To learn Lingala, there's no secret: you have to practice.
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee • ✓ No commitment • ✓ Certified native teachers
Learn Lingala live with a native teacher
Regular live classes in small groups. Ask questions, practice conversation, progress fast.
You speak Lingala every week, with a native teacher
You book whichever slot suits you. The joining link arrives by email, and the session is recorded.
- 4 slots this week, across all three levels
- 2 to 5 students per class, all at your level
- Replay available the same evening, with no time limit
Lingala live classes
Live classes every week, in small groups, at all three levels. The second beginner slot repeats the theme of the first: miss one, you still have the other.
Progress in Lingala between classes, at your own pace
Interactive lessons with native audio, vocabulary, dialogues and quizzes. Everything you need to reinforce your skills between live sessions.
Between classes, you move forward twenty minutes a day
Lessons follow one another in order, with no evening to set aside. Every word is recorded by a native speaker.
- 143 lessons across 30 modules, from beginner to advanced
- Native audio on every word, with a slow-down button
- Your progress is kept, on phone and on computer alike
You hear the language as it is actually spoken
The recordings are made by native speakers, not by a synthetic voice. The slow-down button separates the sounds when it goes too fast.
- Every sentence can be played and slowed down
- The transcription and translation sit under the audio
- You replay it as many times as you need, with no limit
Every module ends with a quiz, not with a ticked box
You are corrected on the spot, with the explanation. A failed quiz can be retaken, with no penalty and no record.
- Immediate correction, with the right answer explained
- An end-of-level test opens the next level
- A level certificate at the end of the course
Join Targumi's Lingala community
Dedicated WhatsApp group, exchanges between learners, resource sharing. You're never alone in your learning journey.
Join the support groupFree · Lifetime access · Native speakers present
Your Lingala curriculum
Exactly what you'll find inside the platform: 30 modules, 143+ structured lessons, quizzes and exercises.
- Membres de la famille , Bato ya libota10 min
- Hierarchie familiale , Botangami na libota10 min
- Le mariage congolais , Libala10 min
- Les classes nominales , Malongi ya baklasi10 min
- Au marche , Na zando10 min
- Les chiffres et les prix , Motango mpe ntalo10 min
- Negocier au marche , Kokata ntalo10 min
- La nourriture congolaise , Bilei ya Congo10 min
- La cuisine congolaise , Kolamba ya Kongo10 min
- Le poulet a la moambe , Nsusu ya moambe10 min
- Pondu et fufu , Pondu na fufu10 min
- Le liboke , Liboke ya mbisi10 min
- Se reperer a Kinshasa , Komitambola na Kinshasa10 min
- Donner une direction , Kopesa nzela10 min
- Transports de Kinshasa , Makinisi ya Kin10 min
- Traverser le fleuve , Kokatisa ebale10 min
- Parler du temps , Mombongo ya lelo10 min
- Les saisons en RDC , Bileko ya mobu10 min
- Temperatures et sensations , Molunge to malili10 min
- Le fleuve Congo et la vie , Ebale Congo10 min
- Le corps humain , Nzoto ya moto10 min
- Les symptomes , Bilembo ya maladi10 min
- A l'hopital , Na lopitalo10 min
- Medecine traditionnelle et prevention , Nkisi ya bankoko10 min
- Preparer son voyage , Kobongisa mobembo10 min
- Kinshasa, megapole , Kinshasa, engumba monene10 min
- Brazzaville et le fleuve , Brazzaville na ebale10 min
- Se deplacer en ville , Kotambola na engumba10 min
- La foret du Congo , Zamba ya Congo10 min
- Le fleuve Congo , Ebale Congo10 min
- Parc de la Salonga , Parc ya Salonga10 min
- Climat equatorial , Climat ya equateur10 min
