Lingala

20 Lingala phrases for greetings and everyday courtesy, from Hello (Mbote) to Do you speak English? (Oyeba koloba Lingelesi?).

Hello

Mbote, pronounced mbo-TE

Good morning

Mbote na morning, pronounced mbo-TE na MOR-ning

Good evening

Mbote na pokwa, pronounced mbo-TE na POK-wa

Good night

Butu malamu, pronounced BU-tu ma-LA-mu

How are you?

Ozali malamu?, pronounced o-ZA-li ma-LA-mu

I'm fine, thank you

Nazali malamu, merci, pronounced na-ZA-li ma-LA-mu MER-si

What is your name?

Nkombo na yo nani?, pronounced nkom-bo na YO NA-ni

My name is...

Nkombo na ngai..., pronounced nkom-bo na NGAI...

Nice to meet you

Nasepeli komona yo, pronounced na-se-PE-li ko-MO-na YO

Please

Ndingisa, pronounced ndin-GI-sa

Thank you

Merci, pronounced MER-si

You're welcome

Ezali malamu, pronounced e-ZA-li ma-LA-mu

Yes

Iyo, pronounced i-YO

No

Te, pronounced TE

Sorry

Limbisa ngai, pronounced lim-BI-sa NGAI

Excuse me

Limbisa ngai, pronounced lim-BI-sa NGAI

Goodbye

Kende malamu, pronounced KEN-de ma-LA-mu

See you later

Tokomonana, pronounced to-ko-mo-NA-na

I don't understand

Nazo yeba te, pronounced na-ZO YE-ba TE

Do you speak English?

Oyeba koloba Lingelesi?, pronounced o-YE-ba ko-LO-ba lin-ge-LE-si

20 Lingala phrases for getting around, from Where is the airport? (Aéroport ezali wapi?) to Police station (Poste ya police).

Where is the airport?

Aéroport ezali wapi?, pronounced ae-ro-PORT e-ZA-li WA-pi

How much does this cost?

Ebeli boni?, pronounced e-BE-li BO-ni

I need a taxi

Nalingi taxi, pronounced na-LIN-gi TAK-si

Where is the hotel?

Hôtel ezali wapi?, pronounced ho-TEL e-ZA-li WA-pi

I have a reservation

Nandimi chambre, pronounced nan-DI-mi SHAM-bre

Train station

Gare ya train, pronounced GAR ya TREN

Bus stop

Arêt ya bus, pronounced a-RE ya BUS

Ticket

Biyé, pronounced bi-YE

Passport

Passeport, pronounced pas-PORT

Help!

Sungai!, pronounced sun-GAI

I'm lost

Naleki nzela, pronounced na-LE-ki NZE-la

Turn left

Yamuka na mano ya mwasi, pronounced ya-MU-ka na MA-no ya MWA-si

Turn right

Yamuka na mano ya mobali, pronounced ya-MU-ka na MA-no ya mo-BA-li

Straight ahead

Kende libanda, pronounced KEN-de li-BAN-da

How far is it?

Ezali mosika boni?, pronounced e-ZA-li mo-SI-ka BO-ni

Museum

Musée, pronounced mu-ZE

Beach

Plage, pronounced PLAZH

Hospital

Lopitalo, pronounced lo-pi-TA-lo

Pharmacy

Farmacie, pronounced far-ma-SI

Police station

Poste ya police, pronounced POST ya po-LIS

20 Lingala phrases for eating and drinking, from I'm hungry (Nzala ezali na ngai) to Dessert (Dessert).

I'm hungry

Nzala ezali na ngai, pronounced NZA-la e-ZA-li na NGAI

I'm thirsty

Mposa ya mai ezali na ngai, pronounced mpo-SA ya MAI e-ZA-li na NGAI

The menu, please

Menu, ndingisa, pronounced ME-nu ndin-GI-sa

Water

Mai, pronounced MAI

Coffee

Kafe, pronounced KA-fe

Bread

Lipa, pronounced LI-pa

Meat

Nyama, pronounced NYA-ma

Vegetarian

Aliaka nyama te, pronounced a-LI-a-ka NYA-ma TE

Delicious

Eleki malamu, pronounced e-LE-ki ma-LA-mu

The bill, please

Addition, ndingisa, pronounced a-di-SYON ndin-GI-sa

I am allergic to...

