Looking for practical Tiv to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv 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 Tiv 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 Tiv 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.
Mgbakpa
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ior na
Naki(nah-kee)
Mgbakpa u sha
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Mgbakpa u kpa
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Mgbakpa u ter
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Kpa a joo
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Ior a joo
Itye(ee-tye)
Ior m ngu?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
M ngu John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Ior m nande?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ior m nande a joo
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Itye konyo English?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
M nahan usha.
Nye neno.
M nahan usha kpa.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
I kpa a sha?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
I we a joo?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Kpa a joo.
Konyo kuc.
Kpa a nahan.
Konyo kuc.
Kpa a sha.
Tye kanyim.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Iti kanyim ngat?
I kpa a ticket, please.
One ticket, please.
I we a nahan a nahan?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
M nahan sha.
Nye konyo.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Naa
Bila
Iye
Kweyo
M na a kpa
Ng'ato konyo
M na a kpa nahan
Ng'ato konyo ni
I kpa a kpa
Okwero kany
U kpa a nahan?
Ika kany?
U kpa m nahan?
Ikwok kany?
M na a kpa nahan
Ng'ato konyo kany
Kpa a kpa
Tye kany
M na a kpa
Ng'ato konyo
Naa a kpa
Bila kany
I kpa a kpa
Tye kany
A kpa a kpa
Aye konyo
U kpa a kpa
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Ior a nyam?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Ior a gande?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Nenge a kpa?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ior a nenge a?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
I na kpa a.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
I na kpa a kpa.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
I ma ior a gande?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Kpa a, please.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Nenge a kpa?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ior m gban a card?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ior a bill, please
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Ior a service m nahan?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
A m vegetarian
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
A m nahan a spicy food
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Ior a kpa
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ior m gban a menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
A glass a water, please
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Yat ma police
Kpa a ambulance
Yat ma ambulance
M ba a doctor
Nye konyo doctor
M kpa a kpa
Nye konyo wot
M kpa a nyam
Nye konyo kany kic
I kpa a hospital mza?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
I kpa a sha
Okwero ineno
M kpa a passport m
Nye tye konyo passport
I kpa a hotel m?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Kpa!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Ka a hia ikyô.
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Nî kpa u kpa?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
M gbanor u kpe.
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
A hia nî u hia?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
M kpa u venge.
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ior u nenge.
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
M hia u kpa.
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ior a hia u mba?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ka m hia u.
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.