Looking for practical Dinka to Acholi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Acholi translation (Acholi) — 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 Acholi.
Tip: when a Acholi phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Dinka 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 Dinka to Acholi 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.
Yaaŋ
Ayo(ah-yo)
Ajak
Naki(nah-kee)
Bäny äyö
Bok moti(bok mo-tee)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Bok nongo(bok non-go)
Bäny nyin
Bok obedo(bok oh-beh-do)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Bok ngat(bok ngat)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tye kany(tye kan-yee)
Yin kɛ̈l
Itye(ee-tye)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
Iti ma ineno?(ee-tee mah ee-neh-no)
Nin yïn John
Ineno John(ee-neh-no John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
Iti ma inyo?(ee-tee mah een-yo)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Gat ma inyo(gaht mah een-yo)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Itye konyo English?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Nye konyo Hindi kanyim.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Nye neno.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Nye konyo tye kanyim.
Yin wic ke nyin?
Itye konyo tye kanyim?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Nye konyo kanyim ku city center?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Konyo kuc.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Konyo kuc.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Tye kanyim.
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Iti kanyim ngat?
Kɛl thok, yin.
One ticket, please.
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Iti kanyim kanyim?
Aye nyin thok.
Nye konyo.
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Iti kanyim ngat SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Aye
Naa
Bila
Cok
Kweyo
Aye nyin
Ng'ato konyo
Naa nyin
Ng'ato konyo ni
Käth aŋöör
Okwero kany
Käŋ aŋöör?
Ika kany?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ikwok kany?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ng'ato konyo kany
Käŋ aŋöör
Tye kany
Aye kɛ̈l
Ng'ato konyo
Naa kɛ̈l
Bila kany
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Tye kany
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Aye konyo
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Tye kany ma ng'ato
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Atye kany kwo?(Atye kany kwo?)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Atye kany bura?(Atye kany bura?)
Këc yïnë kël?
Kati onyo kwo?(Kati onyo kwo?)
Këc kël yïnë?
Nye kwo nongo?(Nye kwo nongo?)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Kik kwo gwen?(Kik kwo gwen?)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Okwang kany ici(Okwang kany ici)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Okwang kany piny(Okwang kany piny)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
Nye konyo i map?(Nye konyo i map?)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Doko ici, pe?(Doko ici, pe?)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Nye kwo ngat?(Nye kwo ngat?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
Nye keken me?(Nye keken me?)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Okwero keken(Okwero keken)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Itye keken me?(Itye keken me?)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Nye konyo kadi?(Nye konyo kadi?)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Nye tye kany kwo(Nye tye kany kwo)
Kɛ́l, please
Kaka, nyinga(Kaka, nyinga)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Kati kany me?(Kati kany me?)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Nye konyo wot(Nye konyo wot)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Kati wot kany, nyinga(Kati wot kany, nyinga)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Iti kany(Iti kany)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Nye konyo kadi me?(Nye konyo kadi me?)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Kadi me kic, nyinga(Kadi me kic, nyinga)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Yat ma police
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Yat ma ambulance
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nye konyo doctor
A jɛt kɔc
Nye konyo wot
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Nye konyo kany kic
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Kati ki hospital ma kany?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Okwero ineno
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Nye tye konyo passport
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Okwero yat ma hotel amoni?
Yɛɛr!
Yat!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Nye kany me(Nye kany me)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
Dano kany oting(Dano kany oting)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Nye kany ma kany?(Nye kany ma kany?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ngatye kany report kany(Ngatye kany report kany)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Nye kany ma file kany(Nye kany ma file kany)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Atye kany ma kany(Atye kany ma kany)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Nye kany ma kany kany(Nye kany ma kany kany)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Nye kany ma kany tye?(Nye kany ma kany tye?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
Dano kany ma kany(Dano kany ma kany)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Kany kany Friday(Kany kany Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.