Translate now

Common Rundi to Lingala phrases

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

← Back to Rundi to Lingala Translator

Looking for practical Rundi to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Rundi 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 Rundi 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 Rundi 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. Naki

    Mbote (na-kee)

  2. Urakoze

    Melesi (oo-rah-koh-zeh)

  3. Mwaramutse

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo (mwa-rah-moot-seh)

  4. Mwiriwe

    Mbote na ntango ya midi (mwee-ree-weh)

  5. Mwiriwe

    Mbote na ntango ya soir (mwee-ree-weh)

  6. Ijoro ryiza

    Malamu na butu (ee-jo-roh ree-zah)

  7. Nzakubona

    Tala yo nsima (nza-koo-boh-nah)

  8. Nuhagurane

    Kende malamu (nuh-ha-goo-rah-neh)

  9. Icyo witwa n'iki?

    Nkombo na yo nani? (ee-cho wee-twah n'ee-kee)

  10. Nitwa John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John (nee-twah John)

  11. Umeze gute?

    Ozalaki malamu? (oo-meh-zeh goo-teh)

  12. Nishimiye kukumenya

    Nayoki malamu na yo (nee-shee-mee-yeh koo-koo-meh-nya)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Uravuga Icyongereza?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Sinavuga Hindi neza.

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Sinumva.

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Ndagusaba uvuge buhoro.

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

  5. Woshobora kubivuga ukundi?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Ihantu h'ubwiherero ni hehe?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nkoze nte ngo ngerere mu mugi?

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

  8. Hindukira ibumoso.

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Hindukira iburyo.

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Genda imbere.

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Igiciro ni igiki?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Tike imwe, ndakwinginze.

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

  13. Birakomeye kuva hano?

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

  14. Ndi mu kaga.

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

  15. Nshobora kugura ikarita ya SIM hehe?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yego

    Oyo

  2. Oya

    Te

  3. Birashoboka

    Soki

  4. Ndemera

    Nalingi

  5. Ntidemera

    Nalingi te

  6. Ivyo birashimishije

    Eza malamu

  7. Utekereza iki?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Urashobora kumfasha?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Nkeneye gufasha

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Teza akanya

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndi umwiyahuzi

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Nta kibazo

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Ishimwe

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Isabukuru nziza

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Urugendo rwiza

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Aho hantu y'igari?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Aho hantu y'ibisohoka?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (Aho hantu y'ibisohoka?)

  3. Ihagararo ni irihe?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (Ihagararo ni irihe?)

  4. Igihe ni igiki gishika?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (Igihe ni igiki gishika?)

  5. Ubu ni bwo buryo?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (Ubu ni bwo buryo?)

  6. Birahari hafi

    Ezali pene awa. (Birahari hafi)

  7. Birahari kure

    Ezali mbali awa. (Birahari kure)

  8. Urashobora kumfasha ku ikarita?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (Urashobora kumfasha ku ikarita?)

  9. Hagarara hano, nyabuna

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît. (Hagarara hano, nyabuna)

  10. Bifata igihe kingana iki?

    Ekozala ntango nini? (Bifata igihe kingana iki?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Iyi irahenda angahe?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Iyo irahenda cane

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Ufise ikintu ciza cane?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Noshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Nkeneye ameza y'abantu babiri

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Ibarura, ndakwinginze

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Serivisi irarimwo?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ndi umworozi w'ibihingwa

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Ntimukore ibiryo biryoshye, ndakwinginze

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Iyi iraryoshye

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Noshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Igikombe c'amazi, ndakwinginze

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Terefona polisi

    Tindá polisi

  2. Terefona ambulance

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ndakeneye umuganga

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndumva ndarwaye

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndi umunyabwoba ku mbuto z'ibihaza

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Ihoteri yegereye iri hehe?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Birandya hano

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Nabuze pasiporo yanje

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Woshobora guterefona ihoteli yanje?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Mfasha!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Nishimiye kukumenya

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Tugire inama

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Igihe kiwukora?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Dushobora kuganira ejo?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Nyabuna, reba dosiye iri hamwe

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

  7. Urakoze ku mwanya wawe

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ntegereje gukorana nawe

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Woshobora gusobanura ico?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Ndemeye kubandanya

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Igihe ni igiki?

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

  2. Ni saa tatu.

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

  3. Uyu munsi.

    Lelo

  4. Ejo hazaza.

    Bokoko

  5. Ejo.

    Kaka

  6. Kuwa mbere.

    Lundi

  7. Kuwa kabiri.

    Mardi

  8. Kuwa gatatu.

    Mercredi

  9. Kimwe.

    Moko

  10. Kabiri.

    Mbala

  11. Gatatu.

    Misato

  12. Cumi.

    Libwa

  13. Ijana.

    Sankuru

  14. Igice.

    Bato

  15. Ikinshi.

    Soki

Need to translate your own text? Use the free Rundi to Lingala translator.

Open translator