Looking for practical Sepedi to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: read the Nuer line out loud three times, then cover the Sepedi side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi to Nuer 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
Nhiar
Ke a leboga
Nyaak
Dumelang
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Mokhutsong o motle
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mokhutsong o motle
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Borai bo botle
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Tsamaya sentle
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Siyabonga
Kɛ̈n
O na le leina lefe?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
Leina la ka ke John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
O kae?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Nyaac ma nyin.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
Borai bo kae?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Fetola go le letšatši
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Fetola go le letona
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Ya ka pela
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Phetho ke bokae?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
Ke sitwa go etse
Nyaac ke nyin.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Aowa
Naa
Mohlomong
Nyaak
Ke a dumela
Nyeek a kech
Ke sitwa go dumela
Nyeek a kech naa
Seo se utlwa sentle
Iye kech kɛl
O nagana eng?
Nyaak a kech?
O ka nthusa?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
Ke hloka thuso
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Emela nako
Kɛl a jɔɔr
Ke maswabi
Nyeek a kech
Ga go na bothata
Naa a kech kɛl
Dumelang
Aye kɛl
Tlhogong e monate
Aye kɛl a wɛr
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
E haufi le fa
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
E hole le fa
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
E nka nako e kae?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ke bokae?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Bille, tswarela
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
Ke movegetarian
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Se ke se monate
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
B calla mapolesa
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
B calla ambulance
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
Ke hloka ngaka
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
Go a bohloko fa
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Thusa!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
A re ka bua ka moso?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.