Looking for practical Mam to Luo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Luo translation (Luo) — 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 Luo.
Tip: pick five Luo phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Mam to Luo 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
Naki(Naki)
Tz'ik
Asante(Asante)
Xo'j nax
Naki chuo(Naki chuo)
Xo'j q'ij
Naki ng'ato(Naki ng'ato)
Xo'j k'ux
Naki owadgi(Naki owadgi)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Naki buya(Naki buya)
K'ux q'ij
Ting' kendo(Ting' kendo)
Xo'j k'ux
Naki(Naki)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Ine ng'ama in?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Inyalo John(Inyalo John)
Jach' k'ux?
Okwere?(Okwere?)
Nab' k'ux
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Naki konyo English?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Nyingi.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Tende konyo chalo.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Naki konyo to?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Ith gi toilet?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Konyo chike.
K'utun k'ux.
Konyo duto.
K'utun k'ux.
Yie chalo.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Ning'eyo koro?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Ticket moko, ndalo.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Nin gi chalo.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Ith gi SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Ee(hoo)
Man
Ayi(mah)
K'ux
Kaka(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Akwong'(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Ayi Akwong'(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Ong'eyo(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Ine owuon?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Naki gi chalo?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Nind gi chalo(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Chakre(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Naki(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Ayi koro(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Naki chalo(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Naki buo(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Naki chalo gi chalo(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?
Naki yieng' ma train?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Naki yieng' ma bus?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Naki platform ng'eyo?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Naki koro ng'ato?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Niko neno.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Niko piny.
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Okwong' ni on map?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Dhi here, please.
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Naki koro ng'ato?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Nia ni?(K'ux k'ulub' ri'?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Owino ni gi chalo.(K'ux ri' k'ulub'?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
I konyo kanyo?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Inyalo nind gi kad?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nin gi chula mar duong'.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Chakruok, plis.(Ri' k'ulub', por favor)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Isango ni gi?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Nin gi vegeterian.(In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Naki chalo chalo, plis.(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Owino ni gi dho.(K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Inyalo nind gi menu?(¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.(¿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
Nedhi polisi
K'uxik un ambulancia
Nedhi ambulance
Nek' a doctor
Aneedo daktari
K'utun k'ax
Akwong' gi chalo
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Naki hospital mar koro?
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Okwong' mana
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Nying' my passport
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
¡Ayuda!
Konyo!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Nying' konyo joma(Nying' konyo joma)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Naki konyo nigi?(Naki konyo nigi?)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Ch'awik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Chieng' ni file ni(Chieng' ni file ni)
Tz'ib'ej ri k'utal
Asante gi chako(Asante gi chako)
In k'axik ri k'ulb'al k'axik
Nying' konyo gi nyaka(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'utal?
Ning'eyo konyo ni?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
K'axik in k'axik ch'awik
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Ri k'utal k'axik k'ay
Dede ni Friday(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.