Looking for practical Rundi to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Rundi 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: when a Acholi phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Rundi 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 Rundi 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.
Naki
Ayo(ah-yo)
Urakoze
Naki(nah-kee)
Mwaramutse
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Mwiriwe
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mwiriwe
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Ijoro ryiza
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Nzakubona
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Nuhagurane
Itye(ee-tye)
Icyo witwa n'iki?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nitwa John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Umeze gute?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nishimiye kukumenya
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uravuga Icyongereza?
Itye konyo English?
Sinavuga Hindi neza.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Sinumva.
Nye neno.
Ndagusaba uvuge buhoro.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Woshobora kubivuga ukundi?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Ihantu h'ubwiherero ni hehe?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nkoze nte ngo ngerere mu mugi?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Hindukira ibumoso.
Konyo kuc.
Hindukira iburyo.
Konyo kuc.
Genda imbere.
Tye kanyim.
Igiciro ni igiki?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Tike imwe, ndakwinginze.
One ticket, please.
Birakomeye kuva hano?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndi mu kaga.
Nye konyo.
Nshobora kugura ikarita ya SIM hehe?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yego
Aye
Oya
Bila
Birashoboka
Kweyo
Ndemera
Ng'ato konyo
Ntidemera
Ng'ato konyo ni
Ivyo birashimishije
Okwero kany
Utekereza iki?
Ika kany?
Urashobora kumfasha?
Ikwok kany?
Nkeneye gufasha
Ng'ato konyo kany
Teza akanya
Tye kany
Ndi umwiyahuzi
Ng'ato konyo
Nta kibazo
Bila kany
Ishimwe
Tye kany
Isabukuru nziza
Aye konyo
Urugendo rwiza
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aho hantu y'igari?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Aho hantu y'ibisohoka?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ihagararo ni irihe?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Igihe ni igiki gishika?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ubu ni bwo buryo?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Birahari hafi
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Birahari kure
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Urashobora kumfasha ku ikarita?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Hagarara hano, nyabuna
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Bifata igihe kingana iki?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi irahenda angahe?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Iyo irahenda cane
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ufise ikintu ciza cane?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Noshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Nkeneye ameza y'abantu babiri
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ibarura, ndakwinginze
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Serivisi irarimwo?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndi umworozi w'ibihingwa
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Ntimukore ibiryo biryoshye, ndakwinginze
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Iyi iraryoshye
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Noshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Igikombe c'amazi, ndakwinginze
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Terefona polisi
Yat ma police
Terefona ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Ndakeneye umuganga
Nye konyo doctor
Ndumva ndarwaye
Nye konyo wot
Ndi umunyabwoba ku mbuto z'ibihaza
Nye konyo kany kic
Ihoteri yegereye iri hehe?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Birandya hano
Okwero ineno
Nabuze pasiporo yanje
Nye tye konyo passport
Woshobora guterefona ihoteli yanje?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Mfasha!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimiye kukumenya
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tugire inama
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Igihe kiwukora?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Dushobora kuganira ejo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyabuna, reba dosiye iri hamwe
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Urakoze ku mwanya wawe
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Woshobora gusobanura ico?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndemeye kubandanya
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.