Looking for practical Swahili to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili 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 Swahili 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 Swahili 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.
Habari
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Asante
Ajak(ajak)
Habari ya asubuhi
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Habari ya mchana
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Habari ya jioni
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Usiku mwema
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tutaonana baadaye
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Kwaheri
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Jina lako nani?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Jina langu ni John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Habari gani?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Sielewi.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Choo kiko wapi?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Geuka kushoto.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Geuka kulia.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Nimepotea.
Aye nyin thok.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Aye
Hapana
Naa
Pengine
Cok
Ninakubaliana
Aye nyin
Sikubaliani
Naa nyin
Inasikika vizuri
Käth aŋöör
Unafikiriaje?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Nahitaji msaada
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Subiri kidogo
Käŋ aŋöör
Ninasikitika
Aye kɛ̈l
Hakuna shida
Naa kɛ̈l
Hongera
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Safari njema
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ni jukwaa gani?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Iko karibu hapa
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Iko mbali na hapa
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Inachukua muda gani?
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.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Tafadhali, bili
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Mimi ni mboga
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Hii ni tamu
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Naweza kupata menyu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
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.
Piga simu polisi
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Nahitaji daktari
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
A jɛt kɔc
Nina mzio wa karanga
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Inaniuma hapa
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Nisaidie!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Tuweke mkutano
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Asante kwa muda wako
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Nitarudi kwako
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
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.