Looking for practical Luganda to Kiga phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda phrase first, then the Kiga translation (Kiga) — 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 Kiga.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kiga-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda to Kiga 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?
Okwagala(Oli otya?)
Webale
Webale(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
Osiibye bulungi(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
Osiibye bulungi(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
Osiibye bulungi(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
Osiibye bulungi(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
Tugenda okukutana(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Nneebwanga okukuyita(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Oli muwandiika kiingereza?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Sikuwandiika Hindi bulungi.
Sijja kumanya.
Sikuganya.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Nkwenda okwandiika bulungi.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Osobola okuwandiika ekyo na?
Ekitanda kiki?
Ekitanda kiki?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Nkwenda otya mu kiti?
Genda ku kkono.
Genda ku kkono.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Genda ku ddyo.
Genda mu maaso.
Genda mu maaso.
Ekitundu kiki?
Ekitundu kiki?
Ticket emu, please.
Ekitanda emu, nyamba.
Kiki kirekera wano?
Kiki ekitundu okuva wano?
Ndi mu bubi.
Ndi mu kwegendereza.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Nkwenda kutuuka wa SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Eee
Nedda
Oya
Okwagala
Wali
Nnaakuwandiika
Ndiinze
Sikuwandiika
Sindiinze
Kyo kyekirungi
Ekitanga kiza
Otekayo ki?
Oteka ki?
Osobola okundabira?
Okwetegera?
Nfuna obuyambi
Nfuna okwetegera
Saba omukutu
Leka akaseke
Nsaba
Ndi mwefwe
Tewali kibadde
Tera kintu
Okwagaliza
Nkwagala
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Okwagala omwaka omukya
Genda bulungi
Okwetegera mu nsi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Eri heza y'ekitabo?(Eri heza y'ekitabo?)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Eri heza y'ekibuga?(Eri heza y'ekibuga?)
Ekitangaala ki?
Ekiyungiriro ki?(Ekiyungiriro ki?)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Ekitonde ki?(Ekitonde ki?)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?(Oni omukono ogw'ekirungi?)
Kiri wano wansi
Eri wansi wano(Eri wansi wano)
Kiri mangu
Eri kure wano(Eri kure wano)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Oyinza okundabira ku karita?(Oyinza okundabira ku karita?)
Ggenda wano, please
Mugume wano, nyabo(Mugume wano, nyabo)
Tewali bungi ki?
Ekitanga ki?(Ekitanga ki?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Ekitanga ki?(ekitanga ki)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Ekitanga ky'ekikula(ekitanga ky'ekikula)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Oli n'ekintu ekirungi?(oli n'ekintu ekirungi)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi?(nkwenda okwekwasa ku kadi)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri(nkwenda akatabo ku b'abiri)