Lingala–English Dictionary

Look up Lingala words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Lingala word into the lookup tool.

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Browse common Lingala vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
ngai	pronoun	I	Ngai nazali awa sikoyo. I am here now.
yo	pronoun	you	Yo ozali moninga na ngai. You are my friend.
ye	pronoun	he	Ye azali na eteyelo. He is at school.
biso	pronoun	we	Biso tozali pene lelo. We are ready today.
bango	pronoun	they	Bango bafandi na engumba. They live in the city.
nini	pronoun	what	Olingi nini sikoyo? What do you want now?
wapi	adverb	where	Bafandaka wapi? Where do they live?
ntango nini	adverb	when	Okoya ntango nini? When will you come?
nani	pronoun	who	Nani azali na ekuke? Who is at the door?
mpo na nini	adverb	why	Mpo na nini ozali mawa? Why are you sad?
ndenge nini	adverb	how	Oyebi ndenge nini? How do you know?
kozala	verb	to be	Bango bazali na esengo mingi. They are very happy.
kozala na	verb	to have	Nazali na buku. I have a book.
kosala	verb	to do	Tosali mosala. We do the work.
kokende	verb	to go	Bakendaka na eteyelo. They go to school.
koya	verb	to come	Yaka awa na tongo oyo. Come here this morning.
komona	verb	to see	Namoni ndako. I see the house.
koyeba	verb	to know	Toyebi lisapo. We know the story.
kokanisa	verb	to think	Nakanisaka na bomoi. I think about life.
kolinga	verb	to want	Balingi mayi. They want some water.
kozala na bosenga ya	verb	to need	Nazali na bosenga ya ntango mosusu. I need more time.
kosala	verb	to make
kozwa	verb	to take	Zwa buku sikoyo. Take the book now.
kopesa	verb	to give	Pesa ngai mayi. Give me some water.
koloba	verb	to say	Balobaka solo. They say the truth.
koyebisa	verb	to tell	Yebisa ngai nkombo na yo. Tell me your name.
kotuna	verb	to ask	Natuni motuna moko. I ask one question.
kokuta	verb	to find	Tokuti mwana. We found the child.
kotala	verb	to look	Tala likolo. Look at the sky.
kosalela	verb	to use	Tosalelaka mesa oyo. We use this table.
kosala	verb	to work	Basalaka mokolo nyonso. They work every day.
kolia	verb	to eat	Mwana azali kolia loso. The child eats rice.
komela	verb	to drink	Nazali komela tii sikoyo. I drink tea now.
kolala	verb	to sleep	Mwana mobali alalaka malembe. The boy sleeps early.
kotambola	verb	to walk	Totambolaka na eteyelo. We walk to school.
kopota mbangu	verb	to run	Mwana mobali apotaka mbangu noki. The boy runs fast.
kotanga	verb	to read	Natangi buku oyo. I read this book.
kokoma	verb	to write	Bakomaka lisapo. They write a story.
koloba	verb	to speak	Tolobaka lingala awa. We speak Lingala here.
koyoka	verb	to listen	Yoka moteyi. Listen to the teacher.
koyoka	verb	to hear	Nayoki miziki. I hear the music.
kosomba	verb	to buy	Basombi mapa ya sika. They buy fresh bread.
koteka	verb	to sell	Totekaka mbisi awa. We sell fish here.
kofuta	verb	to pay	Nafuti mbongo. I pay the money.
kosalisa	verb	to help	Salisá mwana. Please help the child.
kolinga	verb	to love	Nalingaka libota na ngai. I love my family.
kofanda	verb	to live	Bafandi pene na ebale. They live near the river.
kokufa	verb	to die	Banzete ya kala ekufaka malembe. Old trees die slowly.
koyekola	verb	to learn	Bana bayekolaka na eteyelo. Children learn at school.
koteya	verb	to teach	Bateyaka bana. They teach the children.
kofungola	verb	to open	Fungola ekuke sikoyo. Open the door now.
kokanga	verb	to close	Kanga ekuke, nabondeli yo. Close the door please.
moto	noun	person	Moto moko azali kozela. One person is waiting.
mobali	noun	man	Mobali azali makasi. The man is strong.
mwasi	noun	woman	Mwasi azali na esengo. The woman is happy.
mwana	noun	child	Mwana azali kolala. The child is sleeping.
mwana mobali	noun	boy	Mwana mobali atangaka malamu. The boy reads well.
