Looking for practical Lingala to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — 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 Swahili.
Tip: read the Swahili line out loud three times, then cover the Lingala side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Lingala to Swahili 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.
Mbote
Habari
Melesi
Asante
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
Habari ya asubuhi
Mbote na ntango ya midi
Habari ya mchana
Mbote na ntango ya soir
Habari ya jioni
Malamu na butu
Usiku mwema
Tala yo nsima
Tutaonana baadaye
Kende malamu
Kwaheri
Nkombo na yo nani?
Jina lako nani?
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Jina langu ni John
Ozalaki malamu?
Habari gani?
Nayoki malamu na yo
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?(ozali koloba lingala)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.(nasalaka hindi malamu te)
Nalingi te
Sielewi.(nalingi te)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Tafadhali ongea polepole.(koloba butu)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Unaweza kusema tena?(okoki koloba yango lisusu)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Choo kiko wapi?(bato ya nzoto)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?(nakokende na centre)
Tika na mobali
Geuka kushoto.(tika na mobali)
Tika na mwasi
Geuka kulia.(tika na mwasi)
Kende na ntango
Nenda moja kwa moja.(kende na ntango)
Mbala nini ezali?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?(mbala nini)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.(billet moko)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?(ezali na esika ya mbali)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Nimepotea.(nazali na esika ya mabe)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?(nakokota SIM card)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Ndio
Te
Hapana
Soki
Pengine
Nalingi
Ninakubaliana
Nalingi te
Sikubaliani
Eza malamu
Inasikika vizuri
Oyo olingi nini?
Unafikiriaje?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Nahitaji msaada
Sunga moke
Subiri kidogo
Nasalaki mabe
Ninasikitika
Nani azali na problème
Hakuna shida
Mokolo malamu
Hongera
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(Eko zali wapi?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Eko zali na esika nini?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Ezali pene awa.
Iko karibu hapa
Ezali mbali awa.
Iko mbali na hapa
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Ekozala ntango nini?
Inachukua muda gani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Tafadhali, bili
Service eza na kati?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Nazali mvegetarian.
Mimi ni mboga
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Yango ezali malamu.
Hii ni tamu
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Piga simu polisi
Tindá ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nalingi médecin
Nahitaji daktari
Nazali na maladi
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Nina mzio wa karanga
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Ezalaka na nse awa
Inaniuma hapa
Nazwi passport na ngai
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
S.O.S!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Tika tozala na mitema
Tuweke mkutano
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Naboya raport lelo
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Tango tozali na mposo?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
Asante kwa muda wako
Nasalela yo na mosala
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Napesi yo nzela
Nitarudi kwako
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.