Looking for practical Santali (Ol Chiki) to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Santali (Ol Chiki) 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Lingala-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Santali (Ol Chiki) 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.
ᱨᱤᱡᱤᱭ
Mbote(rikiya)
ᱟᱹᱦᱚᱜᱟ
Melesi(ahojaga)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱵᱟᱨᱚ
Mbote na ntango ya mokolo(ahor boro)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱯᱟᱭ
Mbote na ntango ya midi(ahor apay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ
Mbote na ntango ya soir(ahor amay)
ᱟᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱢᱟᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Malamu na butu(ahor amay anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Tala yo nsima(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ
Kende malamu(ahor anaa)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ?
Nkombo na yo nani?(ahor anaa ada?)
ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ ᱟᱹᱲᱟ
Nkombo na ngai ezali John(anaa ada anaa John)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱟᱹᱱᱟ?
Ozalaki malamu?(ahor anaa?)
ᱟᱹᱦᱟᱹᱭ ᱡᱚᱱᱟ
Nayoki malamu na yo(ahor jona)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Tuhun English bolang?
Ozali koloba lingala?(ozali koloba lingala)
Maan Hindi bhal nahi bolang
Nasalaka hindi malamu te(nasalaka hindi malamu te)