Looking for practical Tiv to Nuer phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv phrase first, then the Nuer translation (Nuer) — 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 Nuer.
Tip: pick five Nuer phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tiv to Nuer 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
Nhiar
Ior na
Nyaak
Mgbakpa u sha
Nhiar gɔ̈ɔ̈r
Mgbakpa u kpa
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mgbakpa u ter
Nhiar aŋɔ̈r
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Nhiar kɔ̈c
Kpa a joo
Aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Ior a joo
Kɛ̈n
Ior m ngu?
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n?
M ngu John
Cɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r John
Ior m nande?
Cɛ̈l kɛ̈n?
Ior m nande a joo
Kɛ̈l aŋɔ̈r kɛ̈n
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Nyaac ke nyin English?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Nyaac ma nyin Hindi ke nyin.
M nahan usha.
Nyaac ma nyin.
M nahan usha kpa.
Yin ke nyin kɛl.
I kpa a sha?
Yin ke nyin kɛl a thok?
I we a joo?
Yin thok a kɛl?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Nyaac ke nyin a city center?
Kpa a joo.
Yin ke nyin a laar.
Kpa a nahan.
Yin ke nyin a jɛŋ.
Kpa a sha.
Yin ke nyin a thok.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Yin ke nyin a kɛl?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Yin ke nyin a ticket.
I we a nahan a nahan?
Yin ke nyin a thok?
M nahan sha.
Nyaac ke nyin.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Yin thok a kɛl a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Naa
Naa
Iye
Nyaak
M na a kpa
Nyeek a kech
M na a kpa nahan
Nyeek a kech naa
I kpa a kpa
Iye kech kɛl
U kpa a nahan?
Nyaak a kech?
U kpa m nahan?
Nyaak a kech a jɔɔr?
M na a kpa nahan
Nyeek a jɔɔr kɛl
Kpa a kpa
Kɛl a jɔɔr
M na a kpa
Nyeek a kech
Naa a kpa
Naa a kech kɛl
I kpa a kpa
Aye kɛl
A kpa a kpa
Aye kɛl a wɛr
U kpa a kpa
Kɛl a jɔɔr a jɛɛr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Känyë kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Känyë kɛl wel)
Ior a nyam?
Känyë kɛ́l bɔ́l?(Känyë kɛl bol)
Ior a gande?
Kɛ́l bɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel bet ket)
Nenge a kpa?
Kɛ́l wɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́t?(Kel wel it ket)
Ior a nenge a?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l wɛ́l?(Kel it kel wel)
I na kpa a.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l kɛ́l?(Kel it kel kel)
I na kpa a kpa.
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l?(Kel it kel jol)
I ma ior a gande?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l pɛ́t kɛ́t?(Kel it kel pet ket)
Kpa a, please.
Kɛ́l jɛ́l kɛ́l, pɛ́l?(Kel jel kel pel)
Nenge a kpa?
Kɛ́l ɪ́t kɛ́l jɔ́l kɛ́t?(Kel it kel jol ket)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Nyaak cɛl?(nyaak chel)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Kɛl yic kɛc(kel yich kech)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Yin kɛl nyin cɛl?(yin kel nyin chel)
Ior m gban a card?
Nyaak tɛr kɛl kɛc?(nyaak ter kel kech)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Nyaak cɛl kɛl tɛbɛl kɛl nyin(nyaak chel kel tebel kel nyin)
Ior a bill, please
Nyaak cɛl kɛl bɛl(nyaak chel kel bel)
Ior a service m nahan?
Yin kɛl cɛl kɛl tɛr?(yin kel chel kel ter)
A m vegetarian
Nyaak cɛl wɛr(nyaak chel wer)
A m nahan a spicy food
Nyaak cɛl kɛl wɛr kɛc(nyaak chel kel wer kech)
Ior a kpa
Kɛl cɛl kɛl nyin(kel chel kel nyin)
Ior m gban a menu?
Nyaak cɛl kɛl mɛn?(nyaak chel kel men)
A glass a water, please
Nyaak cɛl kɛl gɛl wɛt(nyaak chel kel gel wet)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Kpa a police
Cïl wïr(cil wir)
Kpa a ambulance
Cïl an ambulance(cil an ambulance)
M ba a doctor
Aŋ thïr a doctor(ang thir a doctor)
M kpa a kpa
Aŋ kɔc(ang koc)
M kpa a nyam
Aŋ kɔc a pïyït(ang koc a piyit)
I kpa a hospital mza?
Cït kɛ̈n hospital?(cit ken hospital)
I kpa a sha
Cïk bɛ̈t(cik bet)
M kpa a passport m
Aŋ kɛ̈n passport(ang ken passport)
I kpa a hotel m?
Aŋ kɛ̈n cïl my hotel?(ang ken cil my hotel)
Kpa!
Kɛ̈n!(ken)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Nyeu ke nyin(nyin = meet)
Ka a hia ikyô.
Nyeu ke jɔɔr ke nyin
Nî kpa u kpa?
Kɛ kɛth jɔɔr a ke?
M gbanor u kpe.
Nyeu ke kɛc report kɛ jɔɔl
A hia nî u hia?
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt?
M kpa u venge.
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr file kɛ kɛth
Ior u nenge.
Nyeu kɛ jɔɔr a ke kɛth
M hia u kpa.
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ bɛt a ke
Ior a hia u mba?
A ke jɔɔr kɛ kɛth a?
Ka m hia u.
Nyeu ke jɔɔr kɛ a ke
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.
Kɛ deadline kɛ Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.