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Common Nuer Phrases
Essential Nuer (Thok Naath) phrases with pronunciation guides.
👋Greetings & Basics
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Malo | MA-lo |
| Good morning | Malo ni reec | MA-lo ni reek |
| Good evening | Malo ni jal | MA-lo ni jal |
| Good night | Malo ni wiu | MA-lo ni wiu |
| Goodbye | Rial rial | ri-AL ri-AL |
| How are you? | I ke buth? | i ke buth |
| I'm fine | Ke ran | ke ran |
| Thank you | Yin gua | yin GUA |
| Please | Yien kë | yi-en ke |
| You're welcome | A dhieu | a DHI-eu |
| Sorry | Ke lëu | ke leu |
| Excuse me | Kë lëu bëth | ke leu beth |
| Yes | Ëë | ee |
| No | Dëk | dek |
| My name is | Gua ca | GUA ka |
| Nice to meet you | Ke ran ji miar | ke ran ji MI-ar |
| Do you speak English? | I thok Ingliic? | i thok ING-liik |
| I don't understand | Ka thiek ya | ka THI-ek ya |
| Help! | Buth ya! | buth ya |
| Cheers! | Ke ran! | ke ran |
✈️Travel
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | ...a tëk? | a tek |
| How much does it cost? | A dhil ŋo? | a dhil ngo |
| I need a ticket | Caa ticket | ka TI-ket |
| Train station | Gua tren | GUA tren |
| Airport | Ka baany | ka BAAN-y |
| Hotel | Hotel | ho-TEL |
| Hospital | Dueer | du-EER |
| Pharmacy | Raan thuuc dëk | raan thuuk dek |
| Police | Weec | week |
| Restaurant | Gua cam | GUA kam |
| Bank | Bank | bank |
| Toilet | Gua la | GUA la |
| Left | Jöök | jook |
| Right | Luang | luang |
| Straight ahead | Tuεεk | tuek |
| Open | Muer | mu-ER |
| Closed | Kuεεr | kuer |
| Entrance | Yiεεk | yiek |
| Exit | Bëth | beth |
| I'm lost | Liεε ya | lie-a ya |
🍽️Food & Dining
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I'm hungry | Ciec ya | ki-EK ya |
| I'm thirsty | Kεε ya pi | ke-a ya pi |
| Water | Pi | pi |
| Bread | Booro | BOO-ro |
| Meat | Ring | ring |
| Vegetarian | Gat | gat |
| The menu, please | Bi menu | bi ME-nu |
| The bill, please | Bi nguεεc | bi ngwek |
| Delicious | Nyiεεr | nyier |
| Wine | Nyan wal | nyan wal |
| Coffee | Kafee | ka-FEE |
| Beer | Malual | ma-LU-al |
| Breakfast | Cam reec | kam reek |
| Lunch | Cam nyin | kam nyin |
| Dinner | Cam ci raang | kam ki raang |
| I'm allergic to | Ke jiath ya | ke JIAT-h ya |
| No sugar | Dëk mur | dek mur |
| Spicy | Tuεεl | tuel |
| Sweet | Mur | mur |
| Salty | Biεεl | biel |
🚨Emergency
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Buth ya! | buth ya |
| Call the police! | Biek weec! | biek week |
| Call an ambulance! | Biek ambulance! | biek AM-bu-lans |
| I'm sick | Thuuc ya | thuuk ya |
| I need a doctor | Caa raan thuuc | ka raan thuuk |
| Fire! | Mac! | mak |
| Thief! | Kuac! | kuak |
| I'm lost | Liεε ya | lie-a ya |
| I've been robbed | Lac ya | lak ya |
| Emergency | Buth jiath | buth JIAT-h |
| I need help | Caa buth | ka buth |
| Danger | Jiath | JIAT-h |
| Stop! | Keεε! | ke-a |
| Go away! | Lek ka! | lek ka |
💼Business
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting | Gua la buom | GUA la bu-OM |
| Contract | Gua pal | GUA pal |
| Invoice | Nguεεc | ngwek |
| Payment | Dhil | dhil |
| Deadline | Nyin kuεεr | nyin kuer |
| Partner | Buom | bu-OM |
| Office | Gua tieec | GUA ti-ek |
| EE-mel | ||
| Report | Ŋuεεc | ngwek |
| Budget | Nguεεc piny | ngwek piny |
| Agreement | Pal | pal |
| Manager | Kuan | kuan |
| Project | Tieec | ti-ek |
| Strategy | Nhiam | nhiam |
🔢Numbers & Time
| English | Nuer | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| One | Diεεk | diek |
| Two | Rou | rou |
| Three | Diεεr | dier |
| Four | Nguuan | nguan |
| Five | Dhic | dhik |
| Six | Diεεk wic rou | diek wik rou |
| Seven | Diεεk wic diεεr | diek wik dier |
| Eight | Diεεk wic nguuan | diek wik nguan |
| Nine | Diεεk wic dhic | diek wik dhik |
| Ten | Diεεk ariεεp | diek arep |
| Twenty | Rou diεεp | rou diep |
| Hundred | Dhuu diεεp | dhuu diep |
| Thousand | Mil | mil |
| What time is it? | Ŋo nyin? | ngo nyin |
| Today | Walka | WAL-ka |
| Tomorrow | Ruai | ru-AI |
| Yesterday | Yinni | YIN-ni |
| Monday | Kur kë kat diεεk | kur ke kat diek |
| Friday | Kur kë kat dhic | kur ke kat dhik |
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