Looking for practical Swati to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swati 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: read the Acholi line out loud three times, then cover the Swati 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 Swati 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.
Sawubona
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ngiyabonga
Naki(nah-kee)
Siyaphila
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Siyaphila
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Siyaphila
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Lalani kahle
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Sizobonana
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Hamba kahle
Itye(ee-tye)
Ubani igama lakho?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Igama lami nguJohn
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Unjani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Kuhle ukuhlangana nawe
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma ngesiNgisi?
Itye konyo English?
Angikhulumi kahle ngesiHindi.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Angiqondi.
Nye neno.
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ungakuphindze lokho?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emkhatsini?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Phendukela kwesobunxele.
Konyo kuc.
Phendukela kwesokudla.
Konyo kuc.
Hamba phambili.
Tye kanyim.
Kubiza malini?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ithikithi linye, ngiyacela.
One ticket, please.
Kude lapha?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ngilahlekile.
Nye konyo.
Ngingathenga kuphi ikhadi le-SIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Aye
Cha
Bila
Mhlawumbe
Kweyo
Ngiyavuma
Ng'ato konyo
Ngiyaphikisa
Ng'ato konyo ni
Lokho kuhle
Okwero kany
Ucabanga ukuthini?
Ika kany?
Ungangisiza?
Ikwok kany?
Ngidinga usizo
Ng'ato konyo kany
Linda umzuzu
Tye kany
Ngiyaxolisa
Ng'ato konyo
Akukho nkinga
Bila kany
Siyabonga
Tye kany
Siyavuma usuku lokuzalwa
Aye konyo
Uhambe kahle
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kuphi isiteshi sebhasi?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Kuphi umphakatsi webhasi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Iyiphi i-platform?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ngasiphi isikhathi iyahamba?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ngabe le yindlela efanele?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Kusondela lapha
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Kude lapha
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphweni?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kuthathe isikhathi esingaki?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kubiza malini le?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Lokhu kubiza kakhulu
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Unayo yini leyo ephansi?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ngithanda itafula lababili
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ibhili, ngiyacela
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Inkonzo ibhajetwe?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ngiyi-vegetarian
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Akukho ukudla okushisayo, ngiyacela
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Lokhu kuhle
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ngicela imenyu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza emaphoyisa
Yat ma police
Biza i-ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
Ngidinga udokotela
Nye konyo doctor
Ngizizwa ngigula
Nye konyo wot
Ngiyavuma emantongomane
Nye konyo kany kic
Kuphi esibhedlela esiseduze?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kukhala lapha
Okwero ineno
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Nye tye konyo passport
Ungabiza ihhotela yami?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Siza!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle kukuhlangana nawe
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Masihlele umhlangano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Yini isikhathi esikufanele?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Sicela uthole ifayela elihlanganisiwe
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ngiyabonga ngesikhathi sakho
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ngilindele ukusebenza nawe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ungacacisa le ndaba?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ngizobuyela kuwe
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.