Looking for practical Luganda to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Yoruba-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda to Yoruba 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?
Bawo(bawoh)
Webale
O seun(oh shayoon)
Osiibye otya?
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Osiibye bulungi?
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Osiibye otya?
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Lwaki olugendo?
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tugenda kutya?
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Nkwagala
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Oli otya?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Sijja kumanya.
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Ekitanda kiki?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Genda ku kkono.
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Genda ku mwoyo.
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Genda mu maaso.
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Ekitundu kiki?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Ticket emu, please.
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Kiki kirekera wano?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Ndi mu bubi.
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Bẹẹni
Nedda
Rara
Okwagala
Bóyá
Nnaakuwandiika
Mo gba
Sikuwandiika
Mo kọ
Kyo kyekirungi
Iyẹn dára
Otekayo ki?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Osobola okundabira?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Nfuna obuyambi
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Saba omukutu
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Nsaba
Mo bínú
Tewali kibadde
Kò sí ìṣòro
Okwagaliza
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Genda bulungi
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Ekitangaala ki?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Kiri wano wansi
O sunmọ ibi yi(kiri wano wansi)
Kiri mangu
O jinna si ibi yi(kiri mangu)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Ggenda wano, please
Duro nibi, jọwọ(ggenda wano, please)
Tewali bungi ki?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Ekitabo, please.
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Ono mulungi.
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Nneetaaga menu?
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Mpozzi ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nfuna daktari
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Bikozesa wano
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nfuuse passport yange
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
Mbadde!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade(Tugende mu nteekateeka)
Okwesiga ki?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?(Okwesiga ki?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni(Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?(Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́(Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
O seun fun akoko rẹ(Webale ku ssaawa yo)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ(Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?(Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ(Nja kukuwandiikira)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
Akoko ipari ni Friday(Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.