Looking for practical Nuer to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — 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 Mam.
Tip: pick five Mam 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 Nuer to Mam 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
Xo'j(sho'j)
Nyaak
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Kɛ̈n
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Nyaac ma nyin.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Yin thok a kɛl?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Yin ke nyin a laar.
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
K'utun k'ux.
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Yin ke nyin a thok?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Nyaac ke nyin.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Juj(hoo)
Naa
Man(mah)
Nyaak
K'ux(k'ush)
Nyeek a kech
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Nyeek a kech naa
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Iye kech kɛl
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Nyaak a kech?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Kɛl a jɔɔr
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Nyeek a kech
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Naa a kech kɛl
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Aye kɛl
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Aye kɛl a wɛr
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?(Kel bet ket)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?(Kel wel it ket)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?(Kel it kel wel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
Ri k'ut pa ri.(Kel it kel kel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.(Kel it kel jol)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?(Kel jel kel pel)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.