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Common Lingala to Tumbuka phrases

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

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

Tip: pick five Tumbuka 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 Tumbuka 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

    Moni

  2. Melesi

    Zikomo

  3. Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

    Muli bwanji

  4. Mbote na ntango ya midi

    Muli bwanji

  5. Mbote na ntango ya soir

    Muli bwanji

  6. Malamu na butu

    Usiku wabwino

  7. Tala yo nsima

    Tiwonana

  8. Kende malamu

    Tsalani bwino

  9. Nkombo na yo nani?

    Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

  10. Nkombo na ngai ezali John

    Dzina langa ndi John

  11. Ozalaki malamu?

    Muli bwanji?

  12. Nayoki malamu na yo

    Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ozali koloba lingala?

    Muli ndi Chingerezi? (muli ndi chingerezi)

  2. Nasalaka hindi malamu te

    Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino (sikuyankhula hindi bwino)

  3. Nalingi te

    Sindikumva (sindikumva)

  4. S'il vous plaît, koloba butu

    Chonde yankhulani pang'ono (chonde yankhulani pang'ono)

  5. Okoki koloba yango lisusu?

    Mungandiyankhulepo? (mungandiyankhulepo)

  6. Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?

    Kuti ndi kuti? (kuti ndi kuti)

  7. Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?

    Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu? (ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu)

  8. Tika na mobali

    Pita kumanzere (pita kumanzere)

  9. Tika na mwasi

    Pita kumanja (pita kumanja)

  10. Kende na ntango

    Pita mwendo (pita mwendo)

  11. Mbala nini ezali?

    Ndi ndalama zingati? (ndi ndalama zingati)

  12. Billet moko, s'il vous plaît

    Tiketi imodzi, chonde (tiketi imodzi, chonde)

  13. Ezali na esika ya mbali?

    Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano? (ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano)

  14. Nazali na esika ya mabe

    Ndakhalapo (ndakhalapo)

  15. Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?

    Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card? (ndingatengere kuti kuti sim card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Oyo

    Iye

  2. Te

    Ayi

  3. Soki

    Pang'ono

  4. Nalingi

    Ndikugwirizana

  5. Nalingi te

    Sindikugwirizana

  6. Eza malamu

    Ichi chimaoneka bwino

  7. Oyo olingi nini?

    Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

  8. Okoki kosalisa ngai?

    Mungandithandize?

  9. Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

    Ndikufuna thandizo

  10. Sunga moke

    Dikirani pang’ono

  11. Nasalaki mabe

    Ndikupemphera

  12. Nani azali na problème

    Palibe vutoli

  13. Mokolo malamu

    Zikomo

  14. Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

    Tsiku lobadwa labwino

  15. Zala na nzela ya malamu

    Pita bwino pa ulendo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Eko zali wapi?

    Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Eko zali wapi na bis?

    Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?

  3. Eko zali na esika nini?

    Ndi chigawo chiti?

  4. Ekozanga na ntango nini?

    Nanga nthawi itangopita?

  5. Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

    Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

  6. Ezali pene awa.

    Iyi ndi pafupi apa

  7. Ezali mbali awa.

    Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa

  8. Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

    Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?

  9. Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

    Chimitsa apa, chonde

  10. Ekozala ntango nini?

    Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

    Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

    Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

    Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. Nalingi kobonga na carte?

    Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

    Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

    Chikalata, chonde (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Service eza na kati?

    Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Nazali mvegetarian.

    Ndine wopanda nyama (ndine wopanda nyama)

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

    Chonde, osati chakudya chothira (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. Yango ezali malamu.

    Iyi ndi yokoma (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

    Ningathe kupeza menyu? (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

    Galasi ya madzi, chonde (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tindá polisi

    Fufuzani polisi

  2. Tindá ambulance

    Fufuzani ambulansi

  3. Nalingi médecin

    Ndikufuna dokotala

  4. Nazali na maladi

    Ndikuwona bwino

  5. Nazali na allergie na mbala

    Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

  6. Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

    Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

  7. Ezalaka na nse awa

    Kuli kuuma apa

  8. Nazwi passport na ngai

    Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

  9. Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

    Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

  10. S.O.S!

    Thandizani!

Work and business

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

  1. Nasepeli na yo

    Ndalumba kukumana nanu

  2. Tika tozala na mitema

    Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

  3. Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

    Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

  4. Naboya raport lelo

    Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

  5. Tango tozali na mposo?

    Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

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

    Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

  7. Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

    Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

  8. Nasalela yo na mosala

    Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

  9. Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

    Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

  10. Napesi yo nzela

    Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

  11. Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

    Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nini tango ezali?

    Ndi chiyani nthawi? (Ndi chiyani nthawi?)

  2. Ezali ntango ya misato

    Ndi saa tatu (e-za-li n-tan-go ya mi-sa-to)

  3. Lelo

    Lero

  4. Bokoko

    Maŵa

  5. Kaka

    Kale

  6. Lundi

    Lolemba

  7. Mardi

    Lachiwiri

  8. Mercredi

    Lachitatu

  9. Moko

    Mmodzi

  10. Mbala

    Awiri

  11. Misato

    Atatu

  12. Libwa

    Kumi

  13. Sankuru

    Zana

  14. Bato

    Pachikhalidwe

  15. Soki

    Zambiri

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