Lingala is a fascinating language spoken by over 15 million people, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo. As the lingua franca of Kinshasa and the entire region, Lingala will help you communicate throughout Central Africa.

In this dictionary, we've selected the 50 most useful words to get started with Lingala, including their pronunciation and English translation.

  1. Greetings and Politeness
  2. Essential Numbers
  3. Family
  4. Food
  5. Common Verbs

🗣️ Greetings and Politeness

Greetings in Lingala reflect Congolese hospitality. Here are the basic expressions:

Lingala Greetings

  • Mbote [mbo-té] - Hello, hi
  • Sango nini [san-go ni-ni] - How are you?
  • Limbisa nga [lim-bi-sa nga] - Excuse me
  • Melesi [mé-lé-si] - Thank you
  • Kende malamu [ken-dé ma-la-mou] - Goodbye, go well
  • Iyo [i-yo] - Yes
  • Te [té] - No
  • Malamu [ma-la-mou] - Good, well
  • Nasepeli [na-sé-pé-li] - I'm happy
  • Nalingi [na-lin-gi] - I would like, please

🔢 Essential Numbers

Counting in Lingala will be useful in daily life in Congo:

Lingala Numbers

  • Moko [mo-ko] - One
  • Mibale [mi-ba-lé] - Two
  • Misato [mi-sa-to] - Three
  • Minei [mi-né-i] - Four
  • Mitano [mi-ta-no] - Five
  • Motoba [mo-to-ba] - Six
  • Sambo [sam-bo] - Seven
  • Mwambe [mwam-bé] - Eight
  • Libwa [li-bwa] - Nine
  • Zomi [zo-mi] - Ten

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

Family is central to Congolese culture:

Lingala Family

  • Tata [ta-ta] - Father, dad
  • Mama [ma-ma] - Mother, mom
  • Koko [ko-ko] - Grandfather
  • Koko mwasi [ko-ko mwa-si] - Grandmother
  • Mwana [mwa-na] - Child
  • Ndeko [ndé-ko] - Brother/sister
  • Moninga [mo-nin-ga] - Friend
  • Mwasi [mwa-si] - Woman
  • Mobali [mo-ba-li] - Man
  • Libota [li-bo-ta] - Family

🍽️ Food

Congolese cuisine is rich and varied:

Lingala Food

  • Loso [lo-so] - Rice
  • Mbisi [mbi-si] - Fish
  • Nyama [nya-ma] - Meat
  • Lipa [li-pa] - Bread
  • Mai [ma-i] - Water
  • Te [té] - Tea
  • Miliki [mi-li-ki] - Milk
  • Mbongo [mbon-go] - Money
  • Kolia [ko-li-a] - To eat
  • Elengi [é-lén-gi] - Delicious

⚡ Common Verbs

These basic verbs will help you express yourself:

Lingala Verbs

  • Kende [ken-dé] - To go
  • Koya [ko-ya] - To come
  • Kotala [ko-ta-la] - To look, to see
  • Koloba [ko-lo-ba] - To speak, to say
  • Koyoka [ko-yo-ka] - To hear
  • Koyekola [ko-yé-ko-la] - To learn
  • Kopesa [ko-pé-sa] - To give
  • Kozwa [ko-zwa] - To take, to receive
  • Kosala [ko-sa-la] - To do, to work
  • Kozala [ko-za-la] - To be, to have

💡 Tips to Memorize This Vocabulary

🎯 Effective Learning Method

  • Daily repetition: Practice 10 words per day for 5 days
  • Simple sentences: Combine several words in short phrases
  • Congolese music: Listen to songs in Lingala to hear pronunciation
  • Oral practice: Repeat each word several times
  • Cultural context: Learn words in connection with Congolese culture

🚀 Ready to Speak Lingala Fluently?

This dictionary is just the beginning! With Targumi, learn Lingala progressively and naturally through our interactive courses.

Start the Lingala course

Sources and References

Further Reading