Looking for practical Swahili to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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: pick five Acholi 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 Swahili 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.
Habari
Ayo(ah-yo)
Asante
Naki(nah-kee)
Habari ya asubuhi
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Habari ya mchana
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Habari ya jioni
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Usiku mwema
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tutaonana baadaye
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Kwaheri
Itye(ee-tye)
Jina lako nani?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Jina langu ni John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Habari gani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Itye konyo English?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Sielewi.
Nye neno.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Choo kiko wapi?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Geuka kushoto.
Konyo kuc.
Geuka kulia.
Konyo kuc.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Tye kanyim.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
One ticket, please.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Nimepotea.
Nye konyo.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Aye
Hapana
Bila
Pengine
Kweyo
Ninakubaliana
Ng'ato konyo
Sikubaliani
Ng'ato konyo ni
Inasikika vizuri
Okwero kany
Unafikiriaje?
Ika kany?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Ikwok kany?
Nahitaji msaada
Ng'ato konyo kany
Subiri kidogo
Tye kany
Ninasikitika
Ng'ato konyo
Hakuna shida
Bila kany
Hongera
Tye kany
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Aye konyo
Safari njema
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iko karibu hapa
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iko mbali na hapa
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Inachukua muda gani?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Tafadhali, bili
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Mimi ni mboga
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Hii ni tamu
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Naweza kupata menyu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Yat ma police
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Yat ma ambulance
Nahitaji daktari
Nye konyo doctor
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Nye konyo wot
Nina mzio wa karanga
Nye konyo kany kic
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Inaniuma hapa
Okwero ineno
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Nye tye konyo passport
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Nisaidie!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Tuweke mkutano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Asante kwa muda wako
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nitarudi kwako
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.