Looking for practical Acholi to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Acholi phrase first, then the Dinka translation (Dinka) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Dinka.
Tip: when a Dinka phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Acholi wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Acholi to Dinka translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Ayo
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Naki
Ajak(ajak)
Bok moti
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Bok nongo
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bok obedo
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Bok ngat
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tye kany
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Itye
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Iti ma ineno?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ineno John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Iti ma inyo?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Gat ma inyo
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Itye konyo English?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Nye neno.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Konyo kuc.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Konyo kuc.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Tye kanyim.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Iti kanyim ngat?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
One ticket, please.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Nye konyo.
Aye nyin thok.
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Bila
Naa
Kweyo
Cok
Ng'ato konyo
Aye nyin
Ng'ato konyo ni
Naa nyin
Okwero kany
Käth aŋöör
Ika kany?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Ikwok kany?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ng'ato konyo kany
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Tye kany
Käŋ aŋöör
Ng'ato konyo
Aye kɛ̈l
Bila kany
Naa kɛ̈l
Tye kany
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Aye konyo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Atye kany kwo?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Atye kany bura?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Kati onyo kwo?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Nye kwo nongo?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Kik kwo gwen?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Okwang kany ici
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Okwang kany piny
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Nye konyo i map?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Doko ici, pe?
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Nye kwo ngat?
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nye keken me?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Okwero keken
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Itye keken me?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Nye konyo kadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Nye tye kany kwo
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kaka, nyinga
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Kati kany me?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Nye konyo wot
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Kati wot kany, nyinga
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Iti kany
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Nye konyo kadi me?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Kadi me kic, nyinga
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Yat ma police
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Yat ma ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nye konyo doctor
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nye konyo wot
A jɛt kɔc
Nye konyo kany kic
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Okwero ineno
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nye tye konyo passport
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Yat!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nye kany me
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Dano kany oting
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nye kany ma kany?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ngatye kany report kany
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nye kany ma file kany
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Atye kany ma kany
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Nye kany ma kany kany
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nye kany ma kany tye?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Dano kany ma kany
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Kany kany Friday
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.