Duoluo Language Guide
Greetings
Translation and transliteration
How are you?
I'm fine
And you?
How was your day?
It was fine
Good morning
Response (good morning back)
Good evening
Response
General greeting
Response
May I come in?
Welcome
Okay
What's up (informal)
Response (lit. "no news")
I'll see you later
Goodbye
Idhi nade? (id-hee nah-dee)
Adhi maber (ah-thee ma-ber)
To in? (toh-ein)
Iriyo nade? (Ee-ree-oh nah-dee)
Ariyo maber (ah-ree-oh mah-ber)
Oyaure (oh-yah-oh-ray)
Oyauore ahinya (oh-yah-oh-ray ahi-nyah)
Oimore (oh-ee-moh-ray)
Oimore ahinya (oh-ee-moh-ray ahi-nyah)
Ber (bear)
Ber ahinya (bear ahi-nyah)
Anyalo donjo? (anyah-loh don-joh)
Karibu (ka-ree-boo)
Onge wach (on-gay werch)
Nango (Nah-ngo)
Onge wach (on-gay werch)
Abiro neni bang'e (ah-bee-roh neh-ni bah-nge)
Oriti (oh-ree-tee)
Introductions
Translation and transliteration
What is your name?
My name is…
I call myself…
Pleased to meet you
Pleased to meet you (pl)
Where are you from?
I'm from America
I am a student
I am doing work for Village Volunteers
I don't speak Luo very well
Do you speak English?
I am learning Luo
Etiquette
Nyingi ng'a? (nyi-ngee ngah)
Nyinga (Nyi-ngah)…
Iluonga ni (iluo-ngah ni)...
s- Amor ka neni (amour ka neh-nee)
pl- Amor ka nenou (amour ka neh-nou)
ia kanye? (ee-ah ka-nyeh)
Aa America (ah-ah America)
An nyathi skul (ahn nya-thi skool)
Atiyo gi Village Volunteers (ah-tee-yo gi village
volunteers)
Ok angeyo dholuo maber (ohk ah-nge-yo tho-luo maber)
Bende ing'eyo kisungu? (be-nde u-nge-yo kissoongoo)
Apuonjora dholuo (ah-puo-njo-rah tho-luo)
Translation and transliteration
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Page 1 of 6
Thank you
You're welcome
Please (lit. "if you will")
Sorry
Yes
No
No "I refuse"
Ero kamano (ero kah-mah-noh)
Machiegni (mah-chiehg-nee)
Kiyie (kee-yieh)
Mos (mohs)
Ayie (ah-yieh)
Adagi (ah-dah-gee)
okayie (ok-ah-yieh)
Classroom
Translation and transliteration
Teacher
Practice
Sit down
Draw
Keep quiet
No
Enough
I will spank you
Look
Come here
Pen/Pencil
That's bad!
Write here
Give me
Go outside
To read
Read
Stand up
Japuonj (jah-puonj)
Puonjruok (puonj-rwok)
Bed piny (bade peiny)
goroo (go-roh)
ling (ling 'as in king')
okayie (ok-ah-yieh)
Oromo (o-roh-moh)
Abirogoi (ah-bee-roh go-ee)
Ne (neh)
Be ka (bee kah)
Kalam (ka-lahm)
Mano rach! (mah-noh rach)
Ndik ka (ndeek kah)
Miya (mee-yah)
Dhi oko (thee o-koh)
Somo (so-mo)
som (sohm)
chung malo (choong mah-lo)
Relationships
Translation and transliteration
Me
You
Us
Him/Her
Them
Friend
My friend
Daughter
Son
Relative
Brother
An
In
Wan
En (as in 'end')
Gin
Osiep (o-see-ape)
Osiepna (o-see-ape nah)
Nyar (Nyahr)
Wuod (wuohd)
Wat (wart)
Owadwa (o-wad-wah)
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Sister
Father
Mother
Doctor
Term of respect for elder (m/f)
Term of respect (m only)
Man, men
Woman, women
Girl, girls
Boy, boys
Nyamin (nyah-mein)
Wuon (wuohn)
Min (mein)
Jathieth (jah-thieth) or laktar (lak-tarr)
Jatelo (jah-tell-oh)
Mzee (muh-zay)
Chuo, Dichuo (choo-oh, dee-choo-oh)
Dhako, Mon (thah-ko, mone)
Nyako, Nyiri (nya-ko, nyee-ree)
Wuoyi, Yowuoyi (wuoh-ee, yo-wuoh-ee)
Food/Drink
Translation and transliteration
I am thirsty
I am hungry
I would like
I want
Give me (not rude, "please give me")
Drink
Coffee
Tea
Water
Drinking water
Milk
Beer
Juice
Cold Soda
Food
Bread
Meat
Fish
Vegetables
Fruit
Banana
Cow
Chicken
Corn
Ugali
Salt
Candy
Rice
Lunch
Riyo ohinga (ree-oh oh-hi-nga)
Adenyo (ah-deh-nyoh)
Anyalo hero (ah-nya-lo heh-ro)
Adwaro (ah-dwa-raw)
Miya (mee-yah)
Madh (mer-th)
Kahawa (kah-ha-wa)
Chai (cha-ee)
Pi (pee)
Pi modho (pee motho)
Chak (char-k)
kongo (koh-ngoh)
Juice
Soda mangich (soda mah-ngee-ch)
Chiemo (chee-em-oh)
Mkati (mm-kah-tee)
Ring'o (ree-ngo)
Rech (reh-ch)
Alot (ah-lot)
Olemo (o-leh-moh)
Rabolo (rah-bow-low)
Dhiang (thee-ang)
Gweno (gwe-noh)
Oduma (o-doo-mah)
Kuon (Ku-own)
Chumbi (choo-mbee)
Tam Tam (tahm tahm)
Mchele (mm-cheh-leh)
Chiemb Sabirio (chee-emb sah-bee-ree-oh)
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Dinner
Important Locations
Chiemb otieno (chee-emb oh-tee-en-oh)
Translation and transliteration
Market
Town
Mosque
Church
Shop
School
Hospital
Home
House
My home
Bathroom
Shower
Kitchen
Garden
Beach
Lake
Road
Chiro (chee-roh)
Town
Msikiti (mm-see-kee-tee)
Kanisa (kah-nee-sah)
Duka (doo-kah)
Skul (skool)
Ospital (os-pee-tal)
Dala (dah-lah)
Ot (oht)
Dalana (dah-lah-nah)
Baf (bahf)
Luok (loo-ok)
Jikon (jee-cone)
Puodho (poo-oh-though)
Dho nam (tho nahm)
Nam (nahm)
Ndara (ndah-rah)
Purchasing
Translation and transliteration
How much?
