Looking for practical Kituba to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kituba 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 Kituba 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
Matondo
Nagode
Mbote na ntanga
Ina kwana
Mbote na moke
Ina yamma
Mbote na nsuka
Ina dare
Malamu na lola
Sai da safe
Tala moke
Zan ganka
Kende malamu
Sai anjima
Nani na yo?
Menene sunanka?
Nani na ngai John
Sunana John
Oyo olingi?
Lafiya lau?
Nionso 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 azali koloba Lingala?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Nani nazali koloba Hindi malamu te
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Nani nazali koyeba te
Ba na fahimta.
Soki, koloba na mbala moke
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Bato ya mbala eza wapi?
Ina wanka?
Nani nakoki kokende na centre ya ville?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Tika na ngonga ya mabele
Juya hagu.
Tika na ngonga ya likolo
Juya dama.
Yaka na mbala moke
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Mbongo ya nzela ezali boni?
Nawa ne farashin?
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Eza mbali na awa?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Nani nazali na nzela te
Na ɓace.
Nani nakoki kotonga SIM card wapi?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eee
Eey(ee-y)
Te
A'a(ah-ah)
Pamba
Wata(wah-tah)
Nani na yo
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Nani te na yo
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Eza malamu
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Oyo olingi nini?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Okanisa ngai?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Nalingi lisungi
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Tika moke
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Nasalisa
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Te na mabe
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Mbote na yo
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Mbote na mokolo ya mbotama
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Zala na nzela 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.
Nani esika ya ndako ya treni?
Nye boko na gari?(nani esika ya ndako ya treni)
Nani esika ya ndako ya bisi?
Nye boko na bas?(nani esika ya ndako ya bisi)
Nani esika ya platform?
Wane boko na?(nani esika ya platform)
Nani ntango ebandaka?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?(nani ntango ebandaka)
Nani nzela ya malamu?
Shin wannan hanya ce?(nani nzela ya malamu)
Eza na nsima
Yana kusa da nan(eza na nsima)
Eza na mbali
Yana nesa da nan(eza na mbali)
Okoki na ngai na mape?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?(okoki na ngai na mape)
Kanga awa, s'il vous plaît
Tsaida nan, don Allah(kanga awa, s'il vous plaît)
Nani ntango ebandaka?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?(nani ntango ebandaka)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbuta nini?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Eza mingi mbala
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(eza mingi mbala)
Oyo oza na ntina ya moke?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(oyo oza na ntina ya moke)
Nakanisa na carte?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(nakanisa na carte)
Nalingi mesa ya mibale
Ina so tebur don biyu.(nalingi mesa ya mibale)
Bilanga, s'il vous plaît
Lissafi, don Allah.(bilanga, s'il vous plaît)
Eza na mosala?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(eza na mosala)
Nani moke
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(nani moke)
Te mbongo ya mpasi, s'il vous plaît
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(te mbongo ya mpasi)
Oyo eza malamu
Wannan yana da dadi.(oyo eza malamu)
Nakanisa menu?
Zan iya samun menu?(nakanisa menu)
Mokolo ya mai, s'il vous plaît
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(mokolo ya mai)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tanga polisi
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Tanga ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nazali na nganga
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Nazali na maladi
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Nayebi na maladi ya mbala
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Hospital ya libanda ezali wapi?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Ezalaka na nzala awa
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nasali pasi ya passport na ngai
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Okoki kolinga hotel na ngai?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Lendaki!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nki na yo
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Tondima kosala libanda
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Ntango nini eza malamu na yo?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Nakanisa lipanda lelo
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Tosala nzela lelo?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Soki, tanga file oyo ekomi na likolo
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Mersi po na ntango na yo
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Nabondeli na kosala na yo
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Okoki kolakisa yango?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)