Looking for practical Tetum to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tetum 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 Tetum 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.
Olá
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Obrigadu
Ajak(ajak)
Bondia
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Bona tarde
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Bona noite
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Bona noite
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Ami hanesan
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Adeus
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Quale naran ida?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Naran hau John.
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Kona ba o?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Diak ba halo ho o.
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Keta fala Inglês?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Hau la fala Hindi diak.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Hau la hatene.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Favor fala ba moris.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Keta bele fala fali?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Onde mak banheira?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Kona ne'ebe hau bele baa sentru cidade?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Virar ba hadau.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Virar ba direita.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Baa diretamente.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Iha ne'e barak?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ticket ida, favor.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Iha ne'e laran ka?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Hau nune'e.
Aye nyin thok.
Onde mak hau bele compra SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Sim
Aye
La
Naa
Talvez
Cok
Hau hakarak
Aye nyin
Hau la hakarak
Naa nyin
Nia mak diak
Käth aŋöör
Ita nian ideia sa?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Mak bele ajuda hau?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Hau precisa ajuda
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Hakarak momentu
Käŋ aŋöör
Hau mós
Aye kɛ̈l
La problema
Naa kɛ̈l
Parabens
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Parabens ba aniversario
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Hau haruka viagen diak
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Onde está a estacão de trem?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Onde está a paragem de autocarro?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Iha ne'e plataforma sa'e?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Hora ne'e sai?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Ema ne'e dalan certo ka?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Iha ne'e perto
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Iha ne'e laran
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Kona ba mapa?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Parar iha ne'e, favor
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Kona tempu hira?
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.
Ita nia presu sa'o?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Esa mak baratu demais.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ita iha coisa baratu seluk?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Posu ka la, hau bele paga ba kart?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Hau hakarak mesa ba rua.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Fatu, por favor.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Servisu iha ka?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Hau vegetarian.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Labele comida spicy, por favor.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Esa mak saboru.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Posu ka la, hau bele hakarak menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Kopa agua, por favor.
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.
Liga ba polícia
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Liga ba ambulansia
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Hau precisa doutor
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Hau sente sick
A jɛt kɔc
Hau iha alergia ba karu
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Onde iha ospitál ne'ebe mais perto?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Ita hakarak iha ne'e
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Hau hasai passport
A lɔst pɑspɔt
O pode liga ba hotel hau?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Help!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Hau kontente hatoo ho ita
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Kita halo reunião
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Hora ne'ebe mak diak ba ita?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Hau sei hatoo relatoriu ona
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Ita bele halo conversa fali?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Favor buka arquivo ne'e iha
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Obrigadu ba ita-nia tempu
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Hau hakarak trabalha ho ita
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Ita bele klarifika ponto ne'e?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Hau sei volta ba ita
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Prazo mak sexta-feira
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.