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Common Luganda to Lingala phrases

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

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

Tip: when a Lingala phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Luganda wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda to Lingala 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. Oli otya?

    Mbote (Oli otya?)

  2. Webale

    Melesi (Webale)

  3. Osiibye otya?

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo (Osiibye otya?)

  4. Osiibye bulungi?

    Mbote na ntango ya midi (Osiibye bulungi?)

  5. Osiibye otya?

    Mbote na ntango ya soir (Osiibye otya?)

  6. Lwaki olugendo?

    Malamu na butu (Lwaki olugendo?)

  7. Tugenda kutya?

    Tala yo nsima (Tugenda kutya?)

  8. Nkwagala

    Kende malamu (Nkwagala)

  9. Erinnya lyo ani?

    Nkombo na yo nani? (Erinnya lyo ani?)

  10. Erinnya lyange nze John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John (Erinnya lyange nze John)

  11. Oli otya?

    Ozalaki malamu? (Oli otya?)

  12. Nkwagala okukulaba

    Nayoki malamu na yo (Nkwagala okukulaba)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Okwogera mu Lungereza?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Sijja kumanya.

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Nnyonnyola bulungi.

    S'il vous plaît, koloba butu (koloba butu)

  5. Osobola okwogera buno buno?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Ekitanda kiki?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nteekateeka owa city center?

    Nakanisi ndenge nini nakokende na centre? (nakokende na centre)

  8. Genda ku kkono.

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Genda ku mwoyo.

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Genda mu maaso.

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Ekitundu kiki?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Ticket emu, please.

    Billet moko, s'il vous plaît (billet moko)

  13. Kiki kirekera wano?

    Ezali na esika ya mbali? (ezali na esika ya mbali)

  14. Ndi mu bubi.

    Nazali na esika ya mabe (nazali na esika ya mabe)

  15. Nneeyisa SIM card wano?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ye

    Oyo

  2. Nedda

    Te

  3. Okwagala

    Soki

  4. Nnaakuwandiika

    Nalingi

  5. Sikuwandiika

    Nalingi te

  6. Kyo kyekirungi

    Eza malamu

  7. Otekayo ki?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Osobola okundabira?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Nfuna obuyambi

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Saba omukutu

    Sunga moke

  11. Nsaba

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Tewali kibadde

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Okwagaliza

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Genda bulungi

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)

  3. Ekitangaala ki?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (ekitangaala ki)

  4. Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (bwe ki ssaawa esigala)

  5. Okwetegeka kwe?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (okwetegeka kwe)

  6. Kiri wano wansi

    Ezali pene awa. (kiri wano wansi)

  7. Kiri mangu

    Ezali mbali awa. (kiri mangu)

  8. Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (osobola okundabira ku kaddde)

  9. Ggenda wano, please

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît. (ggenda wano, please)

  10. Tewali bungi ki?

    Ekozala ntango nini? (tewali bungi ki)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kiki ky'ekitundu?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (Kiki ky'ekitundu?)

  2. Ekitundu kyo kireetese.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Ekitabo, please.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Ono mulungi.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Nneetaaga menu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Ekikopo ky'amata, please.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Mpozzi polisi

    Tindá polisi

  2. Mpozzi ambulance

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Nfuna daktari

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndi mu mbeera mbi

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Bikozesa wano

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Nfuuse passport yange

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Mbadde!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Nkwagala okubaako

    Nasepeli na yo (Nkwagala okubaako)

  2. Tugende mu nteekateeka

    Tika tozala na mitema (Tugende mu nteekateeka)

  3. Okwesiga ki?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo? (Okwesiga ki?)

  4. Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero

    Naboya raport lelo (Nja kutandika okutuusa ebiragiro leero)

  5. Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?

    Tango tozali na mposo? (Tusobola okubaako oluvannyuma?)

  6. Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa

    S'il vous plaît, tala fichier oyo ezali na nzela (Nsaba osanga fayiro eyakwatiddwa)

  7. Webale ku ssaawa yo

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo (Webale ku ssaawa yo)

  8. Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe

    Nasalela yo na mosala (Ntegedde okubaako na ggwe)

  9. Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu? (Osobola okuddamu ekifaananyi?)

  10. Nja kukuwandiikira

    Napesi yo nzela (Nja kukuwandiikira)

  11. Ekitundu ky’okusaba kiki ku Lwokutaano

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi (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. Ki nsonga?

    Nini tango ezali? (ni-ni tan-go e-za-li)

  2. Kiri saawa ssatu

    Ezali ntango ya misato (e-za-li n-tan-go ya mi-sa-to)

  3. Leero

    Lelo (leero)

  4. Nne

    Bokoko (nne)

  5. Yaka

    Kaka (yaka)

  6. Mmande

    Lundi (mmande)

  7. Olwokubiri

    Mardi (olwokubiri)

  8. Olwokutaano

    Mercredi (olwokutaano)

  9. Emu

    Moko (emu)

  10. Bbiri

    Mbala (bbiri)

  11. Ssatu

    Misato (ssatu)

  12. Kkumi

    Libwa (kkumi)

  13. Kikumi

    Sankuru (kikumi)

  14. Okwetaba

    Bato (okwetaba)

  15. Mungeri

    Soki (mungeri)

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