Looking for practical Tswana to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tswana 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 Tswana 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 Tswana 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.
Dumela
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ke a leboga
Ajak(ajak)
Dumelang
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Dumela mo afternoon
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Dumela mo evening
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Borai
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tsamaya sentle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Tsamaya sentle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
O na le leina mang?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Leina la me ke John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
O kae?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ke itumetse go 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.
A o bua Seisemane?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya
Aye nyin kɔc.
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Borai bo kae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Tswelela ka fao
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Gaeletsi e bokae?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee
Kɛl thok, yin.
A ke kgole go tswa fano?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ke a latlhela
Aye nyin thok.
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Nnyaa
Naa
Mafoko
Cok
Ke a dumela
Aye nyin
Ke sitwa go dumela
Naa nyin
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Käth aŋöör
O akanya eng?
Käŋ aŋöör?
O ka nthusa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ke tlhoka thuso
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Emisa motsotso
Käŋ aŋöör
Ke maswabi
Aye kɛ̈l
Ga go na bothata
Naa kɛ̈l
A re amogele
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ke kae borai jwa terene?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Ke kae borai jwa boso?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Ke phetogo efe?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Nako efe e tlogang?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
A ke tsela e e siameng?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
E kgaogang fa
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
E le kgakala le fa
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Emisa fa, tsweetswee
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
E tsaya 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.
Ke bokae?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Seo ke se expensive
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Na nka lefa ka khadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Bille, tsweetswee
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ke movegetarian
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Se ke se monate
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Na nka nna le menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee
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.
Bua le mapolesa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Bua le ambulance
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ke tlhoka ngaka
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa
A jɛt kɔc
Ke na le allergy go peanuts
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Go botlhoko fa
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ke sitwa passport ya me
A lɔst pɑspɔt
O ka bua le hotele ya me?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Thusa!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Nako efe e go thusang?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
A re ka bua ka borai?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ke itumelela go dira le wena
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
A ke boele go wena
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nako ya go fela 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.