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Common Luganda to Chichewa phrases

100 practical Luganda to Chichewa phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Luganda to Chichewa phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda phrase first, then the Chichewa translation (Chichewa) — 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 Chichewa.

Tip: read the Chichewa line out loud three times, then cover the Luganda side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda to Chichewa 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.

  1. Oli otya?

    Moni (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Zikomo (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    M'mawa wabwino (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Masana abwino (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Madziwabwino (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Usiku wabwino (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Tiwonana (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Tsalani bwino (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Dzina lako ndi ndani? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Dzina langa ndi John (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Muli bwanji? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Ndikufuna kukumana nanu (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Mukulankhula Chingerezi? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Sindikumva (Sindikumva)

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Pangani kumanzere (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Pitani mwachindunji (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Tiket imodzi, chonde (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

    Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Ndakhalapo (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Ndingatengere kuti SIM card? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ye

    Inde

  2. Nedda

    Ayi

  3. Okwagala

    Mwina

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Zimakoma

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Mumaganiza chiyani?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Saba omukutu

    Dikirani pang'ono

  11. Nsaba

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Palibe vuto

  13. Okwagaliza

    Zikomo

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Genda bulungi

    Pita bwino

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Kuti ndi kuti sitima? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Ndi chigawo chiti? (ekitangaala ki)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Ndi nthawi iti imatenga? (bwe ki ssaawa esigala)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera? (okwetegeka kwe)

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Ili pafupi pano (kiri wano wansi)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Ili kutali pano (kiri mangu)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

    Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu? (osobola okundabira ku kaddde)

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Khalani pano, chonde (ggenda wano, please)

  10. Tewali bungi ki?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji? (tewali bungi ki)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Zimatenga ndalama zingati? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Chikonthe, chonde.

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Ndine mvegetarian.

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Izi ndizochuluka.

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Fufuzani apolisi

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Ndikumva kutopa

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Kukonda apa

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. Mbadde!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Ndzatumiza lipoti lero (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu (Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ki nsonga?

    Ndi nthawi yanji? (ki nsonga)

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Ndi nthawi itatu. (kiri saawa ssatu)

  3. Leero

    Lero (leero)

  4. Nne

    Mawa (nne)

  5. Yaka

    Ch yesterday (yaka)

  6. Mmande

    Lolemba (mmande)

  7. Olwokubiri

    Lachiwiri (olwokubiri)

  8. Olwokutaano

    Lachitatu (olwokutaano)

  9. Emu

    Chimodzi (emu)

  10. Bbiri

    Chiwiri (bbiri)

  11. Ssatu

    Chitatu (ssatu)

  12. Kkumi

    Kumi (kkumi)

  13. Kikumi

    Zana (kikumi)

  14. Okwetaba

    Pafupifupi (okwetaba)

  15. Mungeri

    Zambiri (mungeri)

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