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Common Bambara to Lingala phrases

100 practical Bambara to Lingala phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Bambara to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Bambara phrase first, then the Lingala translation (Lingala) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.

The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Lingala.

Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Lingala-speaking trip in a few weeks.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Bambara to Lingala translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.

Greetings and pleasantries

Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.

  1. I ni ce

    Mbote

  2. I ni sogoma

    Melesi

  3. I ni bɔ

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. I ni kɛ

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. I ni sɔgɔ

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. I ni tulu

    Malamu na butu

  7. N bɛ se ka

    Tala yo nsima

  8. A bɛ se ka

    Kende malamu

  9. Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. N bɛ tɔgɔ John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. I ni fɛ?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. N bɛ se ka i fɛ

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. I ni ce English?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. N mɔgɔ bɛ

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ

    S'il vous plaît, koloba butu (koloba butu)

  5. I ka fɔ a la?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Bamanakan kɛn na?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?

    Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre? (nakokende na centre)

  8. Kɛlɛn bɔ

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Fɔ kɛlɛn

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Fɛ kɛ?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Kɛnɛ ticket, please

    Billet moko, s'il vous plaît (billet moko)

  13. I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?

    Ezali na esika ya mbali? (ezali na esika ya mbali)

  14. N tɛ bɔ

    Nazali na esika ya mabe (nazali na esika ya mabe)

  15. N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Aye

    Oyo

  2. Ala

    Te

  3. Bara

    Soki

  4. N bɛ bɔ

    Nalingi

  5. N bɛ fɔ

    Nalingi te

  6. I bɛ sɛbɛn

    Eza malamu

  7. I ka fɛ kɛ?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. I bɛ ma n bɔ?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. N bɛ fɔ n bɔ

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Sira kɛ

    Sunga moke

  11. N tɛgɛ

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Ala ka fɔ

    Nani azali na problème

  13. I ni kɛ

    Mokolo malamu

  14. I ni tɔgɔ kɛ

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Fôlô kôkô tîgê?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Fôlô bôgô tîgê?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. I ni tîgê kô?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Kô tîgê bô?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. I ni tîgê bô?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. I tîgê kâ.

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. I tîgê kâ fô.

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. I bô kô tîgê fô?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Kô tîgê kô?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. I ni ce?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. O ye fɛɛrɛ.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Sɛbɛ ka fo?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. N bɛ sɔgɔma.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. I ye sɔgɔ.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ

    Tindá polisi (nogo folo)

  2. Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ

    Tindá ambulance (nogo koro)

  3. N bɛ sɔrɔ

    Nalingi médecin (n be soro)

  4. N bɛ tɛgɛn

    Nazali na maladi (n be tegen)

  5. N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ

    Nazali na allergie na mbala (n be folokele)

  6. N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi? (n be koro folo)

  7. I tɛgɛ fɛ

    Ezalaka na nse awa (i tege fe)

  8. N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ

    Nazwi passport na ngai (n be kele folo)

  9. I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai? (i be nogo koro folo)

  10. Tɛgɛ!

    S.O.S! (tege)

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ

    Nasepeli na yo (N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)

  2. Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ

    Tika tozala na mitema (Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)

  3. I ni bɔ a la?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo? (I ni bɔ a la?)

  4. N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ

    Naboya raport lelo (N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)

  5. N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?

    Tango tozali na mposo? (N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)

  6. Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ

    S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela (Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)

  7. I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo (I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)

  8. N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ

    Nasalela yo na mosala (N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)

  9. I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu? (I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)

  10. N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ

    Napesi yo nzela (N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)

  11. Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi (Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ala ka kɛnɛ?

    Nini tango ezali? (ni-ni tan-go e-za-li)

  2. I ye kelen kelen.

    Ezali ntango ya misato (e-za-li n-tan-go ya mi-sa-to)

  3. N bɔ

    Lelo (N bo)

  4. N bɔ kɛ

    Bokoko (N bo ke)

  5. N bɔ fɛ

    Kaka (N bo fe)

  6. Tɔgɔ

    Lundi (Togo)

  7. Tɛgɛ

    Mardi (Tege)

  8. Alakɔ

    Mercredi (Alako)

  9. Kelen

    Moko (Kelen)

  10. Duo

    Mbala (Duo)

  11. Tati

    Misato (Tati)

  12. Folo

    Libwa (Folo)

  13. Dugukelen

    Sankuru (Dugukelen)

  14. Kelen fɛ

    Bato (Kelen fe)

  15. Kɛ

    Soki (Ke)

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