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Common Luganda to Zulu phrases

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

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

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

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

    Sawubona (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Ngiyabonga (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    Sawubona (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Good afternoon (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Ubusuku obuhle (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Lala kahle (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Sizobonana (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Hamba kahle (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Ubani igama lakho? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Igama lami nginguJohn (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Unjani? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Angiqondi.

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Ungakuphinda lokho?

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Iphi indlu yangasese?

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Jika kwesobunxele.

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Jika kwesokudla.

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Hamba phambili.

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

    Ingabe kude lapha?

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Ngilahlekile.

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ye

    Yebo

  2. Nedda

    Cha

  3. Okwagala

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Angivumi

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Saba omukutu

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Nsaba

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Akukho nkinga

  13. Okwagaliza

    Halala

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Genda bulungi

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Tewali bungi ki?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Kubiza malini lokhu? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu.

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Ibhili, ngiyacela.

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Ngiyisithuthuthu.

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Lokhu kuhle.

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Ngicela imenyu?

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. Mbadde!

    Usizo!

Work and business

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

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Masihlele umhlangano (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Singakhuluma kusasa? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Ngizobuyela kuwe (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Usuku lokugcina 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?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Leero

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Nne

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Yaka

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mmande

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Olwokubiri

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Olwokutaano

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Emu

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Bbiri

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Ssatu

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Kkumi

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Kikumi

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Okwetaba

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Mungeri

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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