Looking for practical Nuer to Sepedi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer phrase first, then the Sepedi translation (Sepedi) — 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 Sepedi.
Tip: when a Sepedi phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Nuer 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 Nuer to Sepedi 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
Dumela
Nyaak
Ke a leboga
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Dumelang
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mokhutsong o motle
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mokhutsong o motle
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Borai bo botle
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Tsamaya sentle
Kɛ̈n
Siyabonga
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
O na le leina lefe?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Leina la ka ke John
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
O kae?
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Na o bua Seisemane?
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nyaac ma nyin.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Borai bo kae?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Fetola go le letšatši
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Fetola go le letona
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Ya ka pela
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Phetho ke bokae?
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nyaac ke nyin.
Ke sitwa go etse
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Aowa
Nyaak
Mohlomong
Nyeek a kech
Ke a dumela
Nyeek a kech naa
Ke sitwa go dumela
Iye kech kɛl
Seo se utlwa sentle
Nyaak a kech?
O nagana eng?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
O ka nthusa?
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Ke hloka thuso
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Emela nako
Nyeek a kech
Ke maswabi
Naa a kech kɛl
Ga go na bothata
Aye kɛl
Dumelang
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Tlhogong e monate
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?
Nako efe e tlo fofa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?
E haufi le fa(E haufi le fa)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?
E hole le fa(E hole le fa)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?
O ka mpontsha ka mape?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?
E nka nako e kae?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nyaak cɛl?
Ke bokae?(ke bo-ka-e)
Kɛl yic kɛc
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?
Nka lefa ka khadi?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl
Bille, tswarela(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Nyaak cɛl wɛr
Ke movegetarian(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin
Se ke se monate(se ke se mo-na-te)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?
Nka fumana lenaneo?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Cïl wïr
B calla mapolesa(cil wir)
Cïl an ambulance
B calla ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Aŋ thïr a doctor
Ke hloka ngaka(ang thir a doctor)
Aŋ kɔc
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya(ang koc)
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(ang koc a piyit)
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?(cit ken hospital)
Cïk bɛ̈t
Go a bohloko fa(cik bet)
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka(ang ken passport)
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Kɛ̈n!
Thusa!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nyeu ke nyin
Ke thabile go kopana le wena(nyin = meet)
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
A re ka bua ka moso?
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.