Looking for practical Lingala to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: when a Nuer phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Lingala 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 Lingala to Nuer 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
Nhiar
Melesi
Nyaak
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Malamu na butu
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Tala yo nsima
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Kende malamu
Kɛ̈n
Nkombo na yo nani?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Ozalaki malamu?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Nyaac ke nyin English?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Nyaac ma nyin.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Yin ke nyin kɛl.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Yin thok a kɛl?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Yin ke nyin a laar.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Yin ke nyin a thok.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Yin ke nyin a ticket.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Yin ke nyin a thok?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Nyaac ke nyin.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Aye
Te
Naa
Soki
Nyaak
Nalingi
Nyeek a kech
Nalingi te
Nyeek a kech naa
Eza malamu
Iye kech kɛl
Oyo olingi nini?
Nyaak a kech?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Sunga moke
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Nasalaki mabe
Nyeek a kech
Nani azali na problème
Naa a kech kɛl
Mokolo malamu
Aye kɛl
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
Ezali pene awa.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
Ezali mbali awa.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Ekozala ntango nini?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Service eza na kati?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Yango ezali malamu.
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Tindá ambulance
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Nalingi médecin
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Nazali na maladi
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Ezalaka na nse awa
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Nazwi passport na ngai
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
S.O.S!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Tika tozala na mitema
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Naboya raport lelo
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Tango tozali na mposo?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Nasalela yo na mosala
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Napesi yo nzela
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.