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Common Luganda to Xhosa phrases

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

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

Tip: read the Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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?

    Molo (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Enkosi (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    Ubusuku obuhle (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Ubusuku obuhle (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Ubusuku obuhle (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Lala ngoxolo (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Ndiza kubonana kamva (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Hamba kakuhle (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Ngubani igama lakho? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Igama lam nguJohn (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Unjani? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Kuhle ukukwazi (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Uthetha isiNgesi?

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Andiqondi

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    Nceda thethe kancinci

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Iphi ibhafu?

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Jolisa kwesokunxele

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Jolisa kwesokudla

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Hamba ngqo

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Iholo ingakanani?

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Ithikithi elinye, nceda

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

    Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Ndilahlekile

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ye

    Ewe

  2. Nedda

    Hayi

  3. Okwagala

    Mhlawumbi

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Ndiyavuma

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Andivumi

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Okuhle

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Ucinga ntoni?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Ungandinceda?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Ndidinga uncedo

  10. Saba omukutu

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Nsaba

    Ndicela uxolo

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Akukho ngxaki

  13. Okwagaliza

    Wamkelekile

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Genda bulungi

    Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo? (uphi umphakathi wemithwalo)

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Uphi umphakathi weebhasi? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Yeyiphi iphondo? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

    Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Ikho kufutshane apha (kiri wano wansi)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Ikude apha (kiri mangu)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

    Ungandibonisa kwiimeko? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Misa apha, nceda (ggenda wano, please)

  10. Tewali bungi ki?

    Ithatha ixesha elingakanani? (tewali bungi ki)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Ithini le mali? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Unayo into engabizi?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Ibhili, nceda.

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Ndiyavegetarian.

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Oku kumnandi.

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Ndingafumana imenyu?

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Ingxube ye water, nceda.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Biza uphondo

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Biza i-ambulensi

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Ndifuna ugqirha

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Ndiziva ndingalunganga

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Kubuhlungu apha

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Ungabiza ihotele yam?

  10. Mbadde!

    Uncedo!

Work and business

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

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Kuhle ukukwazi (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Masihlele umhlangano (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Singathetha ngomso? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Enkosi ngexesha lakho (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Ungacacisa le ndawo? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu (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?

    Yintoni ixesha? (Yin-toh-nee ikh-leh-zah?)

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Iiyure ezintathu (Ee-yoo-reh e-zin-tah-thu)

  3. Leero

    Namhlanje (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Nne

    Manga (Man-gah)

  5. Yaka

    Izolo (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mmande

    Mvulo (M-vu-lo)

  7. Olwokubiri

    Lwesibini (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Olwokutaano

    Lwesithathu (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Emu

    Ene (Eh-neh)

  10. Bbiri

    Mbini (M-bee-nee)

  11. Ssatu

    Thathu (Thah-thu)

  12. Kkumi

    Ishumi (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Kikumi

    Ishumi elinye (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Okwetaba

    Umgama (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Mungeri

    Ngaphezulu (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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