To learn Lingala, there's no secret: you have to practice.
✓ 7-day free trial • ✓ No commitment • ✓ Certified native teachers
Deps, your native Lingala teacher
Regular live classes in small groups. Ask questions, practice conversation, progress fast.
You speak Lingala every week, with a native teacher
You join whichever slot suits you, with nothing to book. 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
Reconnect with Lingala
The language of your parents, your grandparents or your partner. The one you want to pass on to your children.
- Finally understand what is said at the table, and answer back.
- Your in-laws speak Lingala to you. Answer them in Lingala.
A language is passed down from generation to generation. Now it is your turn.
Start for freeHear Lingala spoken by a native teacher
A preview of our human recordings, embedded inside your lessons.
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 39 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
Your Lingala level, certified in your name
- Issued once you have passed every lesson of a level: beginner, intermediate or advanced
- Downloadable as a PDF and shareable on LinkedIn
- A unique number, verifiable online on targumi.com
- Included in the plans with live classes, from the first payment: it is not issued during the trial
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 · No time limit · Native speakers present
Your Lingala curriculum
Exactly what you'll find inside the platform: 39 modules, 143+ structured lessons, quizzes and exercises.
- Family Members , Bato ya libota10 min
- Family hierarchy , Botangami na libota10 min
- The Congolese wedding , Libala10 min
- Noun classes , Malongi ya baklasi10 min
- At the market , Na zando10 min
- Numbers and prices , Motango mpe ntalo10 min
- Negotiating at the market, Kokata ntalo10 min
- Congolese food, Bilei ya Congo10 min
- Congolese cuisine , Kolamba ya Kongo10 min
- Chicken moambe , Nsusu ya moambe10 min
- Pondu and fufu , Pondu na fufu10 min
- Liboke , Liboke ya mbisi10 min
- Finding your way around Kinshasa , Komitambola na Kinshasa10 min
- Giving directions , Kopesa nzela10 min
- Transport in Kinshasa , Makinisi ya Kin10 min
- Crossing the river , Kokatisa ebale10 min
- Talking about the weather, Mombongo ya lelo10 min
- The Seasons in the DRC , Bileko ya mobu10 min
- Temperatures and sensations , Molunge to malili10 min
- The Congo River and life , Ebale Congo10 min
- The human body , Nzoto ya moto10 min
- Symptoms , Bilembo ya maladi10 min
- At the hospital , Na lopitalo10 min
- Traditional medicine and prevention , Nkisi ya bankoko10 min
- Preparing your trip , Kobongisa mobembo10 min
- Kinshasa, megacity , Kinshasa, engumba monene10 min
- Brazzaville and the River , Brazzaville na ebale10 min
- Getting around town , Kotambola na engumba10 min
- The Congo Forest , Zamba ya Congo10 min
- The Congo River, Ebale Congo10 min
- Salonga Park, Parc ya Salonga10 min
- Equatorial climate , Climat ya equateur10 min
- Congolese rumba , Rumba ya Congo10 min
- Papa Wemba and soukous , Papa Wemba na soukous10 min
- Tabu Ley and the golden age , Tabu Ley na tango ya wolo10 min
- Marriage and traditions , Libala na bonkoko10 min
- Mobile money , Mbongo ya telephone10 min
- Telecom operators , Ba-telecom10 min
- Social media , Mabundelu ya bato10 min
- Congolese startups , Ba-startups Congo10 min
- Mbote , Hello in Lingala10 min
- Lingala's noun classes12 min
- The verb "eza" , to be in Lingala10 min
- Congolese rumba and soukous12 min
- Food and daily life10 min
- + 2 more
- Congolese rumba, History and identity15 min
- Franco Luambo , L'Okanga wa mokili15 min
- Werrason and the ndombolo generation14 min
- Maloba ya bikeko , Analysing a Lingala song14 min
- Gitara ya ndenge ya Kongo, The Congolese guitar13 min
- + 2 more
- Radio Okapi , The Voice of Peace in Lingala14 min
- Lingala 24 , Lingala information on the internet14 min
- Sango ya politiki , Political news in Lingala15 min
- Kokomela sango , Writing news in Lingala14 min
- Television in Lingala , RTNC and local channels13 min
- + 2 more
- Kinshasa, Kin la Belle, Kin la Poubelle15 min
- Brazzaville, The green city of Congo14 min
- Congo River , Nzere ya ntina ya Afrika14 min
- Boboto na ekolo , Living Together in Congo13 min
- Bato ya banganga , Identity and belonging13 min
- + 2 more
- Mobutu and Authenticity , Lingala and national identity15 min
- Laurent-Désiré Kabila , Liberation in Lingala14 min
- Joseph Kabila and Félix Tshisekedi , Political transition14 min
- Lingala ya politiki , Vocabulary of power14 min
- Bitumba ya boyaki, The wars of eastern Congo14 min
- + 2 more
- Diaspora ya Kongo , Congolese people around the world14 min
- Lingala ya diaspora , Evolution of the language outside Congo14 min
- Bobateli ya lingala , Passing the language on to children13 min
- Bisengo ya diaspora , Congolese festivities and celebrations13 min
