Looking for practical Swahili to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.
Tip: when a Luganda 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 Luganda 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
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Asante
Webale(Webale)
Habari ya asubuhi
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Habari ya mchana
Osiibye bulungi?(Osiibye bulungi?)
Habari ya jioni
Osiibye otya?(Osiibye otya?)
Usiku mwema
Lwaki olugendo?(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tutaonana baadaye
Tugenda kutya?(Tugenda kutya?)
Kwaheri
Nkwagala(Nkwagala)
Jina lako nani?
Erinnya lyo ani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Jina langu ni John
Erinnya lyange nze John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Habari gani?
Oli otya?(Oli otya?)
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Nkwagala okukulaba(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Sielewi.
Sijja kumanya.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ekitanda kiki?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Geuka kushoto.
Genda ku kkono.
Geuka kulia.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Genda mu maaso.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Ekitundu kiki?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Ticket emu, please.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Kiki kirekera wano?
Nimepotea.
Ndi mu bubi.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Ye
Hapana
Nedda
Pengine
Okwagala
Ninakubaliana
Nnaakuwandiika
Sikubaliani
Sikuwandiika
Inasikika vizuri
Kyo kyekirungi
Unafikiriaje?
Otekayo ki?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Osobola okundabira?
Nahitaji msaada
Nfuna obuyambi
Subiri kidogo
Saba omukutu
Ninasikitika
Nsaba
Hakuna shida
Tewali kibadde
Hongera
Okwagaliza
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Safari njema
Genda bulungi
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Ekitangaala ki?(ekitangaala ki)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Okwetegeka kwe?(okwetegeka kwe)
Iko karibu hapa
Kiri wano wansi(kiri wano wansi)
Iko mbali na hapa
Kiri mangu(kiri mangu)
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Ggenda wano, please(ggenda wano, please)
Inachukua muda gani?
Tewali bungi ki?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Kiki ky'ekitundu?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Tafadhali, bili
Ekitabo, please.
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Mimi ni mboga
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Hii ni tamu
Ono mulungi.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Nneetaaga menu?
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Mpozzi polisi
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Mpozzi ambulance
Nahitaji daktari
Nfuna daktari
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Nina mzio wa karanga
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Inaniuma hapa
Bikozesa wano
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Nfuuse passport yange
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Nisaidie!
Mbadde!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.