye konyo kany kic
Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Birambabaza hano
Okwero ineno
Nabuze pasiporo yanjye
Nye tye konyo passport
Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Fasha!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimiye guhura nawe
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Reka dushyireho inama
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Dushobora kuvugana ejo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Urakoze ku gihe cyawe
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nzakugarukira
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.