mwana mwasi	noun	girl	Mwana mwasi azali koyemba. The girl is singing.
libota	noun	family	Libota na ngai ezali monene. My family is big.
mama	noun	mother	Mama na ngai azali na ndako. My mother is home.
tata	noun	father	Tata na ngai asalaka awa. My father works here.
moninga	noun	friend
ndako	noun	house	Ndako ezali ya sika. The house is new.
ndako	noun	home	Tozali kokende na ndako. We are going home.
eteyelo	noun	school	Eteyelo ezali monene. The school is large.
engumba	noun	city	Engumba oyo etondi na bato. This city is busy.
ekolo	noun	country	Ekolo na biso ezali kitoko. Our country is beautiful.
mokili	noun	world	Mokili ezali kobongwana. The world is changing.
nzela	noun	street	Nzela ezali molai. The street is long.
shambre	noun	room	Shambre ezali moke. The room is small.
ntango	noun	time	Ntango elekaka noki mingi. Time goes very fast.
mokolo	noun	day	Lelo ezali mokolo malamu. Today is a good day.
butu	noun	night	Butu ezali malili. The night is cold.
tongo	noun	morning	Tongo oyo ezali kimia. This morning is quiet.
pokwa	noun	evening	Tokopema na pokwa oyo. We rest this evening.
poso	noun	week	Poso oyo ezali na misala mingi. This week is busy.
sanza	noun	month	Sanza ekoya tokokende. Next month we travel.
mobu	noun	year	Mobu oyo ezali na tina. This year is important.
lelo	adverb	today	Nasali lelo. I work today.
lobi	adverb	tomorrow	Tokoya lobi. We will come tomorrow.
lobi eleki	adverb	yesterday	Namonaki ye lobi eleki. I saw him yesterday.
sikoyo	adverb	now	Yaka awa sikoyo. Come here now.
moyi	noun	sun	Moyi ezali moto. The sun is hot.
sánzá	noun	moon
monzoto	noun	star	Monzoto ezali kongenga makasi. The star shines brightly.
likolo	noun	sky	Likolo ezali bleu. The sky is blue.
mokili	noun	earth	Mokili ezali ya rond. The earth is round.
moto	noun	fire	Moto ezali moto makasi. The fire is hot.
mayi	noun	water	Mayi ezali malili. The water is cold.
mbula	noun	rain	Mbula ezali kobeta. The rain is falling.
mopɛpɛ	noun	wind	Mopɛpɛ ezali makasi. The wind is strong.
nzete	noun	tree	Nzete ezali molai. The tree is tall.
fololo	noun	flower	Fololo ezali kitoko. The flower is beautiful.
ngomba	noun	mountain	Ngomba ezali molai. The mountain is high.
ebale	noun	river	Ebale ezali monene. The river is wide.
mbu	noun	sea	Mbu ezali mosika. The sea is far.
bilei	noun	food	Bilei ezali pene. The food is ready.
mapa	noun	bread	Mapa ezali ya sika. The bread is fresh.
loso	noun	rice	Tolii loso lelo. We eat rice today.
mosuni	noun	meat	Mosuni ezali moto. The meat is hot.
mbisi	noun	fish	Mbisi ezali malamu. The fish is good.
liki	noun	egg	Liki ebukani. The egg is broken.
miliki	noun	milk	Miliki ezali ya moto moke. The milk is warm.
mbuma	noun	fruit	Mbuma oyo ezali elengi. This fruit is sweet.
tii	noun	tea	Namelaka tii mokolo nyonso. I drink tea daily.
kafe	noun	coffee	Amelaka kafe moindo. He drinks black coffee.
motó	noun	head	Motó na ngai ezali mpasi lelo. My head hurts today.
liso	noun	eye
litoi	noun	ear	Litoi na ngai eyokaka malamu. My ear hears well.
monoko	noun	mouth	Fungola monoko na yo mingi. Open your mouth wide.
zolo	noun	nose	Zolo na ngai ezali malili. My nose is cold.
loboko	noun	hand	Sukola loboko na yo sikoyo. Wash your hand now.
lokolo	noun	foot	Lokolo na ngai ezali mpasi mingi. My foot hurts badly.
motema	noun	heart	Motema na ngai ezali kimia. My heart is calm.
nkombo	noun	name	Nkombo na yo ezali kitoko. Your name is beautiful.
buku	noun	book	Buku oyo ezali ya sika. This book is new.
liloba	noun	word	Liloba oyo ezali na tina. This word is important.
