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Common Lingala to Luganda phrases

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

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Looking for practical Lingala to Luganda phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala phrase first, then the Luganda translation (Luganda) — 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 Luganda.

Tip: pick five Luganda 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 Lingala to Luganda 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. Mbote

    Oli otya? (Oli otya?)

  2. Melesi

    Webale (Webale)

  3. Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

    Osiibye otya? (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Mbote na ntango ya midi

    Osiibye bulungi? (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Mbote na ntango ya soir

    Osiibye otya? (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Malamu na butu

    Lwaki olugendo? (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tala yo nsima

    Tugenda kutya? (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Kende malamu

    Nkwagala (Nkwagala)

  9. Nkombo na yo nani?

    Erinnya lyo ani? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Nkombo na ngai ezali John

    Erinnya lyange nze John (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Ozalaki malamu?

    Oli otya? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nayoki malamu na yo

    Nkwagala okukulaba (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ozali koloba lingala?

    Okwogera mu Lungereza? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Nasalaka hindi malamu te

    Sikozesa Hindi bulungi. (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Nalingi te

    Sijja kumanya. (nalingi te)

  4. S'il vous plaît, koloba butu

    Nnyonnyola bulungi. (koloba butu)

  5. Okoki koloba yango lisusu?

    Osobola okwogera buno buno? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?

    Ekitanda kiki? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?

    Nteekateeka owa city center? (nakokende na centre)

  8. Tika na mobali

    Genda ku kkono. (tika na mobali)

  9. Tika na mwasi

    Genda ku mwoyo. (tika na mwasi)

  10. Kende na ntango

    Genda mu maaso. (kende na ntango)

  11. Mbala nini ezali?

    Ekitundu kiki? (mbala nini)

  12. Billet moko, s'il vous plaît

    Ticket emu, please. (billet moko)

  13. Ezali na esika ya mbali?

    Kiki kirekera wano? (ezali na esika ya mbali)

  14. Nazali na esika ya mabe

    Ndi mu bubi. (nazali na esika ya mabe)

  15. Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?

    Nneeyisa SIM card wano? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Oyo

    Ye

  2. Te

    Nedda

  3. Soki

    Okwagala

  4. Nalingi

    Nnaakuwandiika

  5. Nalingi te

    Sikuwandiika

  6. Eza malamu

    Kyo kyekirungi

  7. Oyo olingi nini?

    Otekayo ki?

  8. Okoki kosalisa ngai?

    Osobola okundabira?

  9. Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

    Nfuna obuyambi

  10. Sunga moke

    Saba omukutu

  11. Nasalaki mabe

    Nsaba

  12. Nani azali na problème

    Tewali kibadde

  13. Mokolo malamu

    Okwagaliza

  14. Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

    Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

  15. Zala na nzela ya malamu

    Genda bulungi

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Eko zali wapi?

    Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)

  2. Eko zali wapi na bis?

    Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)

  3. Eko zali na esika nini?

    Ekitangaala ki? (ekitangaala ki)

  4. Ekozanga na ntango nini?

    Bwe ki ssaawa esigala? (bwe ki ssaawa esigala)

  5. Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

    Okwetegeka kwe? (okwetegeka kwe)

  6. Ezali pene awa.

    Kiri wano wansi (kiri wano wansi)

  7. Ezali mbali awa.

    Kiri mangu (kiri mangu)

  8. Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

    Osobola okundabira ku kaddde? (osobola okundabira ku kaddde)

  9. Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

    Ggenda wano, please (ggenda wano, please)

  10. Ekozala ntango nini?

    Tewali bungi ki? (tewali bungi ki)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

    Kiki ky'ekitundu? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

    Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

  3. Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

    Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

  4. Nalingi kobonga na carte?

    Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

  5. Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

    Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

  6. Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

    Ekitabo, please.

  7. Service eza na kati?

    Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

  8. Nazali mvegetarian.

    Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

  9. Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

    Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

  10. Yango ezali malamu.

    Ono mulungi.

  11. Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

    Nneetaaga menu?

  12. Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

    Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tindá polisi

    Mpozzi polisi

  2. Tindá ambulance

    Mpozzi ambulance

  3. Nalingi médecin

    Nfuna daktari

  4. Nazali na maladi

    Ndi mu mbeera mbi

  5. Nazali na allergie na mbala

    Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

  6. Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

    Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

  7. Ezalaka na nse awa

    Bikozesa wano

  8. Nazwi passport na ngai

    Nfuuse passport yange

  9. Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

    Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

  10. S.O.S!

    Mbadde!

Work and business

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

  1. Nasepeli na yo

    Nkwagala okubaako (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tika tozala na mitema

    Tugende mu nteekateeka (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

    Okwesiga ki? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Naboya raport lelo

    Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tango tozali na mposo?

    Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

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

    Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

    Webale ku ssaawa yo (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Nasalela yo na mosala

    Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

    Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Napesi yo nzela

    Nja kukuwandiikira (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

    Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano (Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano)

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nini tango ezali?

    Ki nsonga? (ki nsonga)

  2. Ezali ntango ya misato

    Kiri saawa ssatu (kiri saawa ssatu)

  3. Lelo

    Leero (leero)

  4. Bokoko

    Nne (nne)

  5. Kaka

    Yaka (yaka)

  6. Lundi

    Mmande (mmande)

  7. Mardi

    Olwokubiri (olwokubiri)

  8. Mercredi

    Olwokutaano (olwokutaano)

  9. Moko

    Emu (emu)

  10. Mbala

    Bbiri (bbiri)

  11. Misato

    Ssatu (ssatu)

  12. Libwa

    Kkumi (kkumi)

  13. Sankuru

    Kikumi (kikumi)

  14. Bato

    Okwetaba (okwetaba)

  15. Soki

    Mungeri (mungeri)

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