Looking for practical Dinka to Sesotho phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Sesotho translation (Sesotho) — 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 Sesotho.
Tip: pick five Sesotho 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 Dinka to Sesotho 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
Lumelang(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Kea leboha(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Dumelang(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Molo(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Dumelang(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Borai(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Re tla kopana hamorao(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tsamaya hantle(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
O na le lebitso lefe?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Lebitso la ka ke John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
O kae?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Ke thabela ho 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 u bua Senyesemane?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Ka kopo bua butle
Yin wic ke nyin?
Na u ka boela ua re?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ntloana e kae?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Eya ka pela
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Na e hole le mona?
Aye nyin thok.
Ke lahlehile
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Che
Cok
Mohlomong
Aye nyin
Ke lumela
Naa nyin
Ke sitwa
Käth aŋöör
Seo se utloahala hantle
Käŋ aŋöör?
O nahana eng?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Na o ka nthusa?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ke hloka thuso
Käŋ aŋöör
Emisa motsotso
Aye kɛ̈l
Ke maswabi
Naa kɛ̈l
Ha ho bothata
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
O amohelehile
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?(ke kae seteishene sa terene)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Ke kae borai?(ke kae borai)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ke sehlopha sefe?(ke sehlopha sefe)
Këc kël yïnë?
Nako e kae e tlohang?(nako e kae e tlohang)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?(na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
E haufi le mona(e haufi le mona)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
E hole le mona(e hole le mona)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?(o ka mpontša ka mapeng)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Emisa mona, ka kopo(emisa mona, ka kopo)
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?
Se kostang hakaale?(se kostang hakaale)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Seo ke se theko e phahameng(seo ke se theko e phahameng)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?(na le na le eng e theko e tlase)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Na nka lefa ka kharete?(na nka lefa ka kharete)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli(ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli)
Kɛ́l, please
Bille, ka kopo(bille, ka kopo)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?(na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Ke moithuti oa meroho(ke moithuti oa meroho)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo(tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Se monate(se monate)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?(na nka fumana lenane la mealtime)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo(khalase ea metsi, ka kopo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Calla mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Calla ambulance
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke hloka ngaka
A jɛt kɔc
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ho bohloko mona
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Yɛɛr!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
A re etse kopano(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Na re ka bua ka moso?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
A ke tle ke u boele(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Nako e felletseng ke Labohlano(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.