Looking for practical Tiv to Kanuri phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Kanuri translation (Kanuri) — 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 Kanuri.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Kanuri-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tiv to Kanuri 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
Sannu
Ior na
Nagode
Mgbakpa u sha
Ina kwana
Mgbakpa u kpa
Ina yamma
Mgbakpa u ter
Ina dare
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Sai da safe
Kpa a joo
Zan ganka
Ior a joo
Sai anjima
Ior m ngu?
Menene sunanka?
M ngu John
Sunana John
Ior m nande?
Lafiya lau?
Ior m nande a joo
Na ji dadin haduwa da kai
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Kuna magana da Turanci?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.
M nahan usha.
Ba na fahimta.
M nahan usha kpa.
Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.
I kpa a sha?
Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?
I we a joo?
Ina wanka?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?
Kpa a joo.
Juya hagu.
Kpa a nahan.
Juya dama.
Kpa a sha.
Tafiya kai tsaye.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Nawa ne farashin?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.
I we a nahan a nahan?
Shin yana da nisa daga nan?
M nahan sha.
Na ɓace.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Eey(ee-y)
Naa
A'a(ah-ah)
Iye
Wata(wah-tah)
M na a kpa
Na amu(nah ah-moo)
M na a kpa nahan
Na a'a amu(nah ah-ah ah-moo)
I kpa a kpa
Iya na(ee-yah nah)
U kpa a nahan?
Kaya ka yi tunani?(kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)
U kpa m nahan?
Za ka iya taimaka min?(zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)
M na a kpa nahan
Na bukaci taimako(nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)
Kpa a kpa
Duba dan lokaci(doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)
M na a kpa
Na yi hakuri(nah yee hah-koo-ree)
Naa a kpa
Babu matsala(bah-boo maht-sah-lah)
I kpa a kpa
Taya murna(tah-yah moor-nah)
A kpa a kpa
Barka da haihuwa(bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)
U kpa a kpa
Ka yi tafiya lafiya(kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Nye boko na gari?
Ior a nyam?
Nye boko na bas?
Ior a gande?
Wane boko na?
Nenge a kpa?
Wane lokaci ya tafi?
Ior a nenge a?
Shin wannan hanya ce?
I na kpa a.
Yana kusa da nan
I na kpa a kpa.
Yana nesa da nan
I ma ior a gande?
Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?
Kpa a, please.
Tsaida nan, don Allah
Nenge a kpa?
Yaya tsawon lokaci?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Nayi na kudi?(Nayi na kudi?)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.(ior u kpa a kpa)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Ior m gban a card?
Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?(ior m gban a card)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Ina so tebur don biyu.(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Ior a bill, please
Lissafi, don Allah.(ior a bill, please)
Ior a service m nahan?
Shin sabis ya haɗa?(ior a service m nahan)
A m vegetarian
Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.(a m vegetarian)
A m nahan a spicy food
Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.(a m nahan a spicy food)
Ior a kpa
Wannan yana da dadi.(ior a kpa)
Ior m gban a menu?
Zan iya samun menu?(ior m gban a menu)
A glass a water, please
Kofin ruwa, don Allah.(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Dawari janga(Dawari janga)
Kpa a ambulance
Dawari ambulan(Dawari ambulan)
M ba a doctor
Ni na doctor(Ni na doctor)
M kpa a kpa
Ni na jaga(Ni na jaga)
M kpa a nyam
Ni na haji goro(Ni na haji goro)
I kpa a hospital mza?
Ina asibiti na kusa?(Ina asibiti na kusa?)
I kpa a sha
Yana ciwo a nan(Yana ciwo a nan)
M kpa a passport m
Ni na rasa passport na(Ni na rasa passport na)
I kpa a hotel m?
Za ka iya dawari otel na?(Za ka iya dawari otel na?)
Kpa!
Taimako!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Nde gaishe(nde gaishe)
Ka a hia ikyô.
Mu gaishe taro(mu gaishe taro)
Nî kpa u kpa?
Wai gaishe lokaci?(wai gaishe lokaci)
M gbanor u kpe.
Zan tura rahoto yau(zan tura rahoto yau)
A hia nî u hia?
Zamu iya magana gobe?(zamu iya magana gobe)
M kpa u venge.
Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala(don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)
Ior u nenge.
Na gode da lokacinka(na gode da lokacinka)
M hia u kpa.
Ina fatan aiki tare da kai(ina fatan aiki tare da kai)
Ior a hia u mba?
Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?(za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)