Looking for practical Bemba to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bemba 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 Bemba 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.
Shani
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Natotela
Ajak(ajak)
Muli shani
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Muli shani
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Muli shani
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Shalenipo bwino
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tukakutana
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Twalumba
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Iwe ulishani?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ndefwaya John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Uli bwanji?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nashitasha kukumona
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ndefwaya kumfwa
Aye nyin kɔc.
Nimwandi ulukanda buteko
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Ningaloleleko?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Ili kuti ikalamba?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ningalileka shani ku city center?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Fumya kumwendo
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fumya kumwendo
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Enda pamo
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Kuli shani ifyabukata?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ticket imwe, nomba
Kɛl thok, yin.
Kuli lishilu ukulya?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ndi lost
Aye nyin thok.
Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Eya
Aye
Awe
Naa
Panga
Cok
Ndi bwino
Aye nyin
Ndi bwino na
Naa nyin
Ilyo lishibukile
Käth aŋöör
Uchite shani?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Ushakufwa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ndefwaya ifyakufwa
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Leka ifi
Käŋ aŋöör
Nshakufwa
Aye kɛ̈l
Takwaba shani
Naa kɛ̈l
Nshakufwa bwino
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Nashala bwino mu mwaka
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Ube na mulimo wabwino
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ninshi ni platform iyi?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Ninshi ikalamba?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ili pamo na pano.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Ili lishilu na pano.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ushibukishe pa mape?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Leka pano, chonde.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Kuli shani?
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.
Ili shani?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Ili lya kuli
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Muli na chimo chibulu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ningakupanga na kadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Icilanga, tapali
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Ubufyashi bwakupanga?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ndi mvegetarian
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Ili lya bwino
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ningakonda ifyalo?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Icupa ca mvula, tapali
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.
Tuma abashitisha
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Tuma ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nshikala na doctor
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nshikala bwino
A jɛt kɔc
Ndi na allergy ku nsalu
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Kuli ububi pano
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nashitile passport yangu
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Nawe tuma hotel yangu?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Chikondi!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nashamukeni
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Tulefwaya ukusanga
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Nizakutuma ifishina lelo
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Twafwaya ukusambilila lero?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nomba fwebo file iliko
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Natotela pa nshita
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Wakosa ukufumya icikomo?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nizakukumbusha
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula
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.