Table of contentsLEARN ACHOLI07 / 20

Intermediate · 65 minutes

Shopping and exchange

Ask prices, compare choices, negotiate respectfully, and discuss past purchases.

By the end of this chapter

  1. Ask about price and quantity
  2. Use numbers under pressure
  3. Describe a completed purchase
SPEAK

Acholi language in this chapter

Study the Acholi first, then read across for the meaning. Say every line aloud and use it in a complete exchange.

At the market

Itye ka yenyo ngo?What are you looking for?
Atye ka yenyo cati.I am looking for a shirt.
Tye ciling adi?How much does it cost?
Wel gi pwod dong tek.Their prices are still high.
Kong i dwok wel gi piny.Please lower their prices.
Pe atwero, wek aciti.I cannot; let me go.
Wek aculi.Let me pay you.

Source: Peace Corps Acholi Language Manual. Short selections are organized here for study; use the full manual for audio-linked drills, grammar notes, and extended dialogues.

07.1

Market language

Build phrases for asking what something is, how much it costs, how many you need, and whether another option is available.

Practice

Set up a pretend market with 10 labeled objects and prices.

07.2

Polite negotiation

Shopping language is social. Listen for greetings, relationship-building, humor, and respectful ways to accept or decline.

Practice

Practice three dialogues: buying, declining, and asking for another option.

07.3

Talking about the past

Use completed shopping activities to begin working with past tense forms and conjunctions.

Practice

Tell a short story about what you bought yesterday and why.

Learn with care

These spellings follow the Peace Corps Acholi Language Manual. Pronunciation, spelling, and usage can vary by speaker and region, so confirm public-facing language with fluent Acholi speakers.

Open the full language manual