Looking for practical Nuer to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer 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: read the Acholi line out loud three times, then cover the Nuer 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 Nuer 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.
Nhiar
Ayo(ah-yo)
Nyaak
Naki(nah-kee)
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Kɛ̈n
Itye(ee-tye)
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Itye konyo English?
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Nye neno.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Konyo kuc.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Konyo kuc.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Tye kanyim.
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
One ticket, please.
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Nyaac ke nyin.
Nye konyo.
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Naa
Bila
Nyaak
Kweyo
Nyeek a kech
Ng'ato konyo
Nyeek a kech naa
Ng'ato konyo ni
Iye kech kɛl
Okwero kany
Nyaak a kech?
Ika kany?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Ikwok kany?
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Ng'ato konyo kany
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Tye kany
Nyeek a kech
Ng'ato konyo
Naa a kech kɛl
Bila kany
Aye kɛl
Tye kany
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Aye konyo
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nyaak cɛl?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Kɛl yic kɛc
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Nyaak cɛl wɛr
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Cïl wïr
Yat ma police(cil wir)
Cïl an ambulance
Yat ma ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Aŋ thïr a doctor
Nye konyo doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Aŋ kɔc
Nye konyo wot(ang koc)
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït
Nye konyo kany kic(ang koc a piyit)
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?(cit ken hospital)
Cïk bɛ̈t
Okwero ineno(cik bet)
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport
Nye tye konyo passport(ang ken passport)
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Kɛ̈n!
Yat!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nyeu ke nyin
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.