Looking for practical Lingala to Yoruba phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Lingala phrase first, then the Yoruba translation (Yoruba) — 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 Yoruba.
Tip: pick five Yoruba 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 Yoruba 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
Bawo(bawoh)
Melesi
O seun(oh shayoon)
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo
E kaaro(eh kah-roh)
Mbote na ntango ya midi
E kaasan(eh kah-sahn)
Mbote na ntango ya soir
E kuurole(eh koo-roh-leh)
Malamu na butu
O daaro(oh dah-roh)
Tala yo nsima
A ri e laipe(ah ree eh lie-peh)
Kende malamu
O dabọ(oh dah-boh)
Nkombo na yo nani?
Kí ni orukọ rẹ?(kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)
Nkombo na ngai ezali John
Orukọ mi ni John(oh-roo-koh mee nee John)
Ozalaki malamu?
Bawo ni?(bawoh nee)
Nayoki malamu na yo
Inu mi dun lati pade e(ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ozali koloba lingala?
Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?(Sheh oh n saw Geh-geh)
Nasalaka hindi malamu te
Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa(Mee oh saw Hindi dah-dah)
Nalingi te
Mi ò ye mi(Mee oh yeh mee)
S'il vous plaît, koloba butu
Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan(Joh-wah saw nee keen-kay-kahn)
Okoki koloba yango lisusu?
Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?(Sheh oh leh saw eh leh-eh-kahn see)
Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?
Nibo ni baluwe wa?(Nee-boh nee bah-loo-weh wah)
Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?
Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?(Bah-woh nee moh sheh law see ah-ree-nee loo)
Tika na mobali
Yí si apa osi(Yee see ah-pah oh-shee)
Tika na mwasi
Yí si apa otun(Yee see ah-pah oh-toon)
Kende na ntango
Lọ taara(Law tah-rah)
Mbala nini ezali?
Elo ni owo ọkọ?(Eh-loh nee oh-woh oh-koh)
Billet moko, s'il vous plaît
Ticket kan, jọwọ(Tee-ket kahn, joh-wah)
Ezali na esika ya mbali?
Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?(Sheh oh jee-nah see-bee)
Nazali na esika ya mabe
Mo ti sọnù(Moh tee sohn-oo)
Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?
Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?(Nee-boh nee moh tee leh rah kah-dee SIM)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Oyo
Bẹẹni
Te
Rara
Soki
Bóyá
Nalingi
Mo gba
Nalingi te
Mo kọ
Eza malamu
Iyẹn dára
Oyo olingi nini?
Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?
Okoki kosalisa ngai?
Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?
Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa
Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́
Sunga moke
Dákẹ́ díẹ̀
Nasalaki mabe
Mo bínú
Nani azali na problème
Kò sí ìṣòro
Mokolo malamu
Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí
Mokolo ya mbotama malamu
Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi
Zala na nzela ya malamu
Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Eko zali wapi?
Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?(Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?)
Eko zali wapi na bis?
Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?(Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)
Eko zali na esika nini?
Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?(Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)
Ekozanga na ntango nini?
Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?(Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)
Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?
Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?(Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)
Ezali pene awa.
O sunmọ ibi yi
Ezali mbali awa.
O jinna si ibi yi
Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?
Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?(Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)
Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.
Duro nibi, jọwọ
Ekozala ntango nini?
Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Mbongo ya yango eza nini?
Elo ni eyi?(elo ni eyi)
Yango eza mabe na mbongo.
Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀(eyi je gbowo pupo)
Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?
Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?(se o ni nkan to rorun)
Nalingi kobonga na carte?
Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?(se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)
Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.
Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì(mo fe tabili fun meji)
Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.
Iwe isanwo, jọwọ(iwe isanwo jowo)
Service eza na kati?
Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?(se ise wa ninu)
Nazali mvegetarian.
Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ(mo je onje efo)
Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.
Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ(ko si onje to ni ika jowo)
Yango ezali malamu.
Eyi dára(eyi dara)
Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.
Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?(se mo le ni atojo onje)
Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.
Gilaasi omi, jọwọ(gilaasi omi jowo)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Tindá polisi
Pe iroyin ọlọpa(pe iroyin olopa)
Tindá ambulance
Pe ambulance(pe ambulance)
Nalingi médecin
Mo nilo dokita(mo nilo dokita)
Nazali na maladi
Mo n ni irora(mo n ni irora)
Nazali na allergie na mbala
Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́(mo ni akunya si efo)
Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?
Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?(nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)
Ezalaka na nse awa
O n dun nibi(o n dun nibi)
Nazwi passport na ngai
Mo padanu iwe irinna mi(mo padanu iwe irinna mi)
Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?
Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?(se o le pe hoteeli mi)
S.O.S!
I ranlọwọ!(i ranlọwọ)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nasepeli na yo
Inu mi dun lati pade e(Inu mi dun lati pade e)
Tika tozala na mitema
Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade
Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?
Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?
Naboya raport lelo
Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni
Tango tozali na mposo?
Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?
S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela
Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́
Mersi mpo na ntango na yo
O seun fun akoko rẹ
Nasalela yo na mosala
Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ
Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?
Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?
Napesi yo nzela
Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ
Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi
Akoko ipari ni Friday
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.