Looking for practical Luganda to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: pick five Mam 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 Mam 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?
Xo'j(sho'j)
Webale
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Osiibye otya?
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Osiibye bulungi?
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Osiibye otya?
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Lwaki olugendo?
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Tugenda kutya?
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Nkwagala
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Oli otya?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Sijja kumanya.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ekitanda kiki?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Genda ku kkono.
K'utun k'ux.
Genda ku mwoyo.
K'utun k'ux.
Genda mu maaso.
K'utun k'ux.
Ekitundu kiki?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Ticket emu, please.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Kiki kirekera wano?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Ndi mu bubi.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Juj(hoo)
Nedda
Man(mah)
Okwagala
K'ux(k'ush)
Nnaakuwandiika
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Sikuwandiika
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Kyo kyekirungi
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Otekayo ki?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Osobola okundabira?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Nfuna obuyambi
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Saba omukutu
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Nsaba
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Tewali kibadde
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Okwagaliza
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Genda bulungi
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ki?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?(ekitangaala ki)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Okwetegeka kwe?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?(okwetegeka kwe)
Kiri wano wansi
Ri k'ut pa ri.(kiri wano wansi)
Kiri mangu
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.(kiri mangu)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Ggenda wano, please
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?(ggenda wano, please)
Tewali bungi ki?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.