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Common Dinka to Bemba phrases

100 practical Dinka to Bemba phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Dinka to Bemba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Bemba translation (Bemba) — 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 Bemba.

Tip: when a Bemba 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 Bemba 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.

  1. Yaaŋ

    Shani (yaaŋ)

  2. Ajak

    Natotela (ajak)

  3. Bäny äyö

    Muli shani (bäny äyö)

  4. Bäny kɛ̈l

    Muli shani (bäny kɛ̈l)

  5. Bäny nyin

    Muli shani (bäny nyin)

  6. Bäny kɛ̈l

    Shalenipo bwino (bäny kɛ̈l)

  7. Yin kɛ̈l

    Tukakutana (yin kɛ̈l)

  8. Yin kɛ̈l

    Twalumba (yin kɛ̈l)

  9. Nin kɛ̈l yïn?

    Iwe ulishani? (nin kɛ̈l yïn?)

  10. Nin yïn John

    Ndefwaya John (nin yïn John)

  11. Kɛ̈l yïn?

    Uli bwanji? (kɛ̈l yïn?)

  12. Bäny kɛ̈l yïn

    Nashitasha kukumona (bäny kɛ̈l yïn)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Nyaac ke wic ku English?

    Ulyashi ulukanda mu Chingereza?

  2. Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.

    Ndefwaya ukulanda Hindi bwino

  3. Aye nyin kɔc.

    Ndefwaya kumfwa

  4. Yin kɔc ke nyin.

    Nimwandi ulukanda buteko

  5. Yin wic ke nyin?

    Ningaloleleko?

  6. Cɔl kɛ thon?

    Ili kuti ikalamba?

  7. Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?

    Ningalileka shani ku city center?

  8. Yin tɛŋ ke thok.

    Fumya kumwendo

  9. Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.

    Fumya kumwendo

  10. Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.

    Enda pamo

  11. Cɔl kɛ thon?

    Kuli shani ifyabukata?

  12. Kɛl thok, yin.

    Ticket imwe, nomba

  13. Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?

    Kuli lishilu ukulya?

  14. Aye nyin thok.

    Ndi lost

  15. Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?

    Ili kuti nindeke SIM card?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Eya

  2. Naa

    Awe

  3. Cok

    Panga

  4. Aye nyin

    Ndi bwino

  5. Naa nyin

    Ndi bwino na

  6. Käth aŋöör

    Ilyo lishibukile

  7. Käŋ aŋöör?

    Uchite shani?

  8. Nyaŋ aŋöör?

    Ushakufwa?

  9. Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör

    Ndefwaya ifyakufwa

  10. Käŋ aŋöör

    Leka ifi

  11. Aye kɛ̈l

    Nshakufwa

  12. Naa kɛ̈l

    Takwaba shani

  13. Bɛ̈t aŋöör

    Nshakufwa bwino

  14. Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr

    Nashala bwino mu mwaka

  15. Käth aŋöör kuɔr

    Ube na mulimo wabwino

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Cïïr yïnë kël?

    Uli kuti ikalamba ya chitima? (Cii r yin e kel)

  2. Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?

    Uli kuti icikalo ca bisi? (Cii r yin e kel jeng)

  3. Këc yïnë kël?

    Ninshi ni platform iyi? (Kec yin e kel)

  4. Këc kël yïnë?

    Ninshi ikalamba? (Kec kel yin e)

  5. Këc yïnë kël wël?

    Ninshi iyi ni njira shabwino? (Kec yin e kel wel)

  6. Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?

    Ili pamo na pano. (Kec yin e kel jeng)

  7. Këc yïnë kël wël?

    Ili lishilu na pano. (Kec yin e kel wel)

  8. Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?

    Ushibukishe pa mape? (Ang e yin e kel koc)

  9. Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?

    Leka pano, chonde. (Nye kel jeng jeng)

  10. Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?

    Kuli shani? (Kec yin e kel jeng)

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Kuoth ke nyin?

    Ili shani? (Ili shani?)

