Looking for practical Lingala to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala 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 Lingala 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)
Melesi
Ajak(ajak)
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Malamu na butu
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tala yo nsima
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Kende malamu
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Nkombo na yo nani?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Ozalaki malamu?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nayoki malamu na yo
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Aye nyin kɔc.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Yin kɔc ke nyin.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Yin wic ke nyin?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Kɛl thok, yin.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Aye nyin thok.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Aye
Te
Naa
Soki
Cok
Nalingi
Aye nyin
Nalingi te
Naa nyin
Eza malamu
Käth aŋöör
Oyo olingi nini?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Sunga moke
Käŋ aŋöör
Nasalaki mabe
Aye kɛ̈l
Nani azali na problème
Naa kɛ̈l
Mokolo malamu
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ezali pene awa.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Ezali mbali awa.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Ekozala ntango nini?
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.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Service eza na kati?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Yango ezali malamu.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
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.
Tindá polisi
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Tindá ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nalingi médecin
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Nazali na maladi
A jɛt kɔc
Nazali na allergie na mbala
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nazwi passport na ngai
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
S.O.S!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Tika tozala na mitema
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Naboya raport lelo
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Tango tozali na mposo?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Nasalela yo na mosala
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Napesi yo nzela
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
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.