Looking for practical Sepedi to Luo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Luo translation (Luo) — 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 Luo.
Tip: pick five Luo 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 Sepedi to Luo 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.
Dumela
Naki(Naki)
Ke a leboga
Asante(Asante)
Dumelang
Naki chuo(Naki chuo)
Mokhutsong o motle
Naki ng'ato(Naki ng'ato)
Mokhutsong o motle
Naki owadgi(Naki owadgi)
Borai bo botle
Naki buya(Naki buya)
Tsamaya sentle
Ting' kendo(Ting' kendo)
Siyabonga
Naki(Naki)
O na le leina lefe?
Ine ng'ama in?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Leina la ka ke John
Inyalo John(Inyalo John)
O kae?
Okwere?(Okwere?)
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
Naki konyo English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Nyingi.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Tende konyo chalo.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Naki konyo to?
Borai bo kae?
Ith gi toilet?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Fetola go le letšatši
Konyo chike.
Fetola go le letona
Konyo duto.
Ya ka pela
Yie chalo.
Phetho ke bokae?
Ning'eyo koro?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Ke sitwa go etse
Nin gi chalo.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Ith gi SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Aowa
Ayi
Mohlomong
Kaka
Ke a dumela
Akwong'
Ke sitwa go dumela
Ayi Akwong'
Seo se utlwa sentle
Ong'eyo
O nagana eng?
Ine owuon?
O ka nthusa?
Naki gi chalo?
Ke hloka thuso
Nind gi chalo
Emela nako
Chakre
Ke maswabi
Naki
Ga go na bothata
Ayi koro
Dumelang
Naki chalo
Tlhogong e monate
Naki buo
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Naki chalo gi chalo
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Naki yieng' ma train?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Naki yieng' ma bus?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Naki platform ng'eyo?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Naki koro ng'ato?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
E haufi le fa
Niko neno.(E haufi le fa)
E hole le fa
Niko piny.(E hole le fa)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Okwong' ni on map?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Dhi here, please.(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
E nka nako e kae?
Naki koro ng'ato?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Nia ni?(ke bo-ka-e)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Owino ni gi chalo.(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
I konyo kanyo?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Inyalo nind gi kad?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Nin gi chula mar duong'.(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Bille, tswarela
Chakruok, plis.(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Isango ni gi?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Ke movegetarian
Nin gi vegeterian.(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
Naki chalo chalo, plis.(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Se ke se monate
Owino ni gi dho.(se ke se mo-na-te)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Inyalo nind gi menu?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Nedhi polisi
B calla ambulance
Nedhi ambulance
Ke hloka ngaka
Aneedo daktari
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Akwong' gi chalo
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Naki hospital mar koro?
Go a bohloko fa
Okwong' mana
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Nying' my passport
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Thusa!
Konyo!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nying' konyo joma(Nying' konyo joma)
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Naki konyo nigi?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
A re ka bua ka moso?
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Chieng' ni file ni(Chieng' ni file ni)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Asante gi chako(Asante gi chako)
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Nying' konyo gi nyaka(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Ning'eyo konyo ni?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Dede ni Friday(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.