Translate now

Common Nuer to Tiv phrases

100 practical Nuer to Tiv phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

← Back to Nuer to Tiv Translator

Looking for practical Nuer to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Nuer phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.

Tip: when a Tiv 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 Tiv 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.

  1. Nhiar

    Mgbakpa

  2. Nyaak

    Ior na

  3. Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r

    Mgbakpa u sha

  4. Nhiar aŋɔ̈r

    Mgbakpa u kpa

  5. Nhiar aŋɔ̈r

    Mgbakpa u ter

  6. Nhiar kɔ̈c

    Mgbakpa u ter sha

  7. Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n

    Kpa a joo

  8. Kɛ̈n

    Ior a joo

  9. Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?

    Ior m ngu?

  10. Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John

    M ngu John

  11. Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?

    Ior m nande?

  12. Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n

    Ior m nande a joo

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Nyaac ke nyin English?

    I kpa English?

  2. Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.

    M nahan Hindi nahan.

  3. Nyaac ma nyin.

    M nahan usha.

  4. Yin ke nyin kɛl.

    M nahan usha kpa.

  5. Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?

    I kpa a sha?

  6. Yin thok a kɛl?

    I we a joo?

  7. Nyaac ke nyin a city center?

    Nenge a kpa a city center?

  8. Yin ke nyin a laar.

    Kpa a joo.

  9. Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.

    Kpa a nahan.

  10. Yin ke nyin a thok.

    Kpa a sha.

  11. Yin ke nyin a kɛl?

    Nenge a kpa a fare?

  12. Yin ke nyin a ticket.

    I kpa a ticket, please.

  13. Yin ke nyin a thok?

    I we a nahan a nahan?

  14. Nyaac ke nyin.

    M nahan sha.

  15. Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?

    I we a kpa a SIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Ee

  2. Naa

    Naa

  3. Nyaak

    Iye

  4. Nyeek a kech

    M na a kpa

  5. Nyeek a kech naa

    M na a kpa nahan

  6. Iye kech kɛl

    I kpa a kpa

  7. Nyaak a kech?

    U kpa a nahan?

  8. Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?

    U kpa m nahan?

  9. Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl

    M na a kpa nahan

  10. Kɛl a jɔɔr

    Kpa a kpa

  11. Nyeek a kech

    M na a kpa

  12. Naa a kech kɛl

    Naa a kpa

  13. Aye kɛl

    I kpa a kpa

  14. Aye kɛl a wɛr

    A kpa a kpa

  15. Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr

    U kpa a kpa

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?

    Ior a kpa? (Känyë kɛl wel)

  2. Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?

    Ior a nyam? (Känyë kɛl bol)

  3. Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?

    Ior a gande? (Kel bet ket)

  4. Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?

    Nenge a kpa? (Kel wel it ket)

  5. Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?

    Ior a nenge a? (Kel it kel wel)

  6. Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?

    I na kpa a. (Kel it kel kel)

  7. Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?

    I na kpa a kpa. (Kel it kel jol)

  8. Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?

    I ma ior a gande? (Kel it kel pet ket)

  9. Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?

    Kpa a, please. (Kel jel kel pel)

  10. Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?

    Nenge a kpa? (Kel it kel jol ket)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Nyaak cɛl?

    Ior kwagh nahan? (ior kwagh nahan)

  2. Kɛl yic kɛc

    Ior u kpa a kpa (ior u kpa a kpa)

  3. Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?

    Ior m ngu u kpa? (ior m ngu u kpa)

  4. Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?

    Ior m gban a card? (ior m gban a card)

  5. Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin

    A doo a table m ngu a yô (a doo a table m ngu a yô)

  6. Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl

    Ior a bill, please (ior a bill, please)

  7. Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?

    Ior a service m nahan? (ior a service m nahan)

  8. Nyaak cɛl wɛr

    A m vegetarian (a m vegetarian)

  9. Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc

    A m nahan a spicy food (a m nahan a spicy food)

  10. Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin

    Ior a kpa (ior a kpa)

  11. Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?

    Ior m gban a menu? (ior m gban a menu)

  12. Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt

    A glass a water, please (a glass a water)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Cïl wïr

    Kpa a police (cil wir)

  2. Cïl an ambulance

    Kpa a ambulance (cil an ambulance)

  3. Aŋ thïr a doctor

    M ba a doctor (ang thir a doctor)

  4. Aŋ kɔc

    M kpa a kpa (ang koc)

  5. Aŋ kɔc a pïyït

    M kpa a nyam (ang koc a piyit)

  6. Cït kɛ̈n hospital?

    I kpa a hospital mza? (cit ken hospital)

  7. Cïk bɛ̈t

    I kpa a sha (cik bet)

  8. Aŋ kɛ̈n passport

    M kpa a passport m (ang ken passport)

  9. Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?

    I kpa a hotel m? (ang ken cil my hotel)

  10. Kɛ̈n!

    Kpa! (ken)

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nyeu ke nyin

    Ior u kpa. (nyin = meet)

  2. Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin

    Ka a hia ikyô.

  3. Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?

    Nî kpa u kpa?

  4. Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl

    M gbanor u kpe.

  5. Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?

    A hia nî u hia?

  6. Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth

    M kpa u venge.

  7. Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth

    Ior u nenge.

  8. Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke

    M hia u kpa.

  9. A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?

    Ior a hia u mba?

  10. Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke

    Ka m hia u.

  11. Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday

    Ikyô u kpa a Friday.

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Nii rɛ̈ŋa?

    Ior a kpa? (Ior a kpa?)

  2. Nii kɛ̈l lɔk thɛ̈n.

    Ior a tyoor (Ior a tyoor)

  3. Nii rɛ̈ŋa

    Ior (Ior)

  4. Nii rɛ̈ŋa kɛ̈l

    Kpa (Kpa)

  5. Nii rɛ̈ŋa kɛ̈l lɔk

    Ior a sha (Ior a sha)

  6. Dɛ̈n tɛ̈n

    Ior a yô (Ior a yô)

  7. Dɛ̈n kɛ̈l

    Ior a kô (Ior a kô)

  8. Dɛ̈n lɔk

    Ior a ngô (Ior a ngô)

  9. Kɛ̈l

    Mba (Mba)

  10. Lɔk

    Ishô (Ishô)

  11. Thɛ̈n

    Tyoor (Tyoor)

  12. Jɛ̈n

    Ishê (Ishê)

  13. Kɛ̈l jɛ̈n

    Mba kpa (Mba kpa)

  14. Nɛ̈ŋ

    Ior a kpa (Ior a kpa)

  15. Kɛ̈l lɔk

    Ior a kpa (Ior a kpa)

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Nuer to Tiv translator.

Open translator