Looking for practical Lingala to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Acholi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Lingala 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.
Mbote
Ayo(ah-yo)
Melesi
Naki(nah-kee)
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Malamu na butu
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tala yo nsima
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Kende malamu
Itye(ee-tye)
Nkombo na yo nani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Ozalaki malamu?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nayoki malamu na yo
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Itye konyo English?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Nye neno.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Nye konyo tye kanyim.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Iti kanyim ngat?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Konyo kuc.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Konyo kuc.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Tye kanyim.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Iti kanyim ngat?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
One ticket, please.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Iti kanyim kanyim?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Nye konyo.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Aye
Te
Bila
Soki
Kweyo
Nalingi
Ng'ato konyo
Nalingi te
Ng'ato konyo ni
Eza malamu
Okwero kany
Oyo olingi nini?
Ika kany?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Ikwok kany?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Ng'ato konyo kany
Sunga moke
Tye kany
Nasalaki mabe
Ng'ato konyo
Nani azali na problème
Bila kany
Mokolo malamu
Tye kany
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Aye konyo
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Ezali pene awa.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Ezali mbali awa.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Ekozala ntango nini?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Service eza na kati?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Yango ezali malamu.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Yat ma police
Tindá ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Nalingi médecin
Nye konyo doctor
Nazali na maladi
Nye konyo wot
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Nye konyo kany kic
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Okwero ineno
Nazwi passport na ngai
Nye tye konyo passport
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
S.O.S!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tika tozala na mitema
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Naboya raport lelo
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tango tozali na mposo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Nasalela yo na mosala
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Napesi yo nzela
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.