Looking for practical Tiv to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tiv 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 Tiv 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 Tiv 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.
Mgbakpa
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ior na
Ajak(ajak)
Mgbakpa u sha
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Mgbakpa u kpa
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Mgbakpa u ter
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Mgbakpa u ter sha
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Kpa a joo
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Ior a joo
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Ior m ngu?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
M ngu John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Ior m nande?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ior m nande a joo
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
I kpa English?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
M nahan Hindi nahan.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
M nahan usha.
Aye nyin kɔc.
M nahan usha kpa.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
I kpa a sha?
Yin wic ke nyin?
I we a joo?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nenge a kpa a city center?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Kpa a joo.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Kpa a nahan.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Kpa a sha.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Nenge a kpa a fare?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
I kpa a ticket, please.
Kɛl thok, yin.
I we a nahan a nahan?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
M nahan sha.
Aye nyin thok.
I we a kpa a SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Naa
Naa
Iye
Cok
M na a kpa
Aye nyin
M na a kpa nahan
Naa nyin
I kpa a kpa
Käth aŋöör
U kpa a nahan?
Käŋ aŋöör?
U kpa m nahan?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
M na a kpa nahan
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Kpa a kpa
Käŋ aŋöör
M na a kpa
Aye kɛ̈l
Naa a kpa
Naa kɛ̈l
I kpa a kpa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
A kpa a kpa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
U kpa a kpa
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ior a kpa?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ior a nyam?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ior a gande?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Nenge a kpa?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Ior a nenge a?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
I na kpa a.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
I na kpa a kpa.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
I ma ior a gande?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Kpa a, please.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Nenge a kpa?
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.
Ior kwagh nahan?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Ior u kpa a kpa
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ior m ngu u kpa?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ior m gban a card?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
A doo a table m ngu a yô
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Ior a bill, please
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Ior a service m nahan?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
A m vegetarian
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
A m nahan a spicy food
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Ior a kpa
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ior m gban a menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
A glass a water, please
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.
Kpa a police
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Kpa a ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
M ba a doctor
A pɛɛr dɔkta
M kpa a kpa
A jɛt kɔc
M kpa a nyam
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
I kpa a hospital mza?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
I kpa a sha
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
M kpa a passport m
A lɔst pɑspɔt
I kpa a hotel m?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Kpa!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ior u kpa.
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Ka a hia ikyô.
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nî kpa u kpa?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
M gbanor u kpe.
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
A hia nî u hia?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
M kpa u venge.
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ior u nenge.
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
M hia u kpa.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Ior a hia u mba?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Ka m hia u.
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Ikyô u kpa a 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.