Looking for practical Mam to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Mam phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: when a Nuer 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 Nuer 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
Nhiar(sho'j)
Tz'ik
Nyaak(tz'ik)
Xo'j nax
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r(sho'j nax)
Xo'j q'ij
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(sho'j q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r(sho'j k'ux)
Xo'j k'ux nax
Nhiar kɔ̈c(sho'j k'ux nax)
K'ux q'ij
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(k'ux q'ij)
Xo'j k'ux
Kɛ̈n(sho'j k'ux)
Ja' k'ux nax?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Ja' k'ux nax John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Jach' k'ux?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?(hach' k'ux?)
Nab' k'ux
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Yin thok a kɛl?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a laar.
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Nyaac ke nyin.
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Juj
Aye(hoo)
Man
Naa(mah)
K'ux
Nyaak(k'ush)
Juj k'ux
Nyeek a kech(hoo k'ush)
Man k'ux
Nyeek a kech naa(mah k'ush)
K'ux juj
Iye kech kɛl(k'ush hoo)
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?
Nyaak a kech?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux k'ut
Kɛl a jɔɔr(k'ush k'ut)
Juj k'ux k'ut
Nyeek a kech(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Man k'ux k'ut
Naa a kech kɛl(mah k'ush k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut
Aye kɛl(k'ush hoo k'ut)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Aye kɛl a wɛr(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr(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?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
K'ux k'ulub' ri'?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
K'ux ri' k'ulub'?
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax k'oj?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Ri' k'ulub', por favor
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
In k'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
¿K'ux ri' k'ulub' k'ax?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
K'uxik la policía
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
K'uxik un ambulancia
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Nek' a doctor
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
K'utun k'ax
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Nek' a k'uxi' ch'ich'
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Jach' k'uxik la hospital?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
K'utun k'uxi' aquí
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Nek' a k'uxik mi pasaporte
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
¿K'uxik a k'uxik mi hotel?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
¡Ayuda!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Chik'oj ch'ab'ej
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ulb'al
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin(kah-hee k'ah-wik ree kool-bahl)
K'ut ri k'utal k'axik?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?(k'oot ree k'oo-tahl kah-hee)
In k'axik ri k'ik'oj ch'ich'
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl(een kah-hee ree kee-k'oh ch'eech')
K'axik ch'awik ri k'ik'oj k'ay?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?(kah-hee ch'ah-wik ree kee-k'oh kahy)