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Common Lingala to Zulu phrases

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

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

Tip: read the Zulu 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 Zulu 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

    Sawubona

  2. Melesi

    Ngiyabonga

  3. Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

    Sawubona

  4. Mbote na ntango ya midi

    Good afternoon

  5. Mbote na ntango ya soir

    Ubusuku obuhle

  6. Malamu na butu

    Lala kahle

  7. Tala yo nsima

    Sizobonana

  8. Kende malamu

    Hamba kahle

  9. Nkombo na yo nani?

    Ubani igama lakho?

  10. Nkombo na ngai ezali John

    Igama lami nginguJohn

  11. Ozalaki malamu?

    Unjani?

  12. Nayoki malamu na yo

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ozali koloba lingala?

    Ukhuluma isiNgisi? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Nasalaka hindi malamu te

    Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi. (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Nalingi te

    Angiqondi. (nalingi te)

  4. S'il vous plaît, koloba butu

    Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane. (koloba butu)

  5. Okoki koloba yango lisusu?

    Ungakuphinda lokho? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi?

    Iphi indlu yangasese? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre?

    Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni? (nakokende na centre)

  8. Tika na mobali

    Jika kwesobunxele. (tika na mobali)

  9. Tika na mwasi

    Jika kwesokudla. (tika na mwasi)

  10. Kende na ntango

    Hamba phambili. (kende na ntango)

  11. Mbala nini ezali?

    Inani lokuhamba lingakanani? (mbala nini)

  12. Billet moko, s'il vous plaît

    Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela. (billet moko)

  13. Ezali na esika ya mbali?

    Ingabe kude lapha? (ezali na esika ya mbali)

  14. Nazali na esika ya mabe

    Ngilahlekile. (nazali na esika ya mabe)

  15. Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card?

    Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Oyo

    Yebo

  2. Te

    Cha

  3. Soki

    Mhlawumbe

  4. Nalingi

    Ngiyavuma

  5. Nalingi te

    Angivumi

  6. Eza malamu

    Lokho kuzwakala kahle

  7. Oyo olingi nini?

    Ucabanga ukuthini?

  8. Okoki kosalisa ngai?

    Ungangisiza?

  9. Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

    Ngidinga usizo

  10. Sunga moke

    Linda umzuzu

  11. Nasalaki mabe

    Ngiyaxolisa

  12. Nani azali na problème

    Akukho nkinga

  13. Mokolo malamu

    Halala

  14. Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

    Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

  15. Zala na nzela ya malamu

    Uhambo olunempilo

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Eko zali wapi?

    Iphi isitishi sesitimela? (iphi isitishi sesitimela)

  2. Eko zali wapi na bis?

    Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Eko zali na esika nini?

    Iphi ipulatifomu? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Ekozanga na ntango nini?

    Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

    Ingabe le yindlela efanele? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Ezali pene awa.

    Ikhaya lapha eduze (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Ezali mbali awa.

    Ikude lapha (ikude lapha)

  8. Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

    Ungangikhombisa emmaphini? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

    Misa lapha, ngiyacela (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Ekozala ntango nini?

    Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

    Kubiza malini lokhu?

  2. Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

    Lokho kubiza kakhulu.

  3. Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

    Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?

  4. Nalingi kobonga na carte?

    Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?

  5. Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

    Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.

  6. Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

    Ibhili, ngiyacela.

  7. Service eza na kati?

    Inkonzo ifakiwe?

  8. Nazali mvegetarian.

    Ngiyisithuthuthu.

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

    Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.

  10. Yango ezali malamu.

    Lokhu kuhle.

  11. Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

    Ngicela imenyu?

  12. Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

    Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Tindá polisi

    Shayela amaphoyisa

  2. Tindá ambulance

    Shayela i-ambulensi

  3. Nalingi médecin

    Ngidinga udokotela

  4. Nazali na maladi

    Ngizizwa ngigula

  5. Nazali na allergie na mbala

    Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

  6. Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

    Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

  7. Ezalaka na nse awa

    Kubuhlungu lapha

  8. Nazwi passport na ngai

    Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

  9. Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

    Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

  10. S.O.S!

    Usizo!

Work and business

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

  1. Nasepeli na yo

    Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

  2. Tika tozala na mitema

    Masihlele umhlangano

  3. Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

    Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

  4. Naboya raport lelo

    Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

  5. Tango tozali na mposo?

    Singakhuluma kusasa?

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

    Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe

  7. Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

    Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

  8. Nasalela yo na mosala

    Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

  9. Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

    Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?

  10. Napesi yo nzela

    Ngizobuyela kuwe

  11. Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

    Usuku lokugcina nguLwesihlanu

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Nini tango ezali?

    Kuyini isikhathi? (ku-yee-nee ee-sih-khah-teh?)

  2. Ezali ntango ya misato

    Kuyisithathu (koo-yee-see-thah-thu)

  3. Lelo

    Namuhla (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Bokoko

    Kusasa (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Kaka

    Izolo (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Lundi

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. Mardi

    uMsombuluko (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. Mercredi

    uLwesithathu (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Moko

    Kunye (koon-yeh)

  10. Mbala

    Kubili (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Misato

    Kuthathu (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Libwa

    Ishumi (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Sankuru

    Ishumi elinhlanu (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Bato

    Iphinifa (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Soki

    Okuningi (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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