Looking for practical Swahili to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: when a Kanuri phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Swahili 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 Swahili to Kanuri 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
Sannu
Asante
Nagode
Habari ya asubuhi
Ina kwana
Habari ya mchana
Ina yamma
Habari ya jioni
Ina dare
Usiku mwema
Sai da safe
Tutaonana baadaye
Zan ganka
Kwaheri
Sai anjima
Jina lako nani?
Menene sunanka?
Jina langu ni John
Sunana John
Habari gani?
Lafiya lau?
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
Sielewi.
Ba na fahimta.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ina wanka?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Geuka kushoto.
Juya hagu.
Geuka kulia.
Juya dama.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Nawa ne farashin?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
Nimepotea.
Na ɓace.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Eey(ee-y)
Hapana
A'a(ah-ah)
Pengine
Wata(wah-tah)
Ninakubaliana
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
Sikubaliani
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
Inasikika vizuri
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
Unafikiriaje?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
Nahitaji msaada
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Subiri kidogo
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
Ninasikitika
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Hakuna shida
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
Hongera
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
Safari njema
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Nye boko na gari?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Nye boko na bas?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Wane boko na?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Shin wannan hanya ce?
Iko karibu hapa
Yana kusa da nan
Iko mbali na hapa
Yana nesa da nan
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Tsaida nan, don Allah
Inachukua muda gani?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Ina so tebur don biyu.
Tafadhali, bili
Lissafi, don Allah.
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?
Mimi ni mboga
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.
Hii ni tamu
Wannan yana da dadi.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Zan iya samun menu?
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
Nahitaji daktari
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
Nina mzio wa karanga
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
Inaniuma hapa
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Nisaidie!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Tuweke mkutano
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Asante kwa muda wako
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)