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Common Luganda to Kinyarwanda phrases

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

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

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kinyarwanda-speaking trip in a few weeks.

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

    Muraho (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Urakoze (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    Bwakire bwiza (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Nimugoroba mwiza (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Mwaramutse mwiza (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Ijoro ryiza (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Tuzabonana nyuma (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Murabeho (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Witwa nde? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Nitwa John (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Umeze ute? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Nishimiye kukumenya (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Uravuga Icyongereza?

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Sinavuga Hindi neza

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Sinumva

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    Nyabuneka vuga buhoro

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Wabivuga ukundi?

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Aho ubwiherero buri he?

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Nagenda nte ku mugi?

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Hindukira ibumoso

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Hindukira iburyo

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Genda imbere

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Igiciro ni ikihe?

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Itike imwe, nyabuneka

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

    Ni kure hano?

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Ndi mu kaga

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Nshobora kugura SIM card he?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ye

    Yego

  2. Nedda

    Oya

  3. Okwagala

    Birashoboka

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Ndemeranya

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Sinemeranya

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Birumvikana neza

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Ubitekerezaho iki?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Urashobora kumfasha?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Nkeneye ubufasha

  10. Saba omukutu

    Tegereza gato

  11. Nsaba

    Ndakwinginze

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Nta kibazo

  13. Okwagaliza

    Ibyishimo

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Isabukuru nziza

  15. Genda bulungi

    Ugire urugendo rwiza

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri? (Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?)

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Aho ahagarara bisi? (Aho ahagarara bisi?)

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Ni iyihe platform? (Ni iyihe platform?)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Igihe izava ryari? (Igihe izava ryari?)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

    Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza? (Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?)

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Iri hafi hano (Iri hafi hano)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Iri kure hano (Iri kure hano)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

    Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita? (Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?)

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Hagarara hano, nyabuneka (Hagarara hano, nyabuneka)

  10. Tewali bungi ki?

    Bifata igihe kingana iki? (Bifata igihe kingana iki?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Iyi igura angahe? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Ndagusabye, umwenda.

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Serivisi irimo?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Ndi umunyvegetari.

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Ibi biraryoshye.

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Hamagara polisi

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Hamagara ambulance

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Nkeneye umuganga

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Ndumva ndwaye

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Birambabaza hano

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Nabuze pasiporo yanjye

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?

  10. Mbadde!

    Fasha!

Work and business

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

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Nishimiye guhura nawe (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Reka dushyireho inama (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Ni ryari byakugendekera? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Dushobora kuvugana ejo? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Urakoze ku gihe cyawe (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Ntegereje gukorana nawe (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Wansobanurira icyo kibazo? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Nzakugarukira (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu (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?

    Ni saa ingahe? (ni saa ingahe)

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Ni saa tatu (ni saa tatu)

  3. Leero

    Uyu munsi (uyu munsi)

  4. Nne

    Ejo hazaza (ejo hazaza)

  5. Yaka

    Ejo (ejo)

  6. Mmande

    Kuwa Mbere (kuwa mbere)

  7. Olwokubiri

    Kuwa Kabiri (kuwa kabiri)

  8. Olwokutaano

    Kuwa Gatatu (kuwa gatatu)

  9. Emu

    Kimwe (kimwe)

  10. Bbiri

    Kabiri (kabiri)

  11. Ssatu

    Gatatu (gatatu)

  12. Kkumi

    Cumi (cumi)

  13. Kikumi

    Ijana (ijana)

  14. Okwetaba

    Igice (igice)

  15. Mungeri

    Byinshi (byinshi)

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