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Common Kanuri Phrases
Essential Kanuri (Kànùrí) phrases with pronunciation guides.
👋Greetings & Basics
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Woye | WO-ye |
| Good morning | Woye wusare | WO-ye wu-SA-re |
| Good afternoon | Woye kura | WO-ye KU-ra |
| Good evening | Woye durna | WO-ye DUR-na |
| Good night | Durna fero | DUR-na FE-ro |
| Goodbye | Fero yenaram | FE-ro ye-NA-ram |
| See you later | Kura ngadube | KU-ra nga-DU-be |
| Please | Ala buwu | A-la BU-wu |
| Thank you | Alla wakbaro | AL-la wak-BA-ro |
| Thank you very much | Alla wakbaro kalma | AL-la wak-BA-ro KAL-ma |
| You're welcome | Kasko | KAS-ko |
| Yes | Eyo | E-yo |
| No | Awa | A-wa |
| Excuse me | Ngala buwu | NGA-la BU-wu |
| Sorry | Ngala cabe | NGA-la CA-be |
| How are you? | Ni buwu ganaram? | ni BU-wu ga-NA-ram |
| I'm fine | Buwu fero | BU-wu FE-ro |
| What is your name? | Ni luwu nge? | ni LU-wu nge |
| My name is... | Yi luwu... | yi LU-wu |
| Nice to meet you | Ni kalgaram buwu fero | ni kal-GA-ram BU-wu FE-ro |
✈️Travel
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | ...kalaram? | ka-LA-ram |
| Airport | Fiya koso aram | FI-ya KO-so a-RAM |
| Hotel | Hotel | ho-TEL |
| Hospital | Ciwu kami | CI-wu KA-mi |
| Pharmacy | Dawa dukkun | DA-wa DUK-kun |
| Police station | Pulisu kami | pu-LI-su KA-mi |
| Bus station | Bas kami | bas KA-mi |
| Taxi | Taksi | TAK-si |
| How much does it cost? | Nzirno baram? | NZIR-no BA-ram |
| Ticket | Tikiti | ti-KI-ti |
| Passport | Pasipoti | pa-si-PO-ti |
| I am lost | Yi nzala kadabe | yi NZA-la ka-DA-be |
| Help me please | Ala buwu yi kambaram | A-la BU-wu yi kam-BA-ram |
| Left | Bel turo | BEL tu-RO |
| Right | Kama turo | KA-ma tu-RO |
| Straight ahead | Tama nzala | TA-ma NZA-la |
| Open | Gura | GU-ra |
| Closed | Kolo | KO-lo |
| Entrance | Girbe | GIR-be |
| Exit | Fiyabe | fi-YA-be |
🍽️Food & Dining
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | Ci kami | ci KA-mi |
| I'm hungry | Yi kalu baram | yi KA-lu BA-ram |
| I'm thirsty | Yi nziri baram | yi NZI-ri BA-ram |
| Water | Nziri | NZI-ri |
| Food | Ci | ci |
| Millet | Ngawa | NGA-wa |
| Meat | Ndam | ndam |
| Fish | Geram | GE-ram |
| Milk | Nusuro | nu-SU-ro |
| Bread | Gurasa | gu-RA-sa |
| Tea | Shayi | SHA-yi |
| Vegetables | Kura nziri | KU-ra NZI-ri |
| Beans | Wake | WA-ke |
| The check please | Ala buwu bili | A-la BU-wu BI-li |
| Delicious | Ci kalma | ci KAL-ma |
| Spicy | Tuwu ci | TU-wu ci |
| Sweet | Ziberi | zi-BE-ri |
| Menu | Meniyu | me-NI-yu |
| Vegetarian | Ndam cibe | ndam CI-be |
| Coffee | Kofi | KO-fi |
🚨Emergency
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Kambaram! | kam-BA-ram |
| Call the police! | Pulisu buwu awaram! | pu-LI-su BU-wu a-WA-ram |
| Call a doctor! | Likita buwu awaram! | li-KI-ta BU-wu a-WA-ram |
| Call an ambulance! | Ambulansi awaram! | am-bu-LAN-si a-WA-ram |
| Fire! | Wuram! | WU-ram |
| Thief! | Berma! | BER-ma |
| I am sick | Yi ciwu baram | yi CI-wu BA-ram |
| I am injured | Yi dulo baram | yi DU-lo BA-ram |
| I need a doctor | Yi likita kambaram | yi li-KI-ta kam-BA-ram |
| Hospital | Ciwu kami | CI-wu KA-mi |
| Emergency | Kalma ciwu | KAL-ma CI-wu |
| Pain | Dulo | DU-lo |
| I need help | Yi kamba kambaram | yi KAM-ba kam-BA-ram |
| Danger | Kari | KA-ri |
| Lost passport | Pasipoti kadabe | pa-si-PO-ti ka-DA-be |
💼Business
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Kalgaram | kal-GA-ram |
| Office | Ofisi | o-FI-si |
| Contract | Alkawali | al-ka-WA-li |
| Company | Kampani | kam-PA-ni |
| Manager | Manaja | ma-NA-ja |
| Invoice | Bili | BI-li |
| Price | Nzirno | NZIR-no |
| Payment | Biyarum | bi-YA-rum |
| Bank | Banki | BAN-ki |
| Money | Kudi | KU-di |
| Business | Kasuwanci | ka-su-WAN-ci |
| Partner | Abokin kasuwanci | a-BO-kin ka-su-WAN-ci |
| Project | Aikin | AI-kin |
| Imeili | i-MEI-li |
🔢Numbers & Time
| English | Kanuri | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Zero | Sifili | si-FI-li |
| One | Tilo | TI-lo |
| Two | Inde | IN-de |
| Three | Yasko | YAS-ko |
| Four | Deigo | DEI-go |
| Five | Ugo | U-go |
| Six | Aroskoi | a-ros-KOI |
| Seven | Tulur | TU-lur |
| Eight | Wuskar | WUS-kar |
| Nine | Legsoi | leg-SOI |
| Ten | Ngawo | NGA-wo |
| Twenty | Inde ngawo | IN-de NGA-wo |
| Hundred | Gotu | GO-tu |
| Thousand | Zuzu | ZU-zu |
| What time is it? | Saa nzirno baram? | SAA NZIR-no BA-ram |
| Today | Ngura | NGU-ra |
| Tomorrow | Kura fero | KU-ra FE-ro |
| Yesterday | Ngura kalabe | NGU-ra ka-LA-be |
| Monday | Litinin | li-TI-nin |
| Friday | Jumua | JU-mua |
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