English–Lingala Dictionary

Browse common English words and their Lingala translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Lingala.

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Browse common Lingala vocabulary

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