Looking for practical Sepedi to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sepedi 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: pick five Dinka phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Sepedi 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.
Dumela
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ke a leboga
Ajak(ajak)
Dumelang
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Mokhutsong o motle
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Mokhutsong o motle
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Borai bo botle
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tsamaya sentle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Siyabonga
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
O na le leina lefe?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Leina la ka ke John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
O kae?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ke thabela go kopana le wena
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Na o bua Seisemane?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa go kwele
Aye nyin kɔc.
Tsweetswee bua ka borai
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Na o ka bo o mpotsa gape?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Borai bo kae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ke etse eng go ya borai?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Fetola go le letšatši
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola go le letona
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Ya ka pela
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Phetho ke bokae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Tiketeng e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kɛl thok, yin.
Na ke kgole go tswa fano?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ke sitwa go etse
Aye nyin thok.
Borai bo kae ke ka reka SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Aowa
Naa
Mohlomong
Cok
Ke a dumela
Aye nyin
Ke sitwa go dumela
Naa nyin
Seo se utlwa sentle
Käth aŋöör
O nagana eng?
Käŋ aŋöör?
O ka nthusa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ke hloka thuso
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Emela nako
Käŋ aŋöör
Ke maswabi
Aye kɛ̈l
Ga go na bothata
Naa kɛ̈l
Dumelang
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Tlhogong e monate
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Dira leeto le le bolokehileng
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae boraiwa ba terene?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ke kae boraiwa ba bosi?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Nako efe e tlo fofa?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
A ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
E haufi le fa
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
E hole le fa
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
O ka mpontsha ka mape?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
E nka nako e kae?
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.
Ke bokae?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Seo ke sebopego se se kotsi
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
O na le sengwe se se theko e tlase?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Nka lefa ka khadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ke rata tafole ya batho ba babedi
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Bille, tswarela
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ke movegetarian
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Aowa, dijo tse di phadileng, tswarela
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Se ke se monate
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Nka fumana lenaneo?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Khalase ya metsi, tswarela
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.
B calla mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
B calla ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ke hloka ngaka
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke ikutlwa ke bolaya
A jɛt kɔc
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospital e hwetšwa kae?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Go a bohloko fa
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ke lahlehetšwe ke passport ya ka
A lɔst pɑspɔt
O ka bitsa hotel ya ka?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Thusa!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile go kopana le wena
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nako efe e go kgonang?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ke tla romela reportone gompieno
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
A re ka bua ka moso?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Tsweetswee bona faele e amanang
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ke lebeletse go dira le wena
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
A o ka hlalosa ntlha eo?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
A ke tle ke boe go wena
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nako ya borai ke Labohlano
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.