Looking for practical Dinka to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Dinka phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — 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 Tswana.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Dinka to Tswana 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
Dumela mo afternoon(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bäny nyin
Dumela mo evening(bäny nyin)
Bäny kɛ̈l
Borai(bäny kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tsamaya sentle(yin kɛ̈l)
Yin kɛ̈l
Tsamaya sentle(yin kɛ̈l)
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?
O na le leina mang?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nin yïn John
Leina la me ke John(nin yïn John)
Kɛ̈l yïn?
O kae?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn
Ke itumetse 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?
A o bua Seisemane?
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Yin wic ke nyin?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Borai bo kae?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Tswelela ka fao
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Kɛl thok, yin.
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Aye nyin thok.
Ke a latlhela
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aye
Ee
Naa
Nnyaa
Cok
Mafoko
Aye nyin
Ke a dumela
Naa nyin
Ke sitwa go dumela
Käth aŋöör
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Käŋ aŋöör?
O akanya eng?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
O ka nthusa?
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ke tlhoka thuso
Käŋ aŋöör
Emisa motsotso
Aye kɛ̈l
Ke maswabi
Naa kɛ̈l
Ga go na bothata
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
A re amogele
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Cïïr yïnë kël?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Këc yïnë kël?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Këc kël yïnë?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Këc yïnë kël wël?
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya 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 kae?)
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Kɛ́l, please
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Aye ke nyin a kɔc
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Nyaak ke aŋɔr
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Bua le mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Bua le ambulance
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke tlhoka ngaka
A jɛt kɔc
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Go botlhoko fa
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Ke sitwa passport ya me
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Yɛɛr!
Thusa!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Yin ke nyin
Ke itumetse 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 thusang?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?
A re ka bua ka borai?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t
Tsweetswee, etse fa 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 itumelela go dira le wena(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t
A ke boele go wena(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.