How many?
Money
Price
Expensive
Cheap
Easy
Hard
Can I have one
I want one
Pesa adi? (peh-sah ah-dee)
Adi? (ah-dee)
Pesa (peh-sah)
Nengo (neng-go)
Beche tek (beh-chey tek)
Beche yot (beh-chey yote)
Yot (yote)
Tek (tech)
Konya gi achiel (koh-nya gee a-chee-el)
Adwaro achiel (ah-dwah-ro ah-chee-el)
Time
Translation and transliteration
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night
It is
o'clock
What time is it?
Okinyi (oh-kee-nyee)
Godichieng (goh-dee-chieng)
Godhiambo (goh-thee-am-boh)
Gotieno (goh-tee-en-oh)
En saa (en sah..)
En saa adi? (en sah ah-dee?)
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Numbers
Translation and transliteration
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
20
21
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Achiel (ah-chee-el)
Ariyo (ah-ree-oh)
Adek (ah-deck)
Ang'wen (ah-ngwen)
Abich (ah-beach)
Auchiel (ah-u-chiel)
Abiriyo (ah-bee-ree-oh)
Aboro (ah-bo-ro)
Ochiko (oh-chee-ko)
Apar (ah-par)
Apar gi achiel (ah-par gee ah-chee-el)
Pir ariyo (pir ah-ree-oh)
Pir ariyo gi achiel (pir ah-ree-oh gee ah-chee-el)
Pir adek (pir ah-deck)
Pir ang'wen (pir ah-ngwen)
Pir abich (pir ah-beach)
Pir auchiel (pir ah-u-chiel)
Pir abiriyo (pir ah-bee-ree-oh)
Pir aboro (pir ah-bo-ro)
Pir ochiko (pir oh-chee-ko)
Mia achiel (mee-ah ah-chiel)
Useful Words/Phrases
Translation and transliteration
Yes
No
Maybe
Now
Later
Mine
Yours
No worries
I am satisfied (by this meal)
I want to go…
You want to go…
She wants to go…
I want to buy
Ee ("a" as in way)
Uh-Uh
Samoro (saa-moro)
Sani (sah-nee)
Bang'e (bang-ey)
Mara (mah-rah)
Mari (mah-ree)
Onge wach (ong-gay wach)
Ayieng' (ah-yee-eng)
Adwaro dhi (add-war-oh thi (th in "the"))
Idwardo dhi…
Odwaro dhi…
Adwaro ng'iewo (add-war-oh ng-ee-woh)
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Don't worry
I'm tired
I'm lost
I don't know
I don't understand you
How do you say
in Luo?
Can you repeat that please
Repeat that slowly
I'm going home
I miss my home
I'm sleeping
Kik iluor (keek il-oo-or)
aol (ah-ohl)
Alal (ah-lal)
Akia or Ok angeyo
Ok awinji (ohk ah-win-jee)
Iwacho nade
gi dholuo?
Nwona ka iyie
Nwona kanyo mos
Adhi dala
Agombo dalana
Anindo
Miscellaneous
Translation and transliteration
Peace
Love
Work
Enough
Beautiful
Slowly
Strength
Bad
Long life
Sick
I'm sick
Good
Stop
I'm back
It's hot
Today
Tomorrow
Joy
I'm happy
I'm sad
Who
What
Where
Where are you going?
When
Why
How
Kwe (kway)
Hera
Tich (teach)
Oromo
Ber
Mos
Teko
Rach
Ngima machwere (ng-gima mach-werey)
Tuo
Atuo (ah-too-oh)
Ber
We! (way)
aseduogo (ah-said-oo-ogo)
Piny liet (lee-et)
Kawuono
Kiny
Mor
Amor
Asin (ah-sin)
Ng'a (ng-ah)
Ang'o (ang-oh)
Kanye (kan-yay)
Idhi Kanye? (id-dhee kan-yay)
Saa mane
Nang'o
Nadi
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