Looking for practical Mam to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: read the Kanuri line out loud three times, then cover the Mam 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 Mam to Kanuri 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
Sannu(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Nagode(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Ina kwana(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Ina yamma(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Ina dare(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Sai da safe(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Zan ganka(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Sai anjima(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Menene sunanka?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Sunana John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Lafiya lau?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Ba na fahimta.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ina wanka?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
K'utun k'ux.
Juya hagu.
K'utun k'ux.
Juya dama.
K'utun k'ux.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Nawa ne farashin?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Na ɓace.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Eey(ee-y)
Man
A'a(ah-ah)
K'ux
Wata(wah-tah)
Juj k'ux
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Man k'ux
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
K'ux juj
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
K'ux k'ut
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Man k'ux k'ut
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
K'ux juj k'ut
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Nye boko na gari?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Nye boko na bas?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Wane boko na?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Shin wannan hanya ce?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Yana kusa da nan
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Yana nesa da nan
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Tsaida nan, don Allah
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Ina so tebur don biyu.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Lissafi, don Allah.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Wannan yana da dadi.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Zan iya samun menu?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
K'uxik un ambulancia
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nek' a doctor
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
K'utun k'ax
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
¡Ayuda!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)