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Common Kanuri to Lingala phrases

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

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Looking for practical Kanuri to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kanuri 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: pick five Lingala phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kanuri 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. Sannu

    Mbote

  2. Nagode

    Melesi

  3. Ina kwana

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Ina yamma

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Ina dare

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Sai da safe

    Malamu na butu

  7. Zan ganka

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Sai anjima

    Kende malamu

  9. Menene sunanka?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Sunana John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Lafiya lau?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Na ji dadin haduwa da kai

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Kuna magana da Turanci?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Ba na magana da Hindi sosai.

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Ba na fahimta.

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Don Allah, ku yi magana a hankali.

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

  5. Za ku iya faɗin hakan sake?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Ina wanka?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ta yaya zan isa tsakiyar birni?

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

  8. Juya hagu.

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Juya dama.

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Tafiya kai tsaye.

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Nawa ne farashin?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Tiket ɗaya, don Allah.

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

  13. Shin yana da nisa daga nan?

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

  14. Na ɓace.

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

  15. Ina zan iya sayen kati na SIM?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Eey

    Oyo (ee-y)

  2. A'a

    Te (ah-ah)

  3. Wata

    Soki (wah-tah)

  4. Na amu

    Nalingi (nah ah-moo)

  5. Na a'a amu

    Nalingi te (nah ah-ah ah-moo)

  6. Iya na

    Eza malamu (ee-yah nah)

  7. Kaya ka yi tunani?

    Oyo olingi nini? (kah-yah kah yee too-nah-nee)

  8. Za ka iya taimaka min?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai? (zah kah ee-yah tie-mah-kah meen)

  9. Na bukaci taimako

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa (nah boo-kah-chee tie-mah-koh)

  10. Duba dan lokaci

    Sunga moke (doo-bah dahn loh-kah-chee)

  11. Na yi hakuri

    Nasalaki mabe (nah yee hah-koo-ree)

  12. Babu matsala

    Nani azali na problème (bah-boo maht-sah-lah)

  13. Taya murna

    Mokolo malamu (tah-yah moor-nah)

  14. Barka da haihuwa

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu (bar-kah dah hai-hoo-wah)

  15. Ka yi tafiya lafiya

    Zala na nzela ya malamu (kah yee tah-fee-yah lah-fee-yah)

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Nye boko na gari?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Nye boko na bas?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. Wane boko na?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Wane lokaci ya tafi?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. Shin wannan hanya ce?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. Yana kusa da nan

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. Yana nesa da nan

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Za ka iya nuna mini a taswirar?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Tsaida nan, don Allah

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Yaya tsawon lokaci?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Nayi na kudi?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (Nayi na kudi?)

  2. Wannan ya yi tsada sosai.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Shin kuna da wani abu mai rahusa?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Zan iya biyan kudi da kati?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Ina so tebur don biyu.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Lissafi, don Allah.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Shin sabis ya haɗa?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ni mai ganyayyaki ne.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Ba tare da zaki ba, don Allah.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Wannan yana da dadi.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Zan iya samun menu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Kofin ruwa, don Allah.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Dawari janga

    Tindá polisi (Dawari janga)

  2. Dawari ambulan

    Tindá ambulance (Dawari ambulan)

  3. Ni na doctor

    Nalingi médecin (Ni na doctor)

  4. Ni na jaga

    Nazali na maladi (Ni na jaga)

  5. Ni na haji goro

    Nazali na allergie na mbala (Ni na haji goro)

  6. Ina asibiti na kusa?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi? (Ina asibiti na kusa?)

  7. Yana ciwo a nan

    Ezalaka na nse awa (Yana ciwo a nan)

  8. Ni na rasa passport na

    Nazwi passport na ngai (Ni na rasa passport na)

  9. Za ka iya dawari otel na?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai? (Za ka iya dawari otel na?)

  10. Taimako!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Nde gaishe

    Nasepeli na yo (nde gaishe)

  2. Mu gaishe taro

    Tika tozala na mitema (mu gaishe taro)

  3. Wai gaishe lokaci?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo? (wai gaishe lokaci)

  4. Zan tura rahoto yau

    Naboya raport lelo (zan tura rahoto yau)

  5. Zamu iya magana gobe?

    Tango tozali na mposo? (zamu iya magana gobe)

  6. Don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala

    S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela (don Allah ka sami fayil din da aka makala)

  7. Na gode da lokacinka

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo (na gode da lokacinka)

  8. Ina fatan aiki tare da kai

    Nasalela yo na mosala (ina fatan aiki tare da kai)

  9. Za ka iya fayyace wannan batu?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu? (za ka iya fayyace wannan batu)

  10. Bari in dawo gare ka

    Napesi yo nzela (bari in dawo gare ka)

  11. Kwanan karshe ranar Jumma'a

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi (kwanan karshe ranar Jumma'a)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nya kulu?

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

  2. Iye tati kulu

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

  3. Gurmi

    Lelo

  4. Biyu

    Bokoko

  5. Kwanan

    Kaka

  6. Litinin

    Lundi

  7. Talata

    Mardi

  8. Laraba

    Mercredi

  9. Daya

    Moko

  10. Biyu

    Mbala

  11. Tati

    Misato

  12. Goma

    Libwa

  13. Dari

    Sankuru

  14. Rabi

    Bato

  15. Fiye

    Soki

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