Looking for practical Luganda to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: pick five Acholi phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
Ayo(ah-yo)
Webale
Naki(nah-kee)
Osiibye otya?
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Osiibye bulungi?
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Osiibye otya?
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Lwaki olugendo?
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tugenda kutya?
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Nkwagala
Itye(ee-tye)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Oli otya?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Itye konyo English?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Sijja kumanya.
Nye neno.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ekitanda kiki?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Genda ku kkono.
Konyo kuc.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Konyo kuc.
Genda mu maaso.
Tye kanyim.
Ekitundu kiki?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ticket emu, please.
One ticket, please.
Kiki kirekera wano?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndi mu bubi.
Nye konyo.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Aye
Nedda
Bila
Okwagala
Kweyo
Nnaakuwandiika
Ng'ato konyo
Sikuwandiika
Ng'ato konyo ni
Kyo kyekirungi
Okwero kany
Otekayo ki?
Ika kany?
Osobola okundabira?
Ikwok kany?
Nfuna obuyambi
Ng'ato konyo kany
Saba omukutu
Tye kany
Nsaba
Ng'ato konyo
Tewali kibadde
Bila kany
Okwagaliza
Tye kany
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Aye konyo
Genda bulungi
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ekitangaala ki?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Kiri wano wansi
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Kiri mangu
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Ggenda wano, please
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Tewali bungi ki?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ekitabo, please.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Ono mulungi.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Nneetaaga menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Yat ma police
Mpozzi ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Nfuna daktari
Nye konyo doctor
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Nye konyo wot
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Nye konyo kany kic
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Bikozesa wano
Okwero ineno
Nfuuse passport yange
Nye tye konyo passport
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Mbadde!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Okwesiga ki?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.