Looking for practical Tsonga to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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 Tsonga 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.
Xewani
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ndza khensa
Ajak(ajak)
Xewani xitulu
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Xewani ntlhanu
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Xewani nhloko
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Xewani xihlayo
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tshamisa
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Sala kahle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
U vitaniwani?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ndzina i John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
U njhani?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ku rhandza ku hlangana na wena
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
U vulavula Xitsonga?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
A ndzi vulavula Hindi kahle.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
A ndzi twisisi.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ndza kombela u vulavula hi ku hatlisa.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
U nga vula sweswo na ku tlhela?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Xikombiso xihi?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ndza famba njhani ku ya etikweni?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Khandziya ekhaya.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Khandziya ekunene.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Famba u ya emahlweni.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Mafambiselo ma yini?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Nhlamulo imwe, ndza kombela.
Kɛl thok, yin.
I yini ku tlula kona?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ndzi khomiwe.
Aye nyin thok.
Xina ndzi nga teka SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Inhlawulo
Aye
A hi kona
Naa
Swi nga va tano
Cok
Ndzi amukela
Aye nyin
Ndzi nga amukeli
Naa nyin
Iku na switlhavelo
Käth aŋöör
U ehleketa yini?
Käŋ aŋöör?
U nga ndzi pfuna?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ndzi lava mpfuno
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Hlayisa nkarhi
Käŋ aŋöör
Ndzi tsundzuka
Aye kɛ̈l
A hi na xiphiqo
Naa kɛ̈l
Ndzakuva
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Mavongele yo tsakela
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
U va na ndlela yo olova
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ku wihi xitlhavelo xa mabhazi?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
I platform yihi?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
I nkarhi muni yi hamba?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
I ndlela leyi nga right?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
I kona edzongeni.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
I le n'hweti.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
U nga ndzi kombisa eka mappu?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Tshika lapha, ndza kombela.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
I nkarhi muni ku taka?
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.
I ku humelela njhani?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
I kona ku phindzelela.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
U na na yini leyi endlaka ku phindzelela?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ndzaku ta hlayisa hi khadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ndza rhandza tafula ya vumbirhi.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Ndzaku ya le mfunghwini.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
I ku kumiwa ka ntirho?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ndza va vegetarian.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
A hi na swakudya leswi khumbaka.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Leswi i switlhavi.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ndzaku na menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Ndzaku ya vhuvhu.
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.
Tivisa mapolisa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Tivisa ambalansi
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ndzi lava dokotela
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ndzi khoma ku vava
A jɛt kɔc
Ndza va na ku vava hi mapfuri
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospital leyi nga ekule i wihi?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Ku vava laha
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ndzi lahlekeriwe hi passport ya mina
A lɔst pɑspɔt
U nga tivisa hotel ya mina?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Shelp!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ku tsakela ku hlangana na wena
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
A hi endla xihlanganiso
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Ntiyiso wo sungula ku tirha na wena?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ndzi ta rhumela xitlhavelo namuntlha
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Kambe hi nga vulavula sweswi?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Ndza kombela u kuma faayela ku hlanganisiwa
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ndza nkhensa hi nkarhi wa wena
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ndza langutela ku tirha na wena
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
U nga ku hlamusela xiphemu lexi?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
A ndzi ta vuya eka wena
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nkarhi wo heta i 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.