Looking for practical Sesotho to Luo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Luo-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sesotho 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.
Lumelang
Naki(Naki)
Kea leboha
Asante(Asante)
Dumelang
Naki chuo(Naki chuo)
Molo
Naki ng'ato(Naki ng'ato)
Dumelang
Naki owadgi(Naki owadgi)
Borai
Naki buya(Naki buya)
Re tla kopana hamorao
Ting' kendo(Ting' kendo)
Tsamaya hantle
Naki(Naki)
O na le lebitso lefe?
Ine ng'ama in?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Lebitso la ka ke John
Inyalo John(Inyalo John)
O kae?
Okwere?(Okwere?)
Ke thabela ho kopana le wena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na u bua Senyesemane?
Naki konyo English?
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Nyingi.
Ka kopo bua butle
Tende konyo chalo.
Na u ka boela ua re?
Naki konyo to?
Ntloana e kae?
Ith gi toilet?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Konyo chike.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Konyo duto.
Eya ka pela
Yie chalo.
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Ning'eyo koro?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Na e hole le mona?
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Ke lahlehile
Nin gi chalo.
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Ith gi SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Ee
Che
Ayi
Mohlomong
Kaka
Ke lumela
Akwong'
Ke sitwa
Ayi Akwong'
Seo se utloahala hantle
Ong'eyo
O nahana eng?
Ine owuon?
Na o ka nthusa?
Naki gi chalo?
Ke hloka thuso
Nind gi chalo
Emisa motsotso
Chakre
Ke maswabi
Naki
Ha ho bothata
Ayi koro
O amohelehile
Naki chalo
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Naki buo
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Naki chalo gi chalo
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Naki yieng' ma train?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Ke kae borai?
Naki yieng' ma bus?(ke kae borai)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Naki platform ng'eyo?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Naki koro ng'ato?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
E haufi le mona
Niko neno.(e haufi le mona)
E hole le mona
Niko piny.(e hole le mona)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Okwong' ni on map?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
Dhi here, please.(emisa mona, ka kopo)
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.
Se kostang hakaale?
Nia ni?(se kostang hakaale)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Owino ni gi chalo.(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
I konyo kanyo?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Inyalo nind gi kad?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Nin gi chula mar duong'.(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Bille, ka kopo
Chakruok, plis.(bille, ka kopo)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Isango ni gi?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Nin gi vegeterian.(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Naki chalo chalo, plis.(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Se monate
Owino ni gi dho.(se monate)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Inyalo nind gi menu?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Calla mapolesa
Nedhi polisi
Calla ambulance
Nedhi ambulance
Ke hloka ngaka
Aneedo daktari
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
Akwong' gi chalo
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Naki hospital mar koro?
Ho bohloko mona
Okwong' mana
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Nying' my passport
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Thusa!
Konyo!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
A re etse kopano
Nying' konyo joma(Nying' konyo joma)
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Naki konyo nigi?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Chieng' ni file ni(Chieng' ni file ni)
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Asante gi chako(Asante gi chako)
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Nying' konyo gi nyaka(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Ning'eyo konyo ni?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
A ke tle ke u boele
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Nako e felletseng 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.