- La rumba congolaise , Rumba ya Congo10 min
- Papa Wemba et le soukous , Papa Wemba na soukous10 min
- Tabu Ley et l age d or , Tabu Ley na tango ya wolo10 min
- Mariage et traditions , Libala na bonkoko10 min
- Mobile money , Mbongo ya telephone10 min
- Operateurs telecoms , Ba-telecom10 min
- Reseaux sociaux , Mabundelu ya bato10 min
- Startups congolaises , Ba-startups Congo10 min
- Mbote , Bonjour en lingala10 min
- Les classes nominales du lingala12 min
- Le verbe "eza" , être en lingala10 min
- La rumba congolaise et le soukous12 min
- Nourriture et vie quotidienne10 min
- + 2 more
- Rumba congolaise , Histoire et identité15 min
- Franco Luambo , L'Okanga wa mokili15 min
- Werrason et la génération ndombolo14 min
- Maloba ya bikeko , Analyser une chanson en lingala14 min
- Gitara ya ndenge ya Kongo , La guitare congolaise13 min
- + 2 more
- Radio Okapi , La voix de la paix en lingala14 min
- Lingala 24 , Informations en lingala sur internet14 min
- Sango ya politiki , Actualité politique en lingala15 min
- Kokomela sango , Écrire une nouvelle en lingala14 min
- Télévision na lingala , RTNC et chaînes locales13 min
- + 2 more
- Kinshasa , Kin la Belle, Kin la Poubelle15 min
- Brazzaville , La ville verte du Congo14 min
- Fleuve Congo , Nzere ya ntina ya Afrika14 min
- Boboto na ekolo , Vivre ensemble au Congo13 min
- Bato ya banganga , Identité et appartenance13 min
- + 2 more
- Mobutu et l'Authenticité , Lingala et identité nationale15 min
- Laurent-Désiré Kabila , La libération en lingala14 min
- Joseph Kabila et Félix Tshisekedi , Transition politique14 min
- Lingala ya politiki , Vocabulaire du pouvoir14 min
- Bitumba ya boyaki , Les guerres de l'est du Congo14 min
- + 2 more
- Diaspora ya Kongo , Les Congolais du monde14 min
- Lingala ya diaspora , Évolution de la langue hors Congo14 min
- Bobateli ya lingala , Transmettre la langue aux enfants13 min
- Bisengo ya diaspora , Fêtes et célébrations congolaises13 min
- Mokili ya internet na lingala , Créateurs de contenu13 min
- + 2 more
- Dialekte ya lingala , Introduction aux variétés15 min
- Lingala-Mankanza , La variété du nord14 min
- Tons ya lingala , Le système tonal complet15 min
- Classes nominales ya lingala , Système complet C215 min
- Lingala-Mboshi , Peuple et langue du nord Congo14 min
- + 2 more
- Ubuntu na lingala , "Moto na moto alinga moto"15 min
- Nzete ya bomoi , L'arbre de vie en cosmologie bantoue14 min
- Nzambe na lingala , Spiritualité et religion14 min
- Boyokani ya batu , La palabre africaine14 min
- Bomoi na kufa , Vie, mort et ancêtres14 min
- + 2 more
- Système verbal du lingala , Vue d'ensemble C215 min
- Aspects verbaux approfondis , Nuances C215 min
- Verbes de mouvement , Complexité en lingala14 min
- Subordonnées et propositions complexes14 min
- Expressions idiomatiques avancées du lingala14 min
- + 2 more
- Bitaelo ya mozindo , Proverbes avancés15 min
- Misambo ya lingala , Devinettes et jeux de langage14 min
- Bingondo ya lingala , Proverbes du corps humain14 min
- Ngangi ya lingala , Épopées et récits héroïques14 min
- Bikeko ya kala , Chansons traditionnelles13 min
- + 2 more
- Boyebi ya bilimo , Sciences naturelles en lingala14 min
- Lopitalo ya sika , Médecine moderne en lingala14 min
- Teknologiyo ya sika , Technologie en lingala14 min
- Mibeko ya ekolo , Écologie et environnement13 min
- Mathematique na lingala , Chiffres et calcul avancé13 min
- + 2 more
- Lotomo ya batu , Droits humains en lingala15 min
- Bonsomi ya lolemo , Droit linguistique en Afrique14 min
- Demokrasie ya Afrika , Démocratie en contexte africain14 min
- Société civile na lingala , ONG et engagement citoyen13 min
- Kobatela bonsomi , Résistance civique et liberté13 min
- + 2 more
They talk about us
Learners talk about their journey on Targumi.
