Looking for practical Mam to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.
Tip: when a Luganda phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Mam 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 Mam to Luganda 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
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Tz'ik
Webale(Webale)
Xo'j nax
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Xo'j q'ij
Osiibye bulungi?(Osiibye bulungi?)
Xo'j k'ux
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Lwaki olugendo?(Lwaki olugendo?)
K'ux q'ij
Tugenda kutya?(Tugenda kutya?)
Xo'j k'ux
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Jach' k'ux?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Nab' k'ux
Nkwagala okukulaba(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Sijja kumanya.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ekitanda kiki?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Genda ku kkono.
K'utun k'ux.
Genda ku mwoyo.
K'utun k'ux.
Genda mu maaso.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Ekitundu kiki?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket emu, please.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Kiki kirekera wano?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Ndi mu bubi.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Ye(hoo)
Man
Nedda(mah)
K'ux
Okwagala(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Nnaakuwandiika(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Sikuwandiika(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Kyo kyekirungi(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Otekayo ki?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Osobola okundabira?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Nfuna obuyambi(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Saba omukutu(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Nsaba(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Tewali kibadde(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Okwagaliza(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Genda bulungi(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?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Ekitangaala ki?(ekitangaala ki)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Okwetegeka kwe?(okwetegeka kwe)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Kiri wano wansi(kiri wano wansi)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Kiri mangu(kiri mangu)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Ggenda wano, please(ggenda wano, please)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Tewali bungi ki?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Kiki ky'ekitundu?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)