Looking for practical Dinka to Sepedi phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Sepedi translation (Sepedi) — 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 Sepedi.
Tip: read the Sepedi line out loud three times, then cover the Dinka side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Dinka to Sepedi 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
Dumela(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Ke a leboga(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Dumelang(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Mokhutsong o motle(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Mokhutsong o motle(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Borai bo botle(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tsamaya sentle(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Siyabonga(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
O na le leina lefe?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Leina la ka ke John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
O kae?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Ke thabela go kopana le wena(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Na o bua Seisemane?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Yin wic ke nyin?
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Borai bo kae?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola go le letšatši
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Fetola go le letona
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Ya ka pela
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Phetho ke bokae?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Aye nyin thok.
Ke sitwa go etse
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Aowa
Cok
Mohlomong
Aye nyin
Ke a dumela
Naa nyin
Ke sitwa go dumela
Käth aŋöör
Seo se utlwa sentle
Käŋ aŋöör?
O nagana eng?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
O ka nthusa?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ke hloka thuso
Käŋ aŋöör
Emela nako
Aye kɛ̈l
Ke maswabi
Naa kɛ̈l
Ga go na bothata
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Dumelang
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Tlhogong e monate
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?(Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?(Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(Ke sehlopha sefe?)
Këc kël yïnë?
Nako efe e tlo fofa?(Nako efe e tlo fofa?)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?(A ke tsela e nepahetseng?)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
E haufi le fa(E haufi le fa)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
E hole le fa(E hole le fa)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
O ka mpontsha ka mape?(O ka mpontsha ka mape?)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(Emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
E nka nako e kae?(E nka nako e kae?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
Ke bokae?(ke bo-ka-e)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi(seo ke se-bo-pe-go se se ko-tsi)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?(o na le se-ngwe se se the-ko e tla-se)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Nka lefa ka khadi?(nka le-fa ka kha-di)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi(ke ra-ta ta-fo-le ya ba-tho ba ba-be-di)
Kɛ́l, please
Bille, tswarela(bil-le tswa-re-la)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tse-be-let-so e a-ka-re-tswe)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Ke movegetarian(ke mo-ve-ge-ta-ri-an)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela(a-o-wa di-jo tse di pha-di-leng tswa-re-la)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Se ke se monate(se ke se mo-na-te)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Nka fumana lenaneo?(nka fu-ma-na le-na-e-no)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela(kha-la-se ya me-tsi tswa-re-la)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
B calla mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
B calla ambulance
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke hloka ngaka
A jɛt kɔc
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Go a bohloko fa
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Yɛɛr!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ke thabile go kopana le wena(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Nako efe e go kgonang?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
A re ka bua ka moso?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
A ke tle ke boe go wena(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.