Looking for practical Luo to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luo 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: when a Dinka phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Luo wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luo 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.
Naki
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Asante
Ajak(ajak)
Naki chuo
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Naki ng'ato
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Naki owadgi
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Naki buya
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Ting' kendo
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Naki
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Ine ng'ama in?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Inyalo John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Okwere?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Naki konyo
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Naki konyo English?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Naki konyo Hindi mako.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Nyingi.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Tende konyo chalo.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Naki konyo to?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Ith gi toilet?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ning'eyo konyo city center?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Konyo chike.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Konyo duto.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Yie chalo.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Ning'eyo koro?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ticket moko, ndalo.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Nia ng'ato kendo?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Nin gi chalo.
Aye nyin thok.
Ith gi SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Ayi
Naa
Kaka
Cok
Akwong'
Aye nyin
Ayi Akwong'
Naa nyin
Ong'eyo
Käth aŋöör
Ine owuon?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Naki gi chalo?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Nind gi chalo
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Chakre
Käŋ aŋöör
Naki
Aye kɛ̈l
Ayi koro
Naa kɛ̈l
Naki chalo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Naki buo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Naki chalo gi chalo
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Naki yieng' ma train?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Naki yieng' ma bus?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Naki platform ng'eyo?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Naki koro ng'ato?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Ning'eyo ni ng'ato?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Niko neno.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Niko piny.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Okwong' ni on map?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Dhi here, please.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Naki koro ng'ato?
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.
Nia ni?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Owino ni gi chalo.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
I konyo kanyo?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Inyalo nind gi kad?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Nin gi chula mar duong'.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Chakruok, plis.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Isango ni gi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Nin gi vegeterian.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Naki chalo chalo, plis.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Owino ni gi dho.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Inyalo nind gi menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Gik konyo mar maji, plis.
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.
Nedhi polisi
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Nedhi ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Aneedo daktari
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Akwong' gi chalo
A jɛt kɔc
An gi allergy kuom peanuts
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Naki hospital mar koro?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Okwong' mana
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nying' my passport
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Inyalo nedhi hotel ang'wen?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Konyo!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Naki konyo
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Nying' konyo joma
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Naki konyo nigi?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ng'ato nind gi report nyaka
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Ning'eyo konyo nyaka?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Chieng' ni file ni
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Asante gi chako
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Nying' konyo gi nyaka
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Ning'eyo konyo ni?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Ning'eyo konyo nind gi
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Dede ni Friday
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.