Looking for practical Venda to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Venda 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 Venda 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 Venda 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.
Ndi matsheloni
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ndi a livhuwa
Ajak(ajak)
Ndi matsheloni
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Ndi masiari
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Ndi madekwana
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Ndi masiari a u fhela
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Tshilidzi
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Vhuyani
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Ndi mini dzina lenu?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Dzina langa ndi John
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Ni khou itea?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ndi khou funa u vhuya na inwi
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ni a ṱhota ṅwambo?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?(ni a thota n'wambo)
A ndi ṱhoti Hindi zwavhudi
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.(a ndi thoti Hindi zwavhudi)
A ndi ḓivhi
Aye nyin kɔc.(a ndi dhiwi)
Ndi ṱhanyela u ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Yin kɔc ke nyin.(ndi thanyela u thota nga thoho)
Ndi a ṱanga zwenezwi?
Yin wic ke nyin?(ndi a thanga zwenezwi)
Bani hu na khotani?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(bani hu na khotani)
Ndi ya hani u ya tsini na muṱa?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?(ndi ya hani u ya tsini na mutha)
Fhulu u ya shango
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.(fhulu u ya shango)
Fhulu u ya ṱhoho
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.(fhulu u ya thoho)
Ḓi ṱhota nga ṱhoho
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.(dhi thota nga thoho)
Fhasi i na hani?
Cɔl kɛ thon?(fhasi i na hani)
Ticket ye ḽa, nd please
Kɛl thok, yin.(ticket ye la, nd please)
I na fhasi u bva hone?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?(i na fhasi u bva hone)
Ndi a fhedza
Aye nyin thok.(ndi a fhedza)
Ndi nga wana SIM card phi?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?(ndi nga wana SIM card phi)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ee
Aye
Aih
Naa
Ndi nga si
Cok
Ndi a livhuwa
Aye nyin
Ndi a sa livhuwi
Naa nyin
Izwi zwine zwa ita zwavhuya
Käth aŋöör
U vhona mini?
Käŋ aŋöör?
U nga nthusa?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ndi na nyito
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Langa muthu
Käŋ aŋöör
Ndi a humbula
Aye kɛ̈l
A hu na nḓila
Naa kɛ̈l
Ndi a livhuwa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Ndi a ni ṱhonifha na u shuma
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Uphi i-station ye-train?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Uphi i-bus stop?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
I-platform efani na?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Iri ngafhi?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Iyi ndi ndowei efani?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Iri khathihi na.
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Iri khulwane na.
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
U nga nanga u tshi khou vhona kha maphu?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Dzhia fhedzi, ndi khou livhuwa.
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Zwi tshi dzhia ngafhi?
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.
Zwi khou itea ngani?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Izwi ndi zwihulu.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Ni na zwine zwa itea nga nṱha?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ndi nga fhira nga khadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ndi khou ṱoḓa tafela ya vhuṱanzi.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Ndi ṱhoḓa muthu, ndapota.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Ndi na tshelete ya vhuṱanzi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ndi muvegetarian.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
A si na food ya vhuṱhiri, ndapota.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Izi ndi zwitukwama.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ndi nga ṱoḓa menu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Ndi ṱhoḓa glasi ya mvura, ndapota.
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.
Fhonelela mapolisa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Fhonelela ambulanse
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ndi funa ngaka
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ndi a shota
A jɛt kɔc
Ndi na u shota kha phiri
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Ndi wani hoso ya vhuṱungu?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Zwi a vha na mulalo hone
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ndi fhedza pasipoti yangu
A lɔst pɑspɔt
U nga fhonelela hotele yangu?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Ramba!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ndi khou livhuwa u vhulunga
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
A ri vhe na thendo
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Ndi ngani ini u shuma na yone?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ndi do ruma ripoti ndayani
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
A ri nga bvela phanda nga ndayo?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Ndi khou humbela u wana faele yo thomulwaho
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ndi a livhuwa nga ha u ralo
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ndi khou takalela u shuma na inwi
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
A ni nga sumbedza nḓila iṅwe?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Ndi do bva u ya u inwi
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Nḓila i khou fhela nga ṋaṅwe
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.