Looking for practical Xhosa to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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.
Molo
Ayo(ah-yo)
Enkosi
Naki(nah-kee)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Lala ngoxolo
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Ndiza kubonana kamva
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Hamba kakuhle
Itye(ee-tye)
Ngubani igama lakho?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Igama lam nguJohn
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Unjani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Kuhle ukukwazi
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uthetha isiNgesi?
Itye konyo English?
Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Andiqondi
Nye neno.
Nceda thethe kancinci
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Iphi ibhafu?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Jolisa kwesokunxele
Konyo kuc.
Jolisa kwesokudla
Konyo kuc.
Hamba ngqo
Tye kanyim.
Iholo ingakanani?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ithikithi elinye, nceda
One ticket, please.
Ingakanani ukusuka apha?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ndilahlekile
Nye konyo.
Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Aye
Hayi
Bila
Mhlawumbi
Kweyo
Ndiyavuma
Ng'ato konyo
Andivumi
Ng'ato konyo ni
Okuhle
Okwero kany
Ucinga ntoni?
Ika kany?
Ungandinceda?
Ikwok kany?
Ndidinga uncedo
Ng'ato konyo kany
Linda umzuzu
Tye kany
Ndicela uxolo
Ng'ato konyo
Akukho ngxaki
Bila kany
Wamkelekile
Tye kany
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Aye konyo
Uhambo olukhuselekileyo
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Yeyiphi iphondo?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Ikho kufutshane apha
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Ikude apha
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Misa apha, nceda
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ithini le mali?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Le mali ibiza kakhulu.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Unayo into engabizi?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ibhili, nceda.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ndiyavegetarian.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Oku kumnandi.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ndingafumana imenyu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ingxube ye water, nceda.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Biza uphondo
Yat ma police
Biza i-ambulensi
Yat ma ambulance
Ndifuna ugqirha
Nye konyo doctor
Ndiziva ndingalunganga
Nye konyo wot
Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts
Nye konyo kany kic
Uphi umphakathi oseduze?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kubuhlungu apha
Okwero ineno
Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam
Nye tye konyo passport
Ungabiza ihotele yam?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Uncedo!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Kuhle ukukwazi
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Masihlele umhlangano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Singathetha ngomso?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Enkosi ngexesha lakho
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ungacacisa le ndawo?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.