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Common Kinyarwanda to Lingala phrases

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

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Looking for practical Kinyarwanda to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kinyarwanda 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: when a Lingala phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Kinyarwanda wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

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

    Mbote

  2. Urakoze

    Melesi

  3. Bwakire bwiza

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Nimugoroba mwiza

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Mwaramutse mwiza

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Ijoro ryiza

    Malamu na butu

  7. Tuzabonana nyuma

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Murabeho

    Kende malamu

  9. Witwa nde?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Nitwa John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Umeze ute?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Nishimiye kukumenya

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Uravuga Icyongereza?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Sinavuga Hindi neza

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Sinumva

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Nyabuneka vuga buhoro

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

  5. Wabivuga ukundi?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Aho ubwiherero buri he?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nagenda nte ku mugi?

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

  8. Hindukira ibumoso

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Hindukira iburyo

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Genda imbere

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Igiciro ni ikihe?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Itike imwe, nyabuneka

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

  13. Ni kure hano?

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

  14. Ndi mu kaga

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

  15. Nshobora kugura SIM card he?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yego

    Oyo

  2. Oya

    Te

  3. Birashoboka

    Soki

  4. Ndemeranya

    Nalingi

  5. Sinemeranya

    Nalingi te

  6. Birumvikana neza

    Eza malamu

  7. Ubitekerezaho iki?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Urashobora kumfasha?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Nkeneye ubufasha

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Tegereza gato

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndakwinginze

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Nta kibazo

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Ibyishimo

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Isabukuru nziza

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Ugire urugendo rwiza

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Aho ahagarara bisi?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (Aho ahagarara bisi?)

  3. Ni iyihe platform?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (Ni iyihe platform?)

  4. Igihe izava ryari?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (Igihe izava ryari?)

  5. Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?)

  6. Iri hafi hano

    Ezali pene awa. (Iri hafi hano)

  7. Iri kure hano

    Ezali mbali awa. (Iri kure hano)

  8. Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?)

  9. Hagarara hano, nyabuneka

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît. (Hagarara hano, nyabuneka)

  10. Bifata igihe kingana iki?

    Ekozala ntango nini? (Bifata igihe kingana iki?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Iyi igura angahe?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Ndagusabye, umwenda.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Serivisi irimo?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ndi umunyvegetari.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Ibi biraryoshye.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Hamagara polisi

    Tindá polisi

  2. Hamagara ambulance

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Nkeneye umuganga

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndumva ndwaye

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Birambabaza hano

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Nabuze pasiporo yanjye

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Fasha!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Nishimiye guhura nawe

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Reka dushyireho inama

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Ni ryari byakugendekera?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Dushobora kuvugana ejo?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano

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

  7. Urakoze ku gihe cyawe

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ntegereje gukorana nawe

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Nzakugarukira

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ni saa ingahe?

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

  2. Ni saa tatu

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

  3. Uyu munsi

    Lelo (uyu munsi)

  4. Ejo hazaza

    Bokoko (ejo hazaza)

  5. Ejo

    Kaka (ejo)

  6. Kuwa Mbere

    Lundi (kuwa mbere)

  7. Kuwa Kabiri

    Mardi (kuwa kabiri)

  8. Kuwa Gatatu

    Mercredi (kuwa gatatu)

  9. Kimwe

    Moko (kimwe)

  10. Kabiri

    Mbala (kabiri)

  11. Gatatu

    Misato (gatatu)

  12. Cumi

    Libwa (cumi)

  13. Ijana

    Sankuru (ijana)

  14. Igice

    Bato (igice)

  15. Byinshi

    Soki (byinshi)

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