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Common Swahili to Kikongo phrases

100 practical Swahili to Kikongo phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Swahili to Kikongo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili phrase first, then the Kikongo translation (Kikongo) — 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 Kikongo.

Tip: when a Kikongo 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 Kikongo 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.

  1. Habari

    Mbote

  2. Asante

    Mele

  3. Habari ya asubuhi

    Mokolo mayele

  4. Habari ya mchana

    Mokolo ya ntango

  5. Habari ya jioni

    Mokolo ya mambu

  6. Usiku mwema

    Mokolo ya mpembe

  7. Tutaonana baadaye

    Tala mosi

  8. Kwaheri

    Tata

  9. Jina lako nani?

    Nki yina nzo?

  10. Jina langu ni John

    Nzo yami ke John

  11. Habari gani?

    Oko wanga?

  12. Nafurahi kukutana na wewe

    Nki ya mosi na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Unazungumza Kiingereza?

    Oyo o zola kutu English?

  2. Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.

    Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.

  3. Sielewi.

    Nkeni kanga.

  4. Tafadhali ongea polepole.

    Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.

  5. Unaweza kusema tena?

    Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?

  6. Choo kiko wapi?

    Kutu wapi banzela?

  7. Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?

    Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?

  8. Geuka kushoto.

    Tanda na luma.

  9. Geuka kulia.

    Tanda na mambu.

  10. Nenda moja kwa moja.

    Enda na mosi.

  11. Nauli ni kiasi gani?

    Nki mbongo ya ndako?

  12. Tiketi moja, tafadhali.

    Ticket mosi, mokolo.

  13. Je, ni mbali na hapa?

    Nki feti na wapi?

  14. Nimepotea.

    Nkeni zola.

  15. Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?

    Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ndio

    Ewe

  2. Hapana

    Te

  3. Pengine

    Kasi

  4. Ninakubaliana

    Nkiadi

  5. Sikubaliani

    Nkiadi te

  6. Inasikika vizuri

    Oyo ke nkiadi malamu

  7. Unafikiriaje?

    Nkiadi nini?

  8. Unaweza kunisaidia?

    Okanza kudi nki?

  9. Nahitaji msaada

    Nkiadi kudi nki

  10. Subiri kidogo

    Lela na nki

  11. Ninasikitika

    Nkiadi na nki

  12. Hakuna shida

    Te na nki

  13. Hongera

    Tata na nki

  14. Siku ya kuzaliwa njema

    Mokolo ya mbote

  15. Safari njema

    Tala na nzala ya malamu

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?

    Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo? (Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?)

  2. Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?

    Wana wanga na bus? (Wana wanga na bus?)

  3. Ni jukwaa gani?

    Nki platform yai? (Nki platform yai?)

  4. Inatoka saa ngapi?

    Soki nki ntangu yina yenda? (Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?)

  5. Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?

    Yai ke nzila ya nki? (Yai ke nzila ya nki?)

  6. Iko karibu hapa

    Eza na nsi ya nzo (Eza na nsi ya nzo)

  7. Iko mbali na hapa

    Eza na mosi ya nzo (Eza na mosi ya nzo)

  8. Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?

    Okanisa ngai na mape? (Okanisa ngai na mape?)

  9. Simama hapa, tafadhali

    Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît (Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît)

  10. Inachukua muda gani?

    Nki ntangu yina yenda? (Nki ntangu yina yenda?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?

    Nki yina kudi? (nki yina kudi)

  2. Hiyo ni ghali sana

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  3. Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?

    Ona kima ki nsi? (ona kima ki nsi)

  4. Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?

    Ncanza kudi na kadi? (ncanza kudi na kadi)

  5. Ningependa meza ya watu wawili

    Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi (nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi)

  6. Tafadhali, bili

    Kadi, ndakisa (kadi, ndakisa)

  7. Je, huduma imejumuishwa?

    Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na? (kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na)

  8. Mimi ni mboga

    Ndi muvegetari (ndi muvegetari)

  9. Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili

    Kaka mfu, ndakisa (kaka mfu, ndakisa)

  10. Hii ni tamu

    Yina kele na nsi (yina kele na nsi)

  11. Naweza kupata menyu?

    Ncanza na menu? (ncanza na menu)

  12. Tafadhali, glasi ya maji

    Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa (ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Piga simu polisi

    Landa boma

  2. Piga simu ya wagonjwa

    Landa ambulance

  3. Nahitaji daktari

    Nkeni mosi

  4. Ninajisikia mgonjwa

    Nkeni na mbisi

  5. Nina mzio wa karanga

    Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu

  6. Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?

    Wana hospital ya mbote?

  7. Inaniuma hapa

    Eka na nki

  8. Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu

    Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai

  9. Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?

    Olanda hotel na ngai?

  10. Nisaidie!

    Tala!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Nafurahi kukutana nawe

    Nzo ya kima (Nzò ya kima)

  2. Tuweke mkutano

    Tukala na mbandu (Tukàla na mbàndu)

  3. Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?

    Nki nsi ya ntangu? (Nki nsi ya ntángu?)

  4. Nitaituma ripoti leo

    Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu (Ndi zòla ku sendèla nsi ya lufùlu)

  5. Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?

    Tukala na kanda se (Tukàla na kànda sè?)

  6. Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa

    Tula nsi ya file ya kima (Tùla nsi ya file ya kima)

  7. Asante kwa muda wako

    Mosi na nsi ya ntangu (Mòsi na nsi ya ntángu)

  8. Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe

    Ndi zola ku zola na yo (Ndi zòla ku zòla na yò)

  9. Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?

    Nki o zola ku zola nki? (Nki o zòla ku zòla nki?)

  10. Nitarudi kwako

    Ndi zola ku yindula na yo (Ndi zòla ku yìndula na yò)

  11. Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa

    Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo (Nsi ya kima yìna nsi ya mposò)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ni saa ngapi?

    Nkiadi ki zole? (Nkiadi ki zole?)

  2. Ni saa tatu.

    Kikuma kinsatu (Kikuma kinsatu)

  3. Leo

    Lelo

  4. Kesho

    Kuna

  5. Jana

    Kima

  6. Jumatatu

    Mokolo wa mbandu

  7. Jumanne

    Mokolo wa mosi

  8. Jumatano

    Mokolo wa ntete

  9. Moja

    Mosi

  10. Mbili

    Mbale

  11. Tatu

    Mitatu

  12. Kumi

    Kumi

  13. Mia moja

    Kimo na nkama

  14. Nusu

    Nseke

  15. Zaidi

    Nzo

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