Looking for practical Ndau to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Ndau 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 Ndau 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.
Mhoro
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ndatenda
Naki(nah-kee)
Mangwanani akanaka
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Masikati akanaka
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Manheru akanaka
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Usiku hwakanaka
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tichasangana zvakare
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Sara zvakanaka
Itye(ee-tye)
Zita rako ndiani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Zita rangu ndiJohn
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Uri sei?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ndinofara kukuziva
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unotaura Chirungu here?
Itye konyo English?
Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Handinzwisise.
Nye neno.
Ndapota taura zvishoma.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ungazvitaura zvakare here?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Chimbuzi chiri kupi?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ndingasvika sei ku nzvimbo yeguta?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Pinda kuruboshwe.
Konyo kuc.
Pinda kurudyi.
Konyo kuc.
Enda mberi.
Tye kanyim.
Mari yefare ingani?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Tiketi imwe, ndapota.
One ticket, please.
Iko kure kubva pano?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndakakanganiswa.
Nye konyo.
Ndingatenga kupi SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ehe
Aye
Aih
Bila
Pangani
Kweyo
Ndakubvumirana
Ng'ato konyo
Handibvumirani
Ng'ato konyo ni
Izvi zvinonzwika zvakanaka
Okwero kany
Unofungei?
Ika kany?
Ungandibatsira here?
Ikwok kany?
Ndiri kuda rubatsiro
Ng'ato konyo kany
Mirira nguva shoma
Tye kany
Ndineurombo
Ng'ato konyo
Hapana dambudziko
Bila kany
Makorokoto
Tye kany
Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa
Aye konyo
Iva nerwendo rwakanaka
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kupi kwete chiteshi chenjere?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Kupi kwete chiteshi chebhazi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ndeipi chikuva?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ndeipi nguva inobva?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Iyi ndiyo nzira yakarurama?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iri pedyo pano
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iri kure neapo
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Unogona kundiratidza pamepu?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Mira pano, ndapota
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zvinodhura sei?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Izvozvo zvinodhura zvikuru
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Une chimwe chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ndinoda tafura yevasere
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Chikwereti, ndapota
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Sevhisi yakabatanidzwa here?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndiri vegetarian
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Izvi zvinonaka
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ndingawana menyu here?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Girazi remvura, ndapota
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Dai foni mapurisa
Yat ma police
Dai foni amburensi
Yat ma ambulance
Ndinoda chiremba
Nye konyo doctor
Ndiri kurwara
Nye konyo wot
Ndine chiremera kumapudzi
Nye konyo kany kic
Hospitali iri kupi pedyo?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Zvinorwadza pano
Okwero ineno
Ndakarasa pasipoti yangu
Nye tye konyo passport
Unogona here kufoniya hotera yangu?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Rubatsiro!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndinofara kukusangana
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Ngatironge musangano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ndeipi nguva inokufambira?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndichatumira mushumo nhasi
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tingataure mangwana here?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndapota tsvaga faira rakabatanidzwa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ndatenda nenguva yako
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ungajekesa iyo pfungwa here?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Regai ndidzoke kwamuri
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.