Looking for practical Zulu to Dinka phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Zulu 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 Zulu 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.
Sawubona
Yaaŋ(yaaŋ)
Ngiyabonga
Ajak(ajak)
Sawubona
Bäny äyö(bäny äyö)
Good afternoon
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Ubusuku obuhle
Bäny nyin(bäny nyin)
Lala kahle
Bäny kɛ̈l(bäny kɛ̈l)
Sizobonana
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Hamba kahle
Yin kɛ̈l(yin kɛ̈l)
Ubani igama lakho?
Nin kɛ̈l yïn?(nin kɛ̈l yïn?)
Igama lami nginguJohn
Nin yïn John(nin yïn John)
Unjani?
Kɛ̈l yïn?(kɛ̈l yïn?)
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Bäny kɛ̈l yïn(bäny kɛ̈l yïn)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ukhuluma isiNgisi?
Nyaac ke wic ku English?
Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.
Aye nyin wic Hindi kɔc.
Angiqondi.
Aye nyin kɔc.
Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.
Yin kɔc ke nyin.
Ungakuphinda lokho?
Yin wic ke nyin?
Iphi indlu yangasese?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?
Nyaac kɛ jɛt ke cɛl?
Jika kwesobunxele.
Yin tɛŋ ke thok.
Jika kwesokudla.
Yin tɛŋ ke kɛl.
Hamba phambili.
Yin tɛŋ ke cɛl.
Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?
Cɔl kɛ thon?
Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.
Kɛl thok, yin.
Ingabe kude lapha?
Cɔl kɛ jɔk ke cɛl?
Ngilahlekile.
Aye nyin thok.
Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?
Cɔl kɛ jɛt ke SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yebo
Aye
Cha
Naa
Mhlawumbe
Cok
Ngiyavuma
Aye nyin
Angivumi
Naa nyin
Lokho kuzwakala kahle
Käth aŋöör
Ucabanga ukuthini?
Käŋ aŋöör?
Ungangisiza?
Nyaŋ aŋöör?
Ngidinga usizo
Aye bɛ̈t aŋöör
Linda umzuzu
Käŋ aŋöör
Ngiyaxolisa
Aye kɛ̈l
Akukho nkinga
Naa kɛ̈l
Halala
Bɛ̈t aŋöör
Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa
Bɛ̈t aŋöör kuɔr
Uhambo olunempilo
Käth aŋöör kuɔr
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Iphi isitishi sesitimela?
Cïïr yïnë kël?(Cii r yin e kel)
Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?
Cïïr yïnë kël jëŋ?(Cii r yin e kel jeng)
Iphi ipulatifomu?
Këc yïnë kël?(Kec yin e kel)
Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?
Këc kël yïnë?(Kec kel yin e)
Ingabe le yindlela efanele?
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ikhaya lapha eduze
Këc yïnë kël jëŋ?(Kec yin e kel jeng)
Ikude lapha
Këc yïnë kël wël?(Kec yin e kel wel)
Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?
Aŋë yïnë kël kɔc?(Ang e yin e kel koc)
Misa lapha, ngiyacela
Nye kël jëŋ, jëŋ?(Nye kel jeng jeng)
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?
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.
Kubiza malini lokhu?
Kuoth ke nyin?(kuoth ke nyin)
Lokho kubiza kakhulu.
Nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r(nyaak ke thok kɛ̈r)
Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r)
Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɔc)
Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.
Aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ(aye ke nyin a tɛ́bɛl kɛ̈r duɔŋ)
Ibhili, ngiyacela.
Kɛ́l, please(kɛ́l, please)
Inkonzo ifakiwe?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r kɛ́l)
Ngiyisithuthuthu.
Aye ke nyin a kɔc(aye ke nyin a kɔc)
Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r aŋɔr, please)
Lokhu kuhle.
Nyaak ke aŋɔr(nyaak ke aŋɔr)
Ngicela imenyu?
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu?(aye ke nyin kɛ̈r a menu)
Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.
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.
Shayela amaphoyisa
Bɛɛr kɔl pɔlɪs
Shayela i-ambulensi
Bɛɛr kɔl ambʊlɛns
Ngidinga udokotela
A pɛɛr dɔkta
Ngizizwa ngigula
A jɛt kɔc
Ngine-allergy kumantongomane
A kɛl kɔc bɛɛr pɛɛnʊt
Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?
Cɛɛr kɛ bɛɛr hɔspɪtɔl?
Kubuhlungu lapha
Kɔc kɛ tɛŋ
Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami
A lɔst pɑspɔt
Ungashayela ihhotela lami?
Kɛl bɛɛr kɔl hɔtɛl a?
Usizo!
Yɛɛr!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngiyajabula ukukwazi
Yin ke nyin(Yin ke nyin)
Masihlele umhlangano
Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng(Nyaak ke nyin ke jieng)
Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?
Cieng nyin ke jieng?(Cieng nyin ke jieng?)
Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla
Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t(Aye ke cïe report kɛ̈t)
Singakhuluma kusasa?
Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke jieng kɛ̈t?)
Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe
Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe file kɛ̈t)
Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi
Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t(Ayiir ke nyin kɛ̈t)
Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe
Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng(Aye ke nyin kɛ̈t jieng)
Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?
Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?(Nyaak ke cïe kɛ̈t?)
Ngizobuyela kuwe
Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t(Nyaak ke cïe nyin kɛ̈t)
Usuku lokugcina 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.