  2. Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r

    Ili lya kuli (Ili lya kuli)

  3. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?

    Muli na chimo chibulu? (Muli na chimo chibulu?)

  4. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?

    Ningakupanga na kadi? (Ningakupanga na kadi?)

  5. Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ

    Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili (Ningakonda itabo lyakupanga abali babili)

  6. Kɛ́l, please

    Icilanga, tapali (Icilanga, tapali)

  7. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?

    Ubufyashi bwakupanga? (Ubufyashi bwakupanga?)

  8. Aye ke nyin a kɔc

    Ndi mvegetarian (Ndi mvegetarian)

  9. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please

    Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali (Nshikala na fya spicy, tapali)

  10. Nyaak ke aŋɔr

    Ili lya bwino (Ili lya bwino)

  11. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?

    Ningakonda ifyalo? (Ningakonda ifyalo?)

  12. Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please

    Icupa ca mvula, tapali (Icupa ca mvula, tapali)

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs

    Tuma abashitisha

  2. Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns

    Tuma ambulance

  3. A pɛɛr dɔkta

    Nshikala na doctor

  4. A jɛt kɔc

    Nshikala bwino

  5. A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt

    Ndi na allergy ku nsalu

  6. Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?

    Ili kuti hospital ya pafupi?

  7. Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ

    Kuli ububi pano

  8. A lɔst pɑspɔt

    Nashitile passport yangu

  9. Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?

    Nawe tuma hotel yangu?

  10. Yɛɛr!

    Chikondi!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Yin ke nyin

    Nashamukeni (na-sha-mu-ke-ni)

  2. Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng

    Tulefwaya ukusanga (tu-le-fwa-ya u-ku-sanga)

  3. Cieng nyin ke jieng?

    Ninshi ifikala bwino kwa iwe? (nin-shi i-fi-ka-la bwi-no kwa i-we)

  4. Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t

    Nizakutuma ifishina lelo (ni-za-ku-tu-ma i-fi-shi-na le-lo)

  5. Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?

    Twafwaya ukusambilila lero? (twa-fwa-ya u-ku-sam-bi-li-la le-ro)

  6. Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t

    Nomba fwebo file iliko (nom-ba fwe-bo fi-le i-li-ko)

  7. Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t

    Natotela pa nshita (na-to-te-la pa nshi-ta)

  8. Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng

    Nifwaya ukushanda na iwe (ni-fwa-ya u-ku-shan-da na i-we)

  9. Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?

    Wakosa ukufumya icikomo? (wa-ko-sa u-ku-fum-ya i-ci-ko-mo)

  10. Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t

    Nizakukumbusha (ni-za-ku-kum-bu-sha)

  11. Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday

    Ishina lyakupela ni Lwapula (i-shi-na lya-ku-pe-la ni Lwa-pu-la)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Cïŋ ke cïŋ?

    Ninshi ilya shani? (Ninshi ilya shani?)

  2. Cïŋ kɛɛŋ thok

    Kuli nomba itatu. (Kuli nomba itatu.)

  3. Kɛ̈th

    Lelo. (Lelo.)

  4. Kɛ̈th kɛ̈l

    Mwaume. (Mwaume.)

  5. Kɛ̈th kɛ̈n

    Kale. (Kale.)

  6. Nyi̱ŋ

    Lwandi. (Lwandi.)

  7. Nyi̱ŋ kɛ̈l

    Lwakabamba. (Lwakabamba.)

  8. Nyi̱ŋ kɛ̈n

    Lwapili. (Lwapili.)

  9. Cïŋ

    Imwe. (Imwe.)

  10. Dɛ̈l

    Ibili. (Ibili.)

  11. Thok

    Itatu. (Itatu.)

  12. Cɛ̈l

    Icumi. (Icumi.)

  13. Cïŋ kɛ̈l

    Cikumi. (Cikumi.)

  14. Cɛ̈l kɛ̈l

    Pafya. (Pafya.)

  15. Kɛ̈l

    Ilyo. (Ilyo.)

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