What you'll learn in Lingala
A curriculum designed to get you speaking Lingala in the situations that actually matter to you.
Start for free- 01Conversational Lingala from Kinshasa and Brazzaville
- 02Commercial Lingala: the language of markets and trade
- 03Congolese rumba and music: Papa Wemba, Fally Ipupa, Ferré Gola
- 04Lingala tones: high and low in spoken practice
- 05Differences between DRC Lingala and Congo-Brazzaville Lingala
- 06Lingala for the Congolese diaspora in France and Belgium
Frequently asked questions about learning Lingala
All Lingala resources
Explore our free tools to progress outside of class.
Lingala level test
Assess your CEFR level in 5 minutes. 30-day learning plan included.
Discover →Lingala survival kit
A hundred words and thirty key phrases as a printable PDF, free.
Discover →Lingala cultural quiz
How well do you know Lingala culture? Films, music, traditions.
Discover →Lingala articles
Guides and articles to learn Lingala.
Discover →Lingala vocabulary
Essential words and phrases organized by theme.
Discover →Cultural resources
Podcasts, movies, TV shows and music to progress through immersion.
Discover →Guides to learn Lingala
How to Say Hello in Lingala: Complete Guide to Greetings
Learn how to greet in Lingala with mbote, sango nini and all essential expressions. Complete guide with pronunciation and cultural context from Kinshasa.
14 min read→DictionaryLingala Dictionary: 50 Essential Words with Pronunciation
Discover the 50 most important Lingala words with their English translation and pronunciation. Essential basic vocabulary to start speaking Lingala in Democratic Republic of Congo.
8 min read→ExpressionHow to Say Thank You in Lingala: A Guide to Congolese Politeness
Learn how to say thank you in Lingala: melesi, nazali na esengo, and all the expressions of gratitude in Congolese culture (DRC).
6 min read→Complete GuideLearn Lingala: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Complete guide to learning Lingala, the vehicular language of DR Congo and Congo-Brazzaville. Alphabet, grammar, essential vocabulary and learning method.
15 min read→They are learning Lingala with Targumi
Verified learner testimonials.
“my mother-in-law is congolese, she used to speak lingala with her daughters so I wouldn't understand. I started lessons in secret. the day I answered back in lingala, the look on her face — I'll never forget that”
“My uncle is Congolese and he speaks Lingala with his brothers when I'm around. was tired of being the only one who didn't get it. 4 months later I'm in the loop. Mobile app is a bit slow sometimes.”
“Occupational therapist, Lingala changed my life: my private consultations have tripled since I started offering this language.”
“My Lingala classmate has the same professional goal. We motivate each other, it's powerful.”
“LinkedIn post about my Lingala classes. 15 contacts asked me for the Targumi link.”
“Ceramist, Lingala changed my life: I'm the only one in the firm who masters this technical dialect.”
“Archaeologist, Lingala changed my life: my professional social networks exploded since I started posting bilingually.”
“Carpenter, Lingala changed my life: I reassure foreign patients who never dare to ask.”
Start learning Lingala today
30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio to pronounce correctly, practice with exercises.
- Regular live small-group classes: real practice. Schedule on the platform, everything on replay so you never miss out. Join in or not, no obligation.
- WhatsApp community with other learners and teachers: practice writing, chat every day, immerse yourself in the language.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio to pronounce correctly, practice with exercises.
- Regular live small-group classes: real practice. Schedule on the platform, everything on replay so you never miss out. Join in or not, no obligation.
- WhatsApp community with other learners and teachers: practice writing, chat every day, immerse yourself in the language.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio to pronounce correctly, practice with exercises.
- Regular live small-group classes: real practice. Schedule on the platform, everything on replay so you never miss out. Join in or not, no obligation.
- WhatsApp community with other learners and teachers: practice writing, chat every day, immerse yourself in the language.
- Shareable account. Share your login with the person of your choice, they can sign in and attend classes in your place.
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