Translate now

Common Shona to Lingala phrases

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

← Back to Shona to Lingala Translator

Looking for practical Shona to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Shona 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: read the Lingala line out loud three times, then cover the Shona 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 Shona 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. Mhoro

    Mbote

  2. Ndatenda

    Melesi

  3. Mangwanani akanaka

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Masikati akanaka

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Manheru akanaka

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Usiku hwakanaka

    Malamu na butu

  7. Tichasangana gare gare

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Sara zvakanaka

    Kende malamu

  9. Zita rako ndiani?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Zita rangu ndiri John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Uri sei?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Ndinofara kukuziva

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Unotaura Chirungu here?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Handitauri Hindi zvakanaka

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Handinzwisisi

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Ndokumbirawo utaure zvishoma

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

  5. Ungazvitaura zvakare here?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Chimbuzi chiripi?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ndingasvika sei kumusoro kwemaguta?

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

  8. Tendeuka kuruboshwe

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Tendeuka kurudyi

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Enda mberi

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Mari yechikwereti ingani?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Tikiti imwe, ndapota

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

  13. Iko kure here kubva pano?

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

  14. Ndakakanganiswa

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

  15. Ndingatenga kupi kadhi reSIM?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ehe

    Oyo

  2. Kwete

    Te

  3. Pangove

    Soki

  4. Ndinobvumirana

    Nalingi

  5. Handibvumirane

    Nalingi te

  6. Izvozvo zvinonzwika zvakanaka

    Eza malamu

  7. Unofungei?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Unogona kundibatsira here?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Ndiri kuda rubatsiro

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Mirira kwechinguva

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndine urombo

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Hapana chakaipa

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Makorokoto

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Makorokoto ezuva rekuzvarwa

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Iva nerwendo rwakanaka

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kupi kune chiteshi chechitima?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (Kupi kune chiteshi chebhazi?)

  3. Ndeipi puratifomu?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (Ndeipi puratifomu?)

  4. Inobva nenguva ipi?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (Inobva nenguva ipi?)

  5. Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (Iyi ndiyo nzira chaiyo here?)

  6. Iri pedyo pano

    Ezali pene awa. (Iri pedyo pano)

  7. Iri kure nepano

    Ezali mbali awa. (Iri kure nepano)

  8. Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (Unogona kundiratidza pamepu here?)

  9. Mira pano, ndapota

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît. (Mira pano, ndapota)

  10. Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?

    Ekozala ntango nini? (Zvinotora nguva yakareba sei?)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Zvinodhura here?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (Zvinodhura here?)

  2. Izvozvo zvinodhura kwazvo

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Une chimwe chinhu chiri pamutengo wakaderera here?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Ndingabhadhara nekadhi here?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Ndingada tafura yevaviri

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Chikwereti, ndapota

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Sevhisi iri mukati here?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ndiri muvegetarian

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Hapana chikafu chinopisa, ndapota

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Izvi zvinonaka

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Ndingawana menyu here?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Girazi remvura, ndapota

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fonera mapurisa

    Tindá polisi

  2. Fonera amburensi

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ndiri kuda chiremba

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndiri kunzwa kusuruvara

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndine allergic kumapundu

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Chii chiri pedyo nechipatara?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Zvinorwadza pano

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Ndakakanganwa pasipoti yangu

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Unogona here kufonera hotera yangu?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Rubatsiro!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndinofara kukusangana

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Ngatirongei musangano

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Ndeipi nguva inokodzera kwauri?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Ndichatumira chirevo nhasi

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Tingataure mangwana here?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Ndapota tarisai faira rakabatanidzwa

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

  7. Ndatenda nenguva yako

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ndiri kutarisira kushanda newe

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Ungajekesei iyo pfungwa?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Ndichadzoka kwauri

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Nguva yekupedzisira iChishanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndeipi nguva?

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

  2. Iri pa3

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

  3. Nhasi

    Lelo (N-ha-see)

  4. Mangwana

    Bokoko (Mahn-gwah-nah)

  5. Zuro

    Kaka (Zoo-roh)

  6. Muvhuro

    Lundi (Moo-vhoo-roh)

  7. Chipiri

    Mardi (Chee-pee-ree)

  8. Chitatu

    Mercredi (Chee-tah-too)

  9. Imwe

    Moko (Ee-mweh)

  10. Piri

    Mbala (Pee-ree)

  11. Tatu

    Misato (Tah-too)

  12. Gumi

    Libwa (Goo-mee)

  13. Zana

    Sankuru (Zah-nah)

  14. Hafu

    Bato (Hah-foo)

  15. Zvimwe

    Soki (Zvee-mweh)

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

Open translator