Nazali na allergie ya..., pronounced na-ZA-li na a-ler-ZHI ya...

No sugar

Sukali te, pronounced su-KA-li TE

Breakfast

Liya ya ntongo, pronounced LI-ya ya NTON-go

Lunch

Liya ya midi, pronounced LI-ya ya mi-DI

Dinner

Liya ya pokwa, pronounced LI-ya ya POK-wa

Restaurant

Restoran, pronounced res-to-RAN

Table for two

Mesa ya bato mibale, pronounced ME-sa ya BA-to mi-BA-le

Beer

Lotoko, pronounced lo-TO-ko

Wine

Vin, pronounced VAN

Dessert

Dessert, pronounced de-SERT

15 Lingala phrases for emergencies and health, from Help! (Sungai!) to I'm sick (Nazali maladi).

Help!

Sungai!, pronounced sun-GAI

Call the police!

Benga police!, pronounced BEN-ga po-LIS

I need a doctor

Nalingi monganga, pronounced na-LIN-gi mon-GAN-ga

Fire!

Moto!, pronounced MO-to

Ambulance

Ambulance, pronounced am-bu-LANS

I've been robbed

Baboyaki ngai, pronounced ba-bo-YA-ki NGAI

I'm injured

Nabomi, pronounced na-BO-mi

Emergency

Urgent, pronounced ur-ZHANT

Where is the hospital?

Lopitalo ezali wapi?, pronounced lo-pi-TA-lo e-ZA-li WA-pi

Lost passport

Passeport eleki, pronounced pas-PORT e-LE-ki

I need help

Nalingi lisungi, pronounced na-LIN-gi li-SUN-gi

Danger

Likama, pronounced li-KA-ma

Stop!

Telema!, pronounced te-LE-ma

Thief!

Mobivi!, pronounced mo-BI-vi

I'm sick

Nazali maladi, pronounced na-ZA-li ma-LA-di

14 Lingala phrases for work and money, from Good morning (Mbote na ntongo) to Thank you for your time (Merci na tango na yo).

Good morning

Mbote na ntongo, pronounced mbo-TE na NTON-go

I have a meeting

Nazali na réunion, pronounced na-ZA-li na re-u-NYON

Business card

Carte ya mosala, pronounced KART ya mo-SA-la

What is your email?

Email na yo nini?, pronounced E-mail na YO NI-ni

I work for...

Nasalaka na..., pronounced na-sa-LA-ka na...

Manager

Directeur, pronounced di-rek-TER

Meeting

Réunion, pronounced re-u-NYON

Office

Bureau, pronounced bu-RO

Budget

Budget, pronounced bud-ZHE

Invoice

Facture, pronounced fak-TUR

Contract

Contrat, pronounced kon-TRA

Deadline

Date limite, pronounced DAT li-MIT

Partnership

Partenariat, pronounced par-te-na-RYA

Thank you for your time

Merci na tango na yo, pronounced MER-si na TAN-go na YO

20 Lingala phrases for numbers, days and time, from One (Moko) to Friday (Mokolo mwa mitano).

One

Moko, pronounced MO-ko

Two

Mibale, pronounced mi-BA-le

Three

Misato, pronounced mi-SA-to

Four

Minei, pronounced mi-NEI

Five

Mitano, pronounced mi-TA-no

Six

Motoba, pronounced mo-TO-ba

Seven

Nsambo, pronounced NSAM-bo

Eight

Mwambe, pronounced MWAM-be

Nine

Libwa, pronounced LIB-wa

Ten

Zomi, pronounced ZO-mi

Twenty

Zomi na zomi, pronounced ZO-mi na ZO-mi

Fifty

Mitano na zomi, pronounced mi-TA-no na ZO-mi

One hundred

Monkama, pronounced mon-KA-ma

One thousand

Nkóto, pronounced nko-TO

What time is it?

