Looking for practical Kikongo to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kikongo phrase first, then the Dinka translation (Dinka) — 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 Dinka.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Dinka-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kikongo to Dinka 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.
Mbote
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Mele
Ajak(ajak)
Mokolo mayele
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Mokolo ya ntango
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Mokolo ya mambu
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Mokolo ya mpembe
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tala mosi
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Tata
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Nki yina nzo?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nzo yami ke John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Oko wanga?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nki ya mosi na yo
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Oyo o zola kutu English?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Nkeni kutu Hindi na mosi.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Nkeni kanga.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Mokolo, zola kutu na mosi.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Oyo o zola kutu na mosi?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Kutu wapi banzela?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nki zola kuenda na kati ya mbanza?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Tanda na luma.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Tanda na mambu.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Enda na mosi.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Nki mbongo ya ndako?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ticket mosi, mokolo.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Nki feti na wapi?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Nkeni zola.
Aye nyin thok.
Kutu wapi nki zola ku tanga SIM?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ewe
Aye
Te
Naa
Kasi
Cok
Nkiadi
Aye nyin
Nkiadi te
Naa nyin
Oyo ke nkiadi malamu
Käth aŋöör
Nkiadi nini?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Okanza kudi nki?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Nkiadi kudi nki
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Lela na nki
Käŋ aŋöör
Nkiadi na nki
Aye kɛ̈l
Te na nki
Naa kɛ̈l
Tata na nki
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Mokolo ya mbote
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Tala na nzala ya malamu
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Wana wanga na tanga ya nzo?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Wana wanga na bus?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Nki platform yai?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Soki nki ntangu yina yenda?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Yai ke nzila ya nki?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Eza na nsi ya nzo
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Eza na mosi ya nzo
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Okanisa ngai na mape?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Tanga wana, s'il vous plaît
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Nki ntangu yina yenda?
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Nki yina kudi?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Yina kele na nsi
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ona kima ki nsi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ncanza kudi na kadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Nkena na mesa ya mosi na mosi
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Kadi, ndakisa
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Kasi nsi ya mpasi ke na?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ndi muvegetari
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Kaka mfu, ndakisa
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Yina kele na nsi
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ncanza na menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Ndi kadi ya mvula, ndakisa
Aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin a kɔl aŋɔr, please)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Landa boma
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Landa ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nkeni mosi
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nkeni na mbisi
A jɛt kɔc
Nkeni na nsembu ya nsembu
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Wana hospital ya mbote?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Eka na nki
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nkeni tanga pasipoti na ngai
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Olanda hotel na ngai?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Tala!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nzo ya kima
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Tukala na mbandu
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nki nsi ya ntangu?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ndi zola ku sendela nsi ya lufulu
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Tukala na kanda se
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Tula nsi ya file ya kima
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Mosi na nsi ya ntangu
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ndi zola ku zola na yo
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Nki o zola ku zola nki?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Ndi zola ku yindula na yo
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nsi ya kima yina nsi ya mposo
Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday(Cieng kɛ̈t ke Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.