Looking for practical Sesotho to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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 Sesotho 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.
Lumelang
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Kea leboha
Ajak(ajak)
Dumelang
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Molo
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Dumelang
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Borai
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Re tla kopana hamorao
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Tsamaya hantle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
O na le lebitso lefe?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Lebitso la ka ke John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
O kae?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ke thabela ho 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 u bua Senyesemane?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Ke sitwa ho bua Hindi hantle
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa ho utloisisa
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ka kopo bua butle
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Na u ka boela ua re?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Ntloana e kae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ke etse joang ho ea bohareng ba toropo?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Fetola ho ea letsohong
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola ho ea ka ho letona
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Eya ka pela
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Chelete ea sekepe ke e kae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Tiket e le 'ngoe, ka kopo
Kɛl thok, yin.
Na e hole le mona?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ke lahlehile
Aye nyin thok.
Ke kae moo ke ka rekang kharejamo?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Che
Naa
Mohlomong
Cok
Ke lumela
Aye nyin
Ke sitwa
Naa nyin
Seo se utloahala hantle
Käth aŋöör
O nahana eng?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Na o ka nthusa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ke hloka thuso
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Emisa motsotso
Käŋ aŋöör
Ke maswabi
Aye kɛ̈l
Ha ho bothata
Naa kɛ̈l
O amohelehile
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Letsatsi le monate la tsoalo
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Ebe le tsamaea hantle
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae seteishene sa terene?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ke kae borai?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ke sehlopha sefe?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Nako e kae e tlohang?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Na ena ke tsela e nepahetseng?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
E haufi le mona
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
E hole le mona
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
O ka mpontša ka mapeng?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Emisa mona, ka kopo
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.
Se kostang hakaale?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Seo ke se theko e phahameng
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Na le na le eng e theko e tlase?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Na nka lefa ka kharete?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ke batla tafole bakeng sa batho ba babeli
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Bille, ka kopo
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Na ts'ebeletso e kenyelletsoe?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ke moithuti oa meroho
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Tse ling tse chesang, ka kopo
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Se monate
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Na nka fumana lenane la mealtime?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Khalase ea metsi, ka kopo
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.
Calla mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Calla ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ke hloka ngaka
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke ikutloa ke sitwa
A jɛt kɔc
Ke na le allergy ho peanuts
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospital e haufi e kae?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Ho bohloko mona
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ke lahlehetsoe ke passport
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Na o ka bitsa hotele ea ka?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Thusa!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke thabile ho kopana le uena
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
A re etse kopano
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nako e kae e loketseng uena?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ke tla romela rapoto kajeno
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Na re ka bua ka moso?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Ka kopo, fumana faele e amanang
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Kea leboha ka nako ea hau
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ke lebeletse ho sebetsa le uena
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Na u ka hlakisa ntlha eo?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
A ke tle ke u boele
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nako e felletseng 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.