Looking for practical Luo to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luo 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: when a Mam phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Luo wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luo 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.
Naki
Xo'j(sho'j)
Asante
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Naki chuo
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Naki ng'ato
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Naki owadgi
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Naki buya
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Ting' kendo
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Naki
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Ine ng'ama in?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Inyalo John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Okwere?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Naki konyo
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Naki konyo English?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Nyingi.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Tende konyo chalo.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Naki konyo to?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Ith gi toilet?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Konyo chike.
K'utun k'ux.
Konyo duto.
K'utun k'ux.
Yie chalo.
K'utun k'ux.
Ning'eyo koro?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Ticket moko, ndalo.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Nia ng'ato kendo?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Nin gi chalo.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ith gi SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Juj(hoo)
Ayi
Man(mah)
Kaka
K'ux(k'ush)
Akwong'
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Ayi Akwong'
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Ong'eyo
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Ine owuon?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Naki gi chalo?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Nind gi chalo
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Chakre
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Naki
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Ayi koro
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Naki chalo
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Naki buo
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Naki chalo gi chalo
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.
Naki yieng' ma train?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Naki yieng' ma bus?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Naki platform ng'eyo?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Naki koro ng'ato?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Niko neno.
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Niko piny.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Okwong' ni on map?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Dhi here, please.
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Naki koro ng'ato?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.