Looking for practical Afar to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afar 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: pick five Dinka phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afar 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.
Nagaad
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Galatooma
Ajak(ajak)
Bariis
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Galab
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Haal
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Haalka habeen
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Ilaa mar kale
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Nagaad
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Maa magacaa?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Magacaygu waa John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Iska waran?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
Hindi maahaa hinjiru
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
Ani hinfahmi
Aye nyin kɔc.(Ani hinfahmi)
Fadlan si maahaa siib
Yin kɔc ke nyin.(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
Maahaa inna marra?
Yin wic ke nyin?(Maahaa inna marra?)
Maalin baadhu?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(Maalin baadhu?)
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
Boodha kaaf
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.(Boodha kaaf)
Boodha mirga
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.(Boodha mirga)
Si qodhi
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.(Si qodhi)
Maalin abaal?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(Maalin abaal?)
Tiket tokkon, fadlan
Kɛl thok, yin.(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
Maalin faga?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?(Maalin faga?)
Ani dhumtu
Aye nyin thok.(Ani dhumtu)
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eeyy
Aye(ee-yee)
Maya
Naa(mah-yah)
Gara
Cok(gah-rah)
Anigu waaq
Aye nyin(ah-nee-goo wahk)
Anigu ma waaq
Naa nyin(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
Tani waa'ee
Käth aŋöör(tah-nee wah-ee)
Ilaa ma waaq?
Käŋ aŋöör?(ee-lah mah wahk)
Ilaa naxar?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?(ee-lah nah-khar)
Naxar aniga
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
Soo'aa
Käŋ aŋöör(soo-ah)
Waa'ee aniga
Aye kɛ̈l(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
Maya dhib
Naa kɛ̈l(mah-yah dheeb)
Hambalyo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör(ham-bahl-yo)
Bariis gadhay
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr(bah-rees gah-thai)
Safar amni
Käth aŋöör kuɔr(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eeyyoo taayka daab?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Eeyyoo gaari daab?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Keenya kaafaa?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Waqti maayti?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Maayta kaan?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ittaa hara
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Ittaa faar
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Maafaa naafaa?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Hara dhaaf, fadlan
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Waqti mee?
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.
Iyayka mi'aa?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Iyayka xayl
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ma'ayka hara gabbir?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Karta ka'ayka?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Mi'ayka mi'ida laba
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Xisaab, fadlan
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Adeegku ma ku jira?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Cunto kulul ma jirto, fadlan
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Tani waa macaan
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Mi'ayka liiska?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Dharbaaxda biyo, fadlan
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.
Waaqa booliisi
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs(Call the police)
Waaqa ambulaansii
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns(Call an ambulance)
Dooktar naaf barbaachisa
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Naanu dhukkuba qaba
A jɛt kɔc
Qoricha fooniif dhukkuba qaba
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospitaala dhihoo eessa?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Asitti dhukkuba qaba
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Paaspoortii koo dhabe
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Hoteela koo waaqa?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Gargaarsa!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nagaad waayi
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Nagaad kaabirna waayi
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Waqti mee waayi?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Warqad kaan diraya harra
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Maanta waayi hadalnaa?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Faylka ku lifaaqan fadlan
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Mahadsanid waqtigaaga
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Waxaan rajeynayaa inaan la shaqeeyo
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Ma cadayn kartaa dhibicdaas?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Iga raadi dib
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Waqtiga kama dambaysta waa Jimco
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.