Looking for practical Zulu to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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 Zulu 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.
Sawubona
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ngiyabonga
Naki(nah-kee)
Sawubona
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Good afternoon
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Lala kahle
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Sizobonana
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Hamba kahle
Itye(ee-tye)
Ubani igama lakho?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Igama lami nginguJohn
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Unjani?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
Itye konyo English?
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Angiqondi.
Nye neno.
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Jika kwesobunxele.
Konyo kuc.
Jika kwesokudla.
Konyo kuc.
Hamba phambili.
Tye kanyim.
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
One ticket, please.
Ingabe kude lapha?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Ngilahlekile.
Nye konyo.
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Aye
Cha
Bila
Mhlawumbe
Kweyo
Ngiyavuma
Ng'ato konyo
Angivumi
Ng'ato konyo ni
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
Okwero kany
Ucabanga ukuthini?
Ika kany?
Ungangisiza?
Ikwok kany?
Ngidinga usizo
Ng'ato konyo kany
Linda umzuzu
Tye kany
Ngiyaxolisa
Ng'ato konyo
Akukho nkinga
Bila kany
Halala
Tye kany
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Aye konyo
Uhambo olunempilo
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Ikude lapha
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Lokhu kuhle.
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Ngicela imenyu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Yat ma police
Shayela i-ambulensi
Yat ma ambulance
Ngidinga udokotela
Nye konyo doctor
Ngizizwa ngigula
Nye konyo wot
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
Nye konyo kany kic
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kubuhlungu lapha
Okwero ineno
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
Nye tye konyo passport
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Usizo!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Masihlele umhlangano
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Ngizobuyela kuwe
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Usuku lokugcina 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.