Looking for practical Dinka to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: read the Swahili 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 Swahili 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
Habari(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Asante(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Habari ya asubuhi(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Habari ya mchana(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Habari ya jioni(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Usiku mwema(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tutaonana baadaye(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Kwaheri(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
Jina lako nani?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Jina langu ni John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
Habari gani?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Sielewi.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Yin wic ke nyin?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Geuka kushoto.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Geuka kulia.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Aye nyin thok.
Nimepotea.
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ndio
Naa
Hapana
Cok
Pengine
Aye nyin
Ninakubaliana
Naa nyin
Sikubaliani
Käth aŋöör
Inasikika vizuri
Käŋ aŋöör?
Unafikiriaje?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Nahitaji msaada
Käŋ aŋöör
Subiri kidogo
Aye kɛ̈l
Ninasikitika
Naa kɛ̈l
Hakuna shida
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Hongera
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(Cii r yin e kel)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ni jukwaa gani?(Kec yin e kel)
Këc kël yïnë?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(Kec kel yin e)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Iko karibu hapa(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Iko mbali na hapa(Kec yin e kel wel)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Simama hapa, tafadhali(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Inachukua muda gani?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(kuoth ke nyin)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Hiyo ni ghali sana(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kɛ́l, please
Tafadhali, bili(kɛ́l, please)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Mimi ni mboga(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Hii ni tamu(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Piga simu polisi
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nahitaji daktari
A jɛt kɔc
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Nina mzio wa karanga
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Inaniuma hapa
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Yɛɛr!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Nafurahi kukutana nawe(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
Tuweke mkutano(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Nitaituma ripoti leo(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Asante kwa muda wako(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
Nitarudi kwako(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.