Common Xhosa to Dinka phrases

100 practical Xhosa to Dinka phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Xhosa to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Xhosa 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 Xhosa 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.

  1. Molo

    Yaaŋ (yaaŋ)

  2. Enkosi

    Ajak (ajak)

  3. Ubusuku obuhle

    Bäny äyö (bäny äyö)

  4. Ubusuku obuhle

    Bäny kɛ̈l (bäny kɛ̈l)

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Bäny nyin (bäny nyin)

  6. Lala ngoxolo

    Bäny kɛ̈l (bäny kɛ̈l)

  7. Ndiza kubonana kamva

    Yin kɛ̈l (yin kɛ̈l)

  8. Hamba kakuhle

    Yin kɛ̈l (yin kɛ̈l)

  9. Ngubani igama lakho?

    Nin kɛ̈l yïn? (nin kɛ̈l yïn?)

  10. Igama lam nguJohn

    Nin yïn John (nin yïn John)

  11. Unjani?

    Kɛ̈l yïn? (kɛ̈l yïn?)

  12. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Bäny kɛ̈l yïn (bäny kɛ̈l yïn)

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Uthetha isiNgesi?

    Nyaac ke wic ku English?

  2. Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

    Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.

  3. Andiqondi

    Aye nyin kɔc.

  4. Nceda thethe kancinci

    Yin kɔc ke nyin.

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Yin wic ke nyin?

  6. Iphi ibhafu?

    Cɔl kɛ thon?

  7. Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

    Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?

  8. Jolisa kwesokunxele

    Yin tɛŋ ke thok.

  9. Jolisa kwesokudla

    Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.

  10. Hamba ngqo

    Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.

  11. Iholo ingakanani?

    Cɔl kɛ thon?

  12. Ithikithi elinye, nceda

    Kɛl thok, yin.

  13. Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

    Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?

  14. Ndilahlekile

    Aye nyin thok.

  15. Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

    Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Ewe

    Aye

  2. Hayi

    Naa

  3. Mhlawumbi

    Cok

  4. Ndiyavuma

    Aye nyin

  5. Andivumi

    Naa nyin

  6. Okuhle

    Käth aŋöör

  7. Ucinga ntoni?

    Käŋ aŋöör?

  8. Ungandinceda?

    Nyaŋ aŋöör?

  9. Ndidinga uncedo

    Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Käŋ aŋöör

  11. Ndicela uxolo

    Aye kɛ̈l

  12. Akukho ngxaki

    Naa kɛ̈l

  13. Wamkelekile

    Bɛ̈t aŋöör

  14. Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

    Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr

  15. Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

    Käth aŋöör kuɔr

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?

    Cïïr yïnë kël? (Cii r yin e kel)

  2. Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?

    Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ? (Cii r yin e kel jeng)

  3. Yeyiphi iphondo?

    Këc yïnë kël? (Kec yin e kel)

  4. Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?

    Këc kël yïnë? (Kec kel yin e)

  5. Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?

    Këc yïnë kël wël? (Kec yin e kel wel)

  6. Ikho kufutshane apha

    Këc yïnë kël jëŋ? (Kec yin e kel jeng)

  7. Ikude apha

    Këc yïnë kël wël? (Kec yin e kel wel)

  8. Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?

    Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc? (Ang e yin e kel koc)

  9. Misa apha, nceda

    Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ? (Nye kel jeng jeng)

  10. Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?

    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.

  1. Ithini le mali?

    Kuoth ke nyin? (kuoth ke nyin)

  2. Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

    Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r (nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)

  3. Unayo into engabizi?

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r? (aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)

  4. Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc? (aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)

  5. Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

    Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ (aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)

  6. Ibhili, nceda.

    Kɛ́l, please (kɛ́l, please)

  7. Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l? (aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)

  8. Ndiyavegetarian.

    Aye ke nyin a kɔc (aye ke nyin a kɔc)

  9. Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please (aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)

  10. Oku kumnandi.

    Nyaak ke aŋɔr (nyaak ke aŋɔr)

  11. Ndingafumana imenyu?

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu? (aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)

  12. Ingxube ye water, nceda.

    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.

  1. Biza uphondo

    Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs

  2. Biza i-ambulensi

    Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns

  3. Ndifuna ugqirha

    A pɛɛr dɔkta

  4. Ndiziva ndingalunganga

    A jɛt kɔc

  5. Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

    A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt

  6. Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

    Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?

  7. Kubuhlungu apha

    Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ

  8. Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

    A lɔst pɑspɔt

  9. Ungabiza ihotele yam?

    Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?

  10. Uncedo!

    Yɛɛr!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Yin ke nyin (Yin ke nyin)

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

    Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng (Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)

  3. Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

    Cieng nyin ke jieng? (Cieng nyin ke jieng?)

  4. Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

    Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t (Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)

  5. Singathetha ngomso?

    Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t? (Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)

  6. Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

    Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t (Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)

  7. Enkosi ngexesha lakho

    Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t (Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)

  8. Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

    Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng (Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)

  9. Ungacacisa le ndawo?

    Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t? (Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)

  10. Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

    Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t (Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)

  11. Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

    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.

  1. Yintoni ixesha?

    Cïŋ ke cïŋ? (Cing ke cing?)

  2. Iiyure ezintathu

    Cïŋ kɛɛŋ thok (Cing keeng thok)

  3. Namhlanje

    Kɛ̈th (Keth)

  4. Manga

    Kɛ̈th kɛ̈l (Keth kel)

  5. Izolo

    Kɛ̈th kɛ̈n (Keth ken)

  6. Mvulo

    Nyi̱ŋ (Nying)

  7. Lwesibini

    Nyi̱ŋ kɛ̈l (Nying kel)

  8. Lwesithathu

    Nyi̱ŋ kɛ̈n (Nying ken)

  9. Ene

    Cïŋ (Cing)

  10. Mbini

    Dɛ̈l (Del)

  11. Thathu

    Thok (Thok)

  12. Ishumi

    Cɛ̈l (Cel)

  13. Ishumi elinye

    Cïŋ kɛ̈l (Cing kel)

  14. Umgama

    Cɛ̈l kɛ̈l (Cel kel)

  15. Ngaphezulu

    Kɛ̈l (Kel)