Ngonga nini sikoyo?, pronounced NGON-ga NI-ni si-KO-yo

Today

Lelo, pronounced LE-lo

Tomorrow

Lobi, pronounced LO-bi

Yesterday

Lobi eleki, pronounced LO-bi e-LE-ki

Monday

Mokolo mwa liboso, pronounced mo-KO-lo mwa li-BO-so

Friday

Mokolo mwa mitano, pronounced mo-KO-lo mwa mi-TA-no

house

ndako, pronounced nda-KO

water

mai, pronounced MAI

bread

lipa, pronounced LI-pa

time

ntango, pronounced ntan-GO

person

moto, pronounced MO-to

day

mokolo, pronounced mo-KO-lo

road / way

nzela, pronounced nze-LA

work

mosala, pronounced mo-SA-la

money

mbongo, pronounced mbon-GO

city / village

mboka, pronounced mbo-KA

school

kelasi, pronounced ke-LA-si

book

buku, pronounced BU-ku

name

nkombo, pronounced nkom-BO

child

mwana, pronounced mwa-NA

friend

moninga, pronounced mo-NIN-ga

food

bilei, pronounced bi-LEI

language

monoko, pronounced mo-NO-ko

earth / land

mabele, pronounced ma-BE-le

hand

loboko, pronounced lo-BO-ko

dog

mbwa, pronounced mbwa

to be

kozala, pronounced ko-ZA-la

to go

kokende, pronounced ko-KEN-de

to come

koya, pronounced ko-YA

to speak

kolobela, pronounced ko-lo-BE-la

to eat

kolia, pronounced ko-LI-a

to drink

komela, pronounced ko-ME-la

to see

komona, pronounced ko-MO-na

to know

koyeba, pronounced ko-YE-ba

to want / love

kolinga, pronounced ko-LIN-ga

to give

kopesa, pronounced ko-PE-sa

to take / hold

kokanga, pronounced ko-KAN-ga

to do / work

kosala, pronounced ko-SA-la

to think

kokanisa, pronounced ko-ka-NI-sa

to live

kovanda, pronounced ko-VAN-da

to read

kotanga, pronounced ko-TAN-ga

to write

kokomba, pronounced ko-KOM-ba

to help

kosalisa, pronounced ko-sa-LI-sa

to find

kozwa, pronounced ko-ZWA

to keep / hold

kobatela, pronounced ko-ba-TE-la

to stay

kovanda, pronounced ko-VAN-da

good

malamu, pronounced ma-LA-mu

bad

mabe, pronounced ma-BE

big

monene, pronounced mo-NE-ne

small

moke, pronounced mo-KE

new

ya sika, pronounced ya SI-ka

old

ya kala, pronounced ya KA-la

beautiful

kitoko, pronounced ki-TO-ko

fast

ya lombangi, pronounced ya lom-BAN-gi

slow

ya mpembe, pronounced ya MPEM-be

long / tall

molayi, pronounced mo-LAI-yi

short

mokuse, pronounced mo-KU-se

warm

ya moke ya moto, pronounced ya MO-ke ya MO-to

cold

ya mpela, pronounced ya MPE-la

strong

ya nguya, pronounced ya NGU-ya

easy

pete, pronounced PE-te

difficult

ya pasi, pronounced ya PA-si

important

ya ntina, pronounced ya NTI-na

interesting

ya lokumu, pronounced ya lo-KU-mu

happy

ya esengo, pronounced ya e-SEN-go

expensive

ya motuya, pronounced ya mo-TU-ya

now

sikoyo, pronounced si-KO-yo

today

lelo, pronounced LE-lo

tomorrow / yesterday

lobi, pronounced LO-bi

yesterday

lobi eleki, pronounced LO-bi e-LE-ki

here

awa, pronounced a-WA

there

kuna, pronounced KU-na

quickly

na lombangi, pronounced na lom-BAN-gi

slowly

mpembe, pronounced MPEM-be

well

malamu, pronounced ma-LA-mu

very / a lot

mingi, pronounced MIN-gi

also / too

mpe, pronounced mpe

not / no

te, pronounced TE

yes

iyo, pronounced i-YO

already

naino, pronounced nai-NO

still / yet

nzoka, pronounced nzo-KA

only / just

kaka, pronounced KA-ka

really

ya solo, pronounced ya SO-lo

a lot

mingi, pronounced MIN-gi

a little

moke, pronounced mo-KE

immediately

na pɔnɔ, pronounced na PO-no