monoko	noun	language	Lingala ezali monoko. Lingala is a language.
mbongo	noun	money	Nazali na bosenga ya mbongo mingi. I need more money.
mosala	noun	work	Mosala ezali mpasi. The work is hard.
bolingo	noun	love	Bolingo ezali na tina mingi. Love is very important.
miziki	noun	music	Miziki ezali kitoko. The music is beautiful.
lisapo	noun	story	Lisapo oyo ezali solo. This story is true.
nzela	noun	way	Nzela oyo ezali pete. This way is easy.
eloko	noun	thing	Eloko wana ezali ya ngai. That thing is mine.
bomoi	noun	life	Bomoi ezali pete te. Life is not easy.
ekuke	noun	door	Ekuke ezali polele. The door is open.
mesa	noun	table	Mesa ezali pɛto. The table is clean.
kiti	noun	chair	Kiti ebukani. The chair is broken.
motuka	noun	car	Motuka ezali ya sika. The car is new.
malamu	adjective	good	Buku oyo ezali malamu. This book is good.
mabe	adjective	bad	Bilei ezali mabe. The food is bad.
monene	adjective	big	Ndako ezali monene. The house is big.
moke	adjective	small	Shambre ezali moke. The room is small.
ya sika	adjective	new	Nasombi motuka ya sika. I bought a new car.
ya kala	adjective	old	Ndako oyo ezali ya kala. This house is old.
molai	adjective	long	Nzela ezali molai. The road is long.
mokuse	adjective	short	Lisapo ezali mokuse. The story is short.
likolo	adjective	high	Ngomba ezali likolo. The mountain is high.
moto	adjective	hot	Tii ezali moto. The tea is hot.
malili	adjective	cold	Mayi ezali malili. The water is cold.
na esengo	adjective	happy	Mwana azali na esengo. The child is happy.
mawa	adjective	sad
kitoko	adjective	beautiful	Fololo ezali kitoko. The flower is beautiful.
pete	adjective	easy	Mosala oyo ezali pete. This work is easy.
mpasi	adjective	hard	Mosala oyo ezali mpasi. This work is hard.
noki	adjective	fast	Motuka oyo ezali noki. This car is fast.
malembe	adjective	slow	Mobali ya kala atambolaka malembe. The old man walks slow.
solo	adjective	right	Eyano na yo ezali solo. Your answer is right.
lokuta	adjective	wrong	Eyano wana ezali lokuta. That answer is wrong.
na tina	adjective	important	Buku oyo ezali na tina. This book is important.
solo	adjective	true	Lisapo oyo ezali solo. This story is true.
etondi	adjective	full	Kopo etondi. The cup is full.
mpamba	adjective	empty	Shambre ezali mpamba. The room is empty.
moke	adjective	young	Mwana azali moke. The child is young.
makasi	adjective	strong	Mobali wana azali makasi. That man is strong.
bolembu	adjective	weak	Mwana azali na bolembu. The child is weak.
motane	adjective	red	Fololo ezali motane. The flower is red.
bleu	adjective	blue	Likolo ezali bleu. The sky is blue.
vert	adjective	green	Nzete ezali vert. The tree is green.
jaune	adjective	yellow	Fololo ezali jaune. The flower is yellow.
moindo	adjective	black	Motuka ezali moindo. The car is black.
mpɛmbɛ	adjective	white	Chemise ezali mpɛmbɛ. The shirt is white.
iyo	interjection	yes	Iyo, nayebi. Yes, I know.
te	interjection	no	Te, nakoki koya te. No, I cannot come.
te	adverb	not	Nazali pene te. I am not ready.
mpe	conjunction	and	Nasombi mapa mpe tii. I bought bread and tea.
to	conjunction	or	Tii to kafe ezali malamu. Tea or coffee is fine.
kasi	conjunction	but	Nalingi tii, kasi kafe mpe ezali malamu. I want tea, but coffee is fine.
soki	conjunction	if	Soki okoyi, tokolia. If you come, we eat.
mpo	conjunction	because	Natikali mpo na mbula. I stayed because of rain.
na	preposition	with	Nayaki na moninga na ngai. I came with my friend.
kozanga	preposition	without	Akendeki kozanga mbongo. He left without money.
mpo na	preposition	for	Likabo oyo ezali mpo na yo. This gift is for you.
uta	preposition	from	Nauti na eteyelo. I came from school.
na	preposition	to	Tokendeki na engumba. We went to the city.