Looking for practical Krio to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Krio phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Mam-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Krio to Mam 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.
Hello
Xo'j(sho'j)
Tenki
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Gud mɔnin
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Gud aftanun
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Gud ivnin
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Gud nait
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Si yu leta
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Bai
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Wetɛn na yu neym?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ma neym na John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Ow yu de?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Naes fo mit yu
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Yu sabi English?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
A no sabi Hindi well.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
A no sabi.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Plis, tok slow.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Yu fit tok dat again?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Weh na di toilet?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ow A go fit reach di city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Turn left.
K'utun k'ux.
Turn right.
K'utun k'ux.
Go straight.
K'utun k'ux.
Ow much na di fare?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
One ticket, plis.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
E far from ya?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
A don lost.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Weh A go fit buy SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yes
Juj(hoo)
No
Man(mah)
Maybe
K'ux(k'ush)
A mi agree
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
A no agree
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Dat na fine
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Wet in you tink?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
You fit help me?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
A need help
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Wait small
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
A sorry
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
No problem
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Congratulations
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Happy birthday
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Get safe trip
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Weh na di train station?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Weh na di bus stop?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Which platform na im?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Wetin time e go lef?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Dis na di right way?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
E dey near here
Ri k'ut pa ri.
E far from here
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Yu fit show me pan di map?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Stop here, pliz
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
How long e go tek?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.