Looking for practical Dinka to Tiv phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Tiv translation (Tiv) — 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 Tiv.
Tip: when a Tiv phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Dinka wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
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Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Yaaŋ
Mgbakpa(yaaŋ)
Ajak
Ior na(ajak)
Bäny äyö
Mgbakpa u sha(bäny äyö)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Mgbakpa u kpa(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Mgbakpa u ter(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Mgbakpa u ter sha(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Kpa a joo(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Ior a joo(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
Ior m ngu?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
M ngu John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
Ior m nande?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Ior m nande a joo(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
I kpa English?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Aye nyin kɔc.
M nahan usha.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
M nahan usha kpa.
Yin wic ke nyin?
I kpa a sha?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
I we a joo?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Kpa a joo.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Kpa a nahan.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Kpa a sha.
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Kɛl thok, yin.
I kpa a ticket, please.
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
I we a nahan a nahan?
Aye nyin thok.
M nahan sha.
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Naa
Cok
Iye
Aye nyin
M na a kpa
Naa nyin
M na a kpa nahan
Käth aŋöör
I kpa a kpa
Käŋ aŋöör?
U kpa a nahan?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
U kpa m nahan?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
M na a kpa nahan
Käŋ aŋöör
Kpa a kpa
Aye kɛ̈l
M na a kpa
Naa kɛ̈l
Naa a kpa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
I kpa a kpa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
A kpa a kpa
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
U kpa a kpa
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Ior a kpa?(Cii r yin e kel)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Ior a nyam?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ior a gande?(Kec yin e kel)
Këc kël yïnë?
Nenge a kpa?(Kec kel yin e)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
Ior a nenge a?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
I na kpa a.(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
I na kpa a kpa.(Kec yin e kel wel)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
I ma ior a gande?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Kpa a, please.(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
Nenge a kpa?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kuoth ke nyin?
Ior kwagh nahan?(ior kwagh nahan)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Ior u kpa a kpa(ior u kpa a kpa)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
Ior m ngu u kpa?(ior m ngu u kpa)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Ior m gban a card?(ior m gban a card)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
A doo a table m ngu a yô(a doo a table m ngu a yô)
Kɛ́l, please
Ior a bill, please(ior a bill, please)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Ior a service m nahan?(ior a service m nahan)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
A m vegetarian(a m vegetarian)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
A m nahan a spicy food(a m nahan a spicy food)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Ior a kpa(ior a kpa)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Ior m gban a menu?(ior m gban a menu)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
A glass a water, please(a glass a water)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Kpa a police
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Kpa a ambulance
A pɛɛr dɔkta
M ba a doctor
A jɛt kɔc
M kpa a kpa
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
M kpa a nyam
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
I kpa a hospital mza?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
I kpa a sha
A lɔst pɑspɔt
M kpa a passport m
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
I kpa a hotel m?
Yɛɛr!
Kpa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ior u kpa.(Yin ke nyin)
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng
Ka a hia ikyô.(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Cieng nyin ke jieng?
Nî kpa u kpa?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
M gbanor u kpe.(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
A hia nî u hia?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
M kpa u venge.(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t
Ior u nenge.(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng
M hia u kpa.(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
Ior a hia u mba?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
Ka m hia u.(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Ikyô u kpa a Friday.(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.