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Common Tumbuka to Acholi phrases

100 practical Tumbuka to Acholi phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Tumbuka to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tumbuka 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: pick five Acholi 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 Tumbuka 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.

  1. Moni

    Ayo (ah-yo)

  2. Zikomo

    Naki (nah-kee)

  3. Muli bwanji

    Bok moti (bok mo-tee)

  4. Muli bwanji

    Bok nongo (bok non-go)

  5. Muli bwanji

    Bok obedo (bok oh-beh-do)

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Bok ngat (bok ngat)

  7. Tiwonana

    Tye kany (tye kan-yee)

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Itye (ee-tye)

  9. Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

    Iti ma ineno? (ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Ineno John (ee-neh-no John)

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Iti ma inyo? (ee-tee mah een-yo)

  12. Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

    Gat ma inyo (gaht mah een-yo)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Muli ndi Chingerezi?

    Itye konyo English? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino

    Nye konyo Hindi kanyim. (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Sindikumva

    Nye neno. (sindikumva)

  4. Chonde yankhulani pang'ono

    Nye konyo tye kanyim. (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. Mungandiyankhulepo?

    Itye konyo tye kanyim? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?

    Nye konyo kanyim ku city center? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. Pita kumanzere

    Konyo kuc. (pita kumanzere)

  9. Pita kumanja

    Konyo kuc. (pita kumanja)

  10. Pita mwendo

    Tye kanyim. (pita mwendo)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Iti kanyim ngat? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Tiketi imodzi, chonde

    One ticket, please. (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?

    Iti kanyim kanyim? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. Ndakhalapo

    Nye konyo. (ndakhalapo)

  15. Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?

    Iti kanyim ngat SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Iye

    Aye

  2. Ayi

    Bila

  3. Pang'ono

    Kweyo

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Ng'ato konyo

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Ng'ato konyo ni

  6. Ichi chimaoneka bwino

    Okwero kany

  7. Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

    Ika kany?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Ikwok kany?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Ng'ato konyo kany

  10. Dikirani pang’ono

    Tye kany

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Ng'ato konyo

  12. Palibe vutoli

    Bila kany

  13. Zikomo

    Tye kany

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Aye konyo

  15. Pita bwino pa ulendo

    Tye kany ma ng'ato

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?

    Atye kany kwo? (Atye kany kwo?)

  2. Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?

    Atye kany bura? (Atye kany bura?)

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Kati onyo kwo? (Kati onyo kwo?)

  4. Nanga nthawi itangopita?

    Nye kwo nongo? (Nye kwo nongo?)

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Kik kwo gwen? (Kik kwo gwen?)

  6. Iyi ndi pafupi apa

    Okwang kany ici (Okwang kany ici)

  7. Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa

    Okwang kany piny (Okwang kany piny)

  8. Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?

    Nye konyo i map? (Nye konyo i map?)

  9. Chimitsa apa, chonde

    Doko ici, pe? (Doko ici, pe?)

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Nye kwo ngat? (Nye kwo ngat?)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?

    Nye keken me? (Nye keken me?)

  2. Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa

    Okwero keken (Okwero keken)

  3. Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?

    Itye keken me? (Itye keken me?)

  4. Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Nye konyo kadi? (Nye konyo kadi?)

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri

    Nye tye kany kwo (Nye tye kany kwo)

  6. Chikalata, chonde

    Kaka, nyinga (Kaka, nyinga)

  7. Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?

    Kati kany me? (Kati kany me?)

  8. Ndine wopanda nyama

    Nye konyo wot (Nye konyo wot)

  9. Chonde, osati chakudya chothira

    Kati wot kany, nyinga (Kati wot kany, nyinga)

  10. Iyi ndi yokoma

    Iti kany (Iti kany)

  11. Ningathe kupeza menyu?

    Nye konyo kadi me? (Nye konyo kadi me?)

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde

    Kadi me kic, nyinga (Kadi me kic, nyinga)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Fufuzani polisi

    Yat ma police

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Yat ma ambulance

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nye konyo doctor

  4. Ndikuwona bwino

    Nye konyo wot

  5. Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

    Nye konyo kany kic

  6. Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

    Kati ki hospital ma kany?

  7. Kuli kuuma apa

    Okwero ineno

  8. Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

    Nye tye konyo passport

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?

  10. Thandizani!

    Yat!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ndalumba kukumana nanu

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  2. Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

    Dano kany oting (Dano kany oting)

  3. Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

    Nye kany ma kany? (Nye kany ma kany?)

  4. Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

    Ngatye kany report kany (Ngatye kany report kany)

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  6. Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

    Nye kany ma file kany (Nye kany ma file kany)

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Atye kany ma kany (Atye kany ma kany)

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Nye kany ma kany kany (Nye kany ma kany kany)

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

    Nye kany ma kany tye? (Nye kany ma kany tye?)

  10. Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

    Dano kany ma kany (Dano kany ma kany)

  11. Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

    Kany kany Friday (Kany kany Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ndi chiyani nthawi?

    Nye kany me? (Nye kany me?)

  2. Ndi saa tatu

    Kany me tye keken (Kany me tye keken)

  3. Lero

    Nye kany (Nye kany)

  4. Maŵa

    Nye kany me (Nye kany me)

  5. Kale

    Nye kany tye (Nye kany tye)

  6. Lolemba

    Ponyo (Ponyo)

  7. Lachiwiri

    Ponyo keken (Ponyo keken)

  8. Lachitatu

    Ponyo tye (Ponyo tye)

  9. Mmodzi

    Moko (Moko)

  10. Awiri

    Maka (Maka)

  11. Atatu

    Mek (Mek)

  12. Kumi

    Ten (Ten)

  13. Zana

    Paka (Paka)

  14. Pachikhalidwe

    Piny (Piny)

  15. Zambiri

    Kaka (Kaka)

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