Looking for practical Luganda to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda 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: read the Dinka line out loud three times, then cover the Luganda 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 Luganda 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.
Oli otya?
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Webale
Ajak(ajak)
Osiibye otya?
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Osiibye bulungi?
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Osiibye otya?
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Lwaki olugendo?
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tugenda kutya?
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Nkwagala
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Oli otya?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Sijja kumanya.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Ekitanda kiki?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Genda ku kkono.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Genda mu maaso.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Ekitundu kiki?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ticket emu, please.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Kiki kirekera wano?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ndi mu bubi.
Aye nyin thok.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Aye
Nedda
Naa
Okwagala
Cok
Nnaakuwandiika
Aye nyin
Sikuwandiika
Naa nyin
Kyo kyekirungi
Käth aŋöör
Otekayo ki?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Osobola okundabira?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Nfuna obuyambi
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Saba omukutu
Käŋ aŋöör
Nsaba
Aye kɛ̈l
Tewali kibadde
Naa kɛ̈l
Okwagaliza
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Genda bulungi
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ekitangaala ki?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Kiri wano wansi
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Kiri mangu
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Ggenda wano, please
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Tewali bungi ki?
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.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Ekitabo, please.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Ono mulungi.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Nneetaaga menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
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.
Mpozzi polisi
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Mpozzi ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nfuna daktari
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
A jɛt kɔc
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Bikozesa wano
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nfuuse passport yange
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Mbadde!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nkwagala okubaako
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Tugende mu nteekateeka
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Okwesiga ki?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Webale ku ssaawa yo
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nja kukuwandiikira
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano
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.