Looking for practical Papiamento to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Papiamento 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 Papiamento 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.
Halo
Ayo(ah-yo)
Dank'i
Naki(nah-kee)
Bon dia
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Bon tardi
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Bon nochi
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Bon nochi
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Hasta luego
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Ayo
Itye(ee-tye)
Kiko ta bo nòmber?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Mi nòmber ta John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Kon ta bai?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Dushi pa konosé bo
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Bo ta papia Ingles?
Itye konyo English?(Bo ta papia Ingles?)
Mi no ta papia Hindi bon
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.(Mi no ta papia Hindi bon)
Mi no ta komprondé
Nye neno.(Mi no ta komprondé)
Por fabor, papia lentamente
Nye konyo tye kanyim.(Por fabor, papia lentamente)
Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?(Podé bo duna e palabra otro vez?)
Unda ta e baño?
Iti kanyim ngat?(Unda ta e baño?)
Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?(Kiko mi mester hasi pa yega na centro di ciudad?)
Duna ku left
Konyo kuc.(Duna ku left)
Duna ku right
Konyo kuc.(Duna ku right)
Bai straight
Tye kanyim.(Bai straight)
Kantu ta e tarifa?
Iti kanyim ngat?(Kantu ta e tarifa?)
Un tiket, por fabor
One ticket, please.(Un tiket, por fabor)
Ta leu for di aki?
Iti kanyim kanyim?(Ta leu for di aki?)
Mi ta perdo
Nye konyo.(Mi ta perdo)
Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?(Unda mi por komprá un SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Si
Aye
No
Bila
Quizás
Kweyo
Mi ta akordá
Ng'ato konyo
Mi no ta akordá
Ng'ato konyo ni
Esaki ta suena bon
Okwero kany
Kiko bo ta pensa?
Ika kany?
Bo por yuda mi?
Ikwok kany?
Mi mester yuda
Ng'ato konyo kany
Spera un momentu
Tye kany
Mi ta diskulpa
Ng'ato konyo
No tin problema
Bila kany
Felicidades
Tye kany
Feliz cumpleaños
Aye konyo
Ten un viahe seguro
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Unda ta e stasyon di tren?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Unda ta e parada di bus?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Kual plataforma ta?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Kico ora e ta bai?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Esaki ta e manera correctu?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
E ta cerca aki
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
E ta leu for di aki
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Poei mostra mi na e mapa?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Para aki, por fabor
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kantu tempu e ta tuma?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiko ta e precio di esaki?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Esaki ta demasiado caro.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Bo tin algo mas barato?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Porke mi por paga ku tarjeta?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Mi ke un mesa pa dos.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
E cuenta, por fabor.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
E servicio ta inkludí?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Mi ta vegetariano.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
No komida picante, por fabor.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Esaki ta sabroso.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Porke mi por tin e menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Un bashi di awa, por fabor.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Llama polis
Yat ma police
Llama un ambulansia
Yat ma ambulance
Mi mester un doktor
Nye konyo doctor
Mi ta sinti mal
Nye konyo wot
Mi ta alergiko pa maní
Nye konyo kany kic
Unda ta e hospital mas cercano?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Ta doli aki
Okwero ineno
Mi a perde mi pasaporte
Nye tye konyo passport
Bo por llama mi hotel?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Yuda!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Bon dii pa conoce bo
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Deja nos programa un reuníon
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Kiko ora ta bon pa bo?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Mi ta manda e report di awor
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Por ta papia mañan?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Por fabor, haya e file anexa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Danki pa bo tempo
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Mi ta spera pa traha ku bo
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Bo por klarifica esaki?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Deja mi a volve na bo
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
E deadline ta dia dushi
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.