Luganda to Kalaallisut Phrases

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

Tip: read the Kalaallisut 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 Kalaallisut 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?

Aluu (Oli otya?)
Webale

Qujanaq (Webale)
Osiibye otya?

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit (Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit (Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit (Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?

Ullut qupp. imaarlutit (Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?

Tassunga tulluusimavunga (Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala

Tassunga (Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?

Ilinniaritsi qanoq atit? (Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John

Atikuuvoq John (Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?

Qanoq ippit? (Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba

Tassunga uanga angusinnaavunga (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

Okwogera mu Lungereza?

Ilinniaritsi qallunaatuut? (iliniaritsi qallanaat?)
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

Hindi-pit maani allaat (hindi-pit maani allaat)
Sijja kumanya.

Naluara (naluara)
Nnyonnyola bulungi.

Tassuma siullermik oqalukkiartorneq (tassuma siullermik oqalukkiartorneq)
Osobola okwogera buno buno?

Taanna ilisarit? (taanna ilisarit?)
Ekitanda kiki?

Qarsoq kikkulluunniit? (qarsoq kikkulluunniit?)
Nteekateeka owa city center?

Kangerlussuaq-kut kangerlussuup tungaanut qanoq ingerlaqqissinnaavunga? (kangerlussuaq-kut kangerlussuup tungaanut)
Genda ku kkono.

Silaannaq (silaannaq)
Genda ku mwoyo.

Timmisartoq (timmisartoq)
Genda mu maaso.

Ilaqutariit (ilaqutariit)
Ekitundu kiki?

Kissavik qanoq? (kissavik qanoq?)
Ticket emu, please.

Ataaseq tikit, qaaqqi (ataaseq tikit, qaaqqi)
Kiki kirekera wano?

Tassunga qangali? (tassunga qangali?)
Ndi mu bubi.

Naluara (naluara)
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

SIM-kortip qanoq pissarsiarisinnaavara? (sim-kortip qanoq pissarsiarisinnaavara?)

Everyday conversation

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

Ye

Aap (aap)
Nedda

Ila (ila)
Okwagala

Piginnaasat (piginnaasat)
Nnaakuwandiika

Sukumi (sukumi)
Sikuwandiika

Sukumiinnaq (sukumiinnaq)
Kyo kyekirungi

Tassuma pingaaruteqarpa (tassuma)
Otekayo ki?

Qanoq isumaqarpit? (qanoq)
Osobola okundabira?

Ilannguarit? (ilannguarit)
Nfuna obuyambi

Ilannguarit (ilannguarit)
Saba omukutu

Tassunga tigua (tassunga)
Nsaba

Uanga asanninneq (uanga)
Tewali kibadde

Ila, ilisarit (ila)
Okwagaliza

Takkulaarit (takkulaarit)
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

Tassunga ukioq (tassunga)
Genda bulungi

Suli akunnittaraluaruit (suli)

Directions and getting around

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

Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

Qasigiaqanngilaq? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

Busstoppi kikkulluunniit? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ki?

Qasigiaq kikkulluunniit? (ekitangaala ki)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

Kissakkut ingerlaqqippoq? (bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Okwetegeka kwe?

Taanna ilutigalugu? (okwetegeka kwe)
Kiri wano wansi

Tassunga niaqorpoq (kiri wano wansi)
Kiri mangu

Tassunga niaqorpoq (kiri mangu)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

Kujallermi takusinnaavakkit? (osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Ggenda wano, please

Ilinniaritsi, taava? (ggenda wano, please)
Tewali bungi ki?

Kissakkut sivisussuseq? (tewali bungi ki)

Shopping and dining

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

Kiki ky'ekitundu?

Qanoq akissagaa? (qanoq akissagaa)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

Taanna qaffasissuuvoq (taanna qaffasissuuvoq)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

Ilaat akitsunnguamik pissavutit? (ilaats akitsunnguamik pissavutit)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

Kardimik akilissaguit? (kardimik akilissaguit)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

Manniit marluk toqqarfigissavakka (manniit marluk toqqarfigissavakka)
Ekitabo, please.

Akileraarut, please (akileraarut, please)
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

Obsit ilanngullugit? (obsit ilanngullugit)
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

Vegetarian-iuvunga (vegetarian-iuvunga)
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

Sukkatsoq atorsinnaanngilara, please (sukkatsoq atorsinnaanngilara)
Ono mulungi.

Tassami neriugassaavoq (tassami neriugassaavoq)
Nneetaaga menu?

Menu-qaanga? (menu-qaanga)
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

Sukkatsoq imaq, please (sukkatsoq imaq)

Emergencies and health

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

Mpozzi polisi

Suliat allattariaq (suliat allattariaq)
Mpozzi ambulance

Ambulance allattariaq (ambulance allattariaq)
Nfuna daktari

Doktorimik pisariaqartiga (doktorimik pisariaqartiga)
Ndi mu mbeera mbi

Sukorsimavunga (sukorsimavunga)
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

Pikkorissumik allaatiga (pikkorissumik allaatiga)
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

Sumiippit najugassarsiorfiit? (sumiippit najugassarsiorfiit)
Bikozesa wano

Tamassa nikinga (tamassa nikinga)
Nfuuse passport yange

Paspoortimik nikerpunga (paspoortimik nikerpunga)
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

Hotelimi allattariaq? (hotelimi allattariaq)
Mbadde!

Naluara!

Work and business

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

Nkwagala okubaako

Tassunga nuannaarpunga (tassunga nuannaartoq)
Tugende mu nteekateeka

Tassunga ataatsimiinnerup pilersaarusiorneqarnera (tassunga ataatsimiinnerup pilersaarusiorneqarnera)
Okwesiga ki?

Qanoq akunnera iluaqutaasinnaava? (qanoq akunnit)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

Oqaatsit ullumikkut nassiuppa (oqaatsit ullumikkut)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

Ullup akunnerani oqaloqateqarsinnaavunga? (ullup akunnerani)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

Tassunga allagartaq ilanngullugu takusinnaavat (tassunga allagartaq)
Webale ku ssaawa yo

Qujanaq piffissaqit (qujanaq piffissaqit)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

Tassunga suleqatigiinnissaq qilanaara (tassunga suleqatigiinnissaq)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

Oqaatiga qanoq paasitinniarpat? (oqaatiga paasitinniarpat)
Nja kukuwandiikira

Tassunga uagut qinerpa (tassunga qinerpa)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

Piffissaq naammassineq ulloq sisamanngorneq (piffissaq naammassineq)

Time, days and numbers

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

Ki nsonga?

Kissarit? (kisa-rit)
Kiri saawa ssatu

Tamatumani pingasunngorpoq (tamatumani pingasunngorpoq)
Leero

Ulloq (ulloq)
Nne

Ullumi (ullumi)
Yaka

Ullumi qaammat (ullumi qaammat)
Mmande

Ataasinngorneq (ataasinngorneq)
Olwokubiri

Marlunngorneq (marlunngorneq)
Olwokutaano

Pingasunngorneq (pingasunngorneq)
Emu

Ataaseq (ataaseq)
Bbiri

Marluk (marluk)
Ssatu

Pingasunnguaq (pingasunnguaq)
Kkumi

Qullik (qullik)
Kikumi

Mioo (mioo)
Okwetaba

Kitsik (kitsik)
Mungeri

Kujallik (kuja-llik)

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