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Common Chichewa to Lingala phrases

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

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Looking for practical Chichewa to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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 Chichewa 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. Moni

    Mbote

  2. Zikomo

    Melesi

  3. M'mawa wabwino

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Masana abwino

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Madziwabwino

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Malamu na butu

  7. Tiwonana

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Kende malamu

  9. Dzina lako ndi ndani?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Mukulankhula Chingerezi?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Sindikumva

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono

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

  5. Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?

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

  8. Pangani kumanzere

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Pangani kumanzere

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Pitani mwachindunji

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Tiket imodzi, chonde

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

  13. Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?

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

  14. Ndakhalapo

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

  15. Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Inde

    Oyo

  2. Ayi

    Te

  3. Mwina

    Soki

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Nalingi

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Nalingi te

  6. Zimakoma

    Eza malamu

  7. Mumaganiza chiyani?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Dikirani pang'ono

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Palibe vuto

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Zikomo

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Pita bwino

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. Ili pafupi pano

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. Ili kutali pano

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Khalani pano, chonde

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zimatenga ndalama zingati?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Chikonthe, chonde.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ndine mvegetarian.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Izi ndizochuluka.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fufuzani apolisi

    Tindá polisi

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndikumva kutopa

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Kukonda apa

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Thandizani!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Ndzatumiza lipoti lero

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa

    S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndi nthawi yanji?

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

  2. Ndi nthawi itatu.

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

  3. Lero

    Lelo

  4. Mawa

    Bokoko

  5. Ch yesterday

    Kaka

  6. Lolemba

    Lundi

  7. Lachiwiri

    Mardi

  8. Lachitatu

    Mercredi

  9. Chimodzi

    Moko

  10. Chiwiri

    Mbala

  11. Chitatu

    Misato

  12. Kumi

    Libwa

  13. Zana

    Sankuru

  14. Pafupifupi

    Bato

  15. Zambiri

    Soki

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