Looking for practical Swahili to Luo phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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: read the Luo line out loud three times, then cover the Swahili side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Swahili 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.
Habari
Naki(Naki)
Asante
Asante(Asante)
Habari ya asubuhi
Naki chuo(Naki chuo)
Habari ya mchana
Naki ng'ato(Naki ng'ato)
Habari ya jioni
Naki owadgi(Naki owadgi)
Usiku mwema
Naki buya(Naki buya)
Tutaonana baadaye
Ting' kendo(Ting' kendo)
Kwaheri
Naki(Naki)
Jina lako nani?
Ine ng'ama in?(Ine ng'ama in?)
Jina langu ni John
Inyalo John(Inyalo John)
Habari gani?
Okwere?(Okwere?)
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Naki konyo English?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Sielewi.
Nyingi.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Tende konyo chalo.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Naki konyo to?
Choo kiko wapi?
Ith gi toilet?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Geuka kushoto.
Konyo chike.
Geuka kulia.
Konyo duto.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Yie chalo.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Ning'eyo koro?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Nimepotea.
Nin gi chalo.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Ith gi SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Ee
Hapana
Ayi
Pengine
Kaka
Ninakubaliana
Akwong'
Sikubaliani
Ayi Akwong'
Inasikika vizuri
Ong'eyo
Unafikiriaje?
Ine owuon?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Naki gi chalo?
Nahitaji msaada
Nind gi chalo
Subiri kidogo
Chakre
Ninasikitika
Naki
Hakuna shida
Ayi koro
Hongera
Naki chalo
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Naki buo
Safari njema
Naki chalo gi chalo
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Naki yieng' ma train?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Naki yieng' ma bus?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Naki platform ng'eyo?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Naki koro ng'ato?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
Iko karibu hapa
Niko neno.
Iko mbali na hapa
Niko piny.
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Okwong' ni on map?
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Dhi here, please.
Inachukua muda gani?
Naki koro ng'ato?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Nia ni?
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Owino ni gi chalo.
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
I konyo kanyo?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Inyalo nind gi kad?
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Nin gi chula mar duong'.
Tafadhali, bili
Chakruok, plis.
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Isango ni gi?
Mimi ni mboga
Nin gi vegeterian.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Naki chalo chalo, plis.
Hii ni tamu
Owino ni gi dho.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Inyalo nind gi menu?
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Nedhi polisi
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nedhi ambulance
Nahitaji daktari
Aneedo daktari
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Akwong' gi chalo
Nina mzio wa karanga
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Naki hospital mar koro?
Inaniuma hapa
Okwong' mana
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Nying' my passport
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Nisaidie!
Konyo!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Naki konyo(Naki konyo)
Tuweke mkutano
Nying' konyo joma(Nying' konyo joma)
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Naki konyo nigi?(Naki konyo nigi?)
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka(Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka)
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?(Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?)
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Chieng' ni file ni(Chieng' ni file ni)
Asante kwa muda wako
Asante gi chako(Asante gi chako)
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Nying' konyo gi nyaka(Nying' konyo gi nyaka)
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Ning'eyo konyo ni?(Ning'eyo konyo ni?)
Nitarudi kwako
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi(Ning'eyo konyo nind gi)
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Dede ni Friday(Dede ni Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.