Looking for practical Venda to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Venda 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Acholi-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Venda 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.
Ndi matsheloni
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ndi a livhuwa
Naki(nah-kee)
Ndi matsheloni
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Ndi masiari
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Ndi madekwana
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Ndi masiari a u fhela
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Tshilidzi
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Vhuyani
Itye(ee-tye)
Ndi mini dzina lenu?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Dzina langa ndi John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Ni khou itea?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?
Itye konyo English?(ni a thota n'wambo)
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
A ndi ḓivhi
Nye neno.(a ndi dhiwi)
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Nye konyo tye kanyim.(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
Bani hu na khotani?
Iti kanyim ngat?(bani hu na khotani)
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
Fhulu u ya shango
Konyo kuc.(fhulu u ya shango)
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho
Konyo kuc.(fhulu u ya thoho)
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Tye kanyim.(dhi thota nga thoho)
Fhasi i na hani?
Iti kanyim ngat?(fhasi i na hani)
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please
One ticket, please.(ticket ye la, nd please)
I na fhasi u bva hone?
Iti kanyim kanyim?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
Ndi a fhedza
Nye konyo.(ndi a fhedza)
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Aih
Bila
Ndi nga si
Kweyo
Ndi a livhuwa
Ng'ato konyo
Ndi a sa livhuwi
Ng'ato konyo ni
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
Okwero kany
U vhona mini?
Ika kany?
U nga nthusa?
Ikwok kany?
Ndi na nyito
Ng'ato konyo kany
Langa muthu
Tye kany
Ndi a humbula
Ng'ato konyo
A hu na nḓila
Bila kany
Ndi a livhuwa
Tye kany
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
Aye konyo
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi i-station ye-train?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Uphi i-bus stop?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
I-platform efani na?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Iri ngafhi?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Iri khathihi na.
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Iri khulwane na.
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Zwi khou itea ngani?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Izwi ndi zwihulu.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndi muvegetarian.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Izi ndi zwitukwama.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Fhonelela mapolisa
Yat ma police
Fhonelela ambulanse
Yat ma ambulance
Ndi funa ngaka
Nye konyo doctor
Ndi a shota
Nye konyo wot
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
Nye konyo kany kic
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
Okwero ineno
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
Nye tye konyo passport
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Ramba!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
A ri vhe na thendo
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.