- Mokili ya internet na lingala , Content creators13 min
- + 2 more
- Dialekte ya lingala , Introduction to the varieties15 min
- Lingala-Mankanza , The northern variety14 min
- Tons ya lingala , The complete tonal system15 min
- Classes nominales ya lingala , Complete C2 system15 min
- Lingala-Mboshi, People and language of northern Congo14 min
- + 2 more
- Ubuntu na lingala , "Moto na moto alinga moto"15 min
- Nzete ya bomoi , The tree of life in Bantu cosmology14 min
- Nzambe na lingala , Spirituality and religion14 min
- Boyokani ya batu , The African palaver14 min
- Bomoi na kufa , Life, death and ancestors14 min
- + 2 more
- The Lingala verb system , Overview C215 min
- In-depth verbal aspects , C2 nuances15 min
- Verbs of movement , Complexity in Lingala14 min
- Subordinate clauses and complex sentences14 min
- Advanced Lingala idiomatic expressions14 min
- + 2 more
- Bitaelo ya mozindo , Advanced proverbs15 min
- Misambo ya lingala , Riddles and word games14 min
- Bingondo ya lingala , Proverbs of the human body14 min
- Ngangi ya lingala , Epics and Heroic Tales14 min
- Bikeko ya kala , Traditional songs13 min
- + 2 more
- Boyebi ya bilimo , Natural sciences in Lingala14 min
- Lopitalo ya sika , Modern medicine in Lingala14 min
- Teknologiyo ya sika , Technology in Lingala14 min
- Mibeko ya ekolo , Ecology and the environment13 min
- Mathematique na lingala, Numbers and advanced calculation13 min
- + 2 more
- Lotomo ya batu , Human rights in Lingala15 min
- Bonsomi ya lolemo, Linguistic rights in Africa14 min
- Demokrasie ya Afrika , Democracy in the African context14 min
- Société civile na lingala , NGOs and Civic Engagement13 min
- Kobatela bonsomi , Civic resistance and freedom13 min
- + 2 more
They talk about us
Learners talk about their journey on Targumi.
4.9 / 5 · Verified learner reviews
Targumi on the radio
Benjamin Maubacq, Targumi’s founder, was a guest on “Grandir ensemble”, a Radio Tamtam Africa programme about languages and how they are passed on.
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.
4.9 / 5 · Verified learner reviews
“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
Try free for 7 days, every language included.
Launch offer until October 31 at 11:59 pm (Paris time) · Limited number of spots
Reduced price kept for as long as you stay subscribed
- 4 live classes a week with a native teacher: small groups of 3 to 5 people. Practise, ask your questions, improve your pronunciation, and let yourself be guided as you learn the language. No obligation, join in as you wish. There are classes for every level.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
- Every live class replay available, the ones held before you signed up and the upcoming ones, with their PDF, available to download.
- Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
- Level certificate at the end of each learning path.
- Every language included: over 100 languages, and you switch language whenever you like, at no extra cost.
Launch offer until October 31 at 11:59 pm (Paris time) · Limited number of spots
Reduced price kept for as long as you stay subscribed
- 4 live classes a week with a native teacher: small groups of 3 to 5 people. Practise, ask your questions, improve your pronunciation, and let yourself be guided as you learn the language. No obligation, join in as you wish. There are classes for every level.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
- Every live class replay available, the ones held before you signed up and the upcoming ones, with their PDF, available to download.
- Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
- Level certificate at the end of each learning path.
- Every language included: over 100 languages, and you switch language whenever you like, at no extra cost.
Launch offer until October 31 at 11:59 pm (Paris time) · Limited number of spots
Reduced price kept for as long as you stay subscribed
- 4 live classes a week with a native teacher: small groups of 3 to 5 people. Practise, ask your questions, improve your pronunciation, and let yourself be guided as you learn the language. No obligation, join in as you wish. There are classes for every level.
- A complete learning platform: learn to build sentences, listen to audio recorded by native speakers, practise with exercises.
- Every live class replay available, the ones held before you signed up and the upcoming ones, with their PDF, available to download.
- Learner discussion groups, with the teachers: practise writing, chat every day.
- Level certificate at the end of each learning path.
- Every language included: over 100 languages, and you switch language whenever you like, at no extra cost.
Want all the content, without the live classes? Platform, every language for $9.50 a month instead of $19, 7-day trial included
How the 7-day trial works
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