Chapter 1: Getting Started

Dholuo Greetings

Greet people in Dholuo by time of day and familiarity: oyaore, ichieo nade? and achieo maber, with a real conversation.

📚 Greetings

Greetings in Luo are quite formulaic and very important. The greeting you use depends on the time of day, and the familiarity between the people involved in the conversation.

Dholuo	Literal	English	Notes
Oyaore	It (referring to the sky) has opened itself.	Good morning	This greeting is used in the morning as the sun rises.
Oyaore ahinya	It has opened itself, verily	Good morning	This is how to respond when greeted with ‘oyaore’. The word ‘ahinya’ means ‘a lot’ or ‘verily’.
Ichieo nade?	You woke up, how?	How did you wake up?	The verb ‘chiew’ means ‘to wake up’. And the question tag ‘nade’ means ‘how’.
Achieo maber		I woke up well
Oyaore uru	It has opened up, y’all	Good morning	This is used when greeting multiple people at the same time. The ‘uru’ at the end translates to ‘y’all’. The people being greeted would respond ‘oyaore ahinya’.
Oimore	It (referring to the sky) has covered itself.	Good evening	This greeting is used in the evening.
Oimore uru	It has covered itself, y’all	Good evening	This is used when greeting multiple people at the same time.
Oimore ahinya	It has covered itself, verily	Good evening	This is how to respond when greeted with ‘oimore’.
Iriyo nade?	How did you pass your day?	How was your day?	This greeting is used in the evening.
Ariyo maber	I passed my day well.	My day went well.
Idhi nade?	You go how?	How are you doing? (or how is the going?)	This greeting can be used at any time of day. The word ‘dhi’ means ‘to go’.
Adhi maber	I go well	I’m doing good (or the going is good)
Intie	You are present?	How are you?	The verb ‘tie’ means ‘to be present’. This greeting can be used any time of day
Antie	I am present	I am fine.
Ingima?	You are healthy?	How are you?
Angima	I am healthy	I am fine.
Ere wach?	Where is the news?	What’s up?	‘Ere’ means ‘where’. ‘wach’ means ‘word’ or ‘news’. This person is asking, ‘What’s the word?’ or ‘What’s up?’.
Onge wach	There is no word	Nothing much	This is how to respond when greeted with ‘oyaore’.
Manyien?	what’s new	What’s new?
Onge Manyien.		Nothing is new.	You can also simply reply ‘onge’.
Ia kanye?	You come from where?	Where are you from?	The verb ‘a’ means ‘to come from’. Luos like to build familiarity by asking where a person is from.
Aa Seme.		I come from Seme.
Oriti.	May he (referring to God) protect you.	Goodbye.	The verb ‘rito’ means ‘to protect’.
Oriti ahinya		Goodbye.	You respond to ‘oriti’ with ‘oriti ahinya’.

Grammar note: Let’s go over to the next section to see how these greetings play out in a conversation.

💬 Conversation Practice

Yambo

Oyaore japuonj

Good morning, teacher

Akinyi

Oyaore ahinya!

Good morning

Yambo

Idhi nade?

You go + how?

How are you?

Akinyi

Adhi maber, to in?

I go + well, + and + you?

I am well, and you?

Yambo

An bende adhi maber.

I + also + I go + well.

I’m doing well also

Akinyi

Ere wach?

Where is + the news?

What’s new?

Yambo

Wach onge

News + isn’t present

There is no news.

Akinyi

Aya, oriti iwuoth maber

Okay + goodbye + you walk + well

Okay, goodbye, go well.

Yambo

Oriti ahinya

Goodbye + very much

Goodbye.

📚 Vocabulary from the Conversation

Dholuo	English	Type	Notes
Japuonj	A teacher	Noun
Wuotho	To walk	Verb	‘iwuoth maber’ literally means, ‘you walk well’
Onge	To be in a state of lacking.	Verb

🎯 Practice Exercises

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Speak on Echo

Answer the daily Dholuo prompt or post your own recording on Echo. Other learners listen, and a native Luo speaker reviews how you sound.

Practice speaking on Echo

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