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Luganda to Swahili translation

Most translation tools route Luganda through English before they reach Swahili, which is where the meaning goes missing. SemaSoma translates the pair directly and hands back a pronunciation guide with every result.

Luganda to Swahili: everyday phrases

Phrases that appear in both the Luganda and Swahili courses, lined up side by side with the English meaning so you can check the match.

  • Oli otyaHabari
    Hello/ha-BA-ree/
  • WeebaleAsante
    Thank you/ah-SAN-teh/
  • KaribuKaribu
    Welcome/ka-REE-boo/
  • WeerabaKwaheri
    Goodbye/kwa-HEH-ree/
  • YeeNdiyo
    Yes/n-DEE-yo/
  • NeddaHapana
    No/ha-PA-na/
  • NkwegayiriddeTafadhali
    Please/ta-fa-DHA-lee/
  • NsonyiwaPole
    Sorry/PO-leh/
  • Erinnya lyange nze AmaraJina langu ni Amara
    My name is Amara/JEE-na LAN-goo nee a-MA-ra/
  • Erinnya lyo ggwe ani?Jina lako ni nani?
    What is your name?/JEE-na LA-ko nee NA-nee/
  • Ndi bulungiNiko mzuri
    I am fine/NEE-ko m-ZOO-ree/
  • AmazziMaji
    Water/MA-jee/
  • EmmereChakula
    Food/cha-KOO-la/
  • MukwanoRafiki
    Friend/ra-FEE-kee/
  • KataleSoko
    Market/SO-ko/
  • EmuMoja
    One/MO-ja/
  • BbiriMbili
    Two/m-BEE-lee/
  • SsatuTatu
    Three/TA-too/
  • TtaanoTano
    Five/TA-no/
  • SsentePesa
    Money/PEH-sa/
  • EnnyumbaNyumba
    House/NYOOM-ba/

What to know before you translate

About Swahili

Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congoaround 200 million, mostly as a second language. Writing system: Latin alphabet, spelled close to how it sounds.

  • Nouns fall into classes, and the class changes the start of related words — mtu (person) becomes watu (people).
  • Stress almost always lands on the second-to-last syllable, which makes reading aloud predictable.
  • Greetings are a small ritual: habari expects a reply of nzuri before anything else happens.

About Luganda

Uganda, especially the central region and Kampalaaround 20 million including second-language speakers. Writing system: Latin alphabet.

How accurate is it?

Translations are produced by an AI model, so treat long or legal text as a draft and check it with a speaker. Short everyday sentences — greetings, directions, family talk — are where it is strongest, and the pronunciation guide is written for English readers. Lesson audio is AI pronunciation audio, not a recording of a native speaker.