Looking for practical Mam to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Acholi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Mam to Acholi 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.
Xo'j
Ayo(ah-yo)
Tz'ik
Naki(nah-kee)
Xo'j nax
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Xo'j q'ij
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Xo'j k'ux
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
K'ux q'ij
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Xo'j k'ux
Itye(ee-tye)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Jach' k'ux?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nab' k'ux
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Itye konyo English?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Nye neno.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Iti kanyim ngat?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Konyo kuc.
K'utun k'ux.
Konyo kuc.
K'utun k'ux.
Tye kanyim.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Iti kanyim ngat?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
One ticket, please.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Nye konyo.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Aye(hoo)
Man
Bila(mah)
K'ux
Kweyo(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Ng'ato konyo(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ng'ato konyo ni(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Okwero kany(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Ika kany?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Ikwok kany?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Ng'ato konyo kany(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Tye kany(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Ng'ato konyo(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Bila kany(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Tye kany(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Aye konyo(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Tye kany ma ng'ato(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Iti kany(Iti kany)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Yat ma police
K'uxik un ambulancia
Yat ma ambulance
Nek' a doctor
Nye konyo doctor
K'utun k'ax
Nye konyo wot
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Nye konyo kany kic
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Okwero ineno
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Nye tye konyo passport
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
¡Ayuda!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.