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Common Somali to Lingala phrases

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

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Looking for practical Somali to Lingala phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Somali 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: pick five Lingala phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Somali 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. Salaan

    Mbote

  2. Mahadsanid

    Melesi

  3. Subax wanaagsan

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Duhur wanaagsan

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Habeen wanaagsan

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Habeen wanaagsan

    Malamu na butu

  7. Ilaa dambe

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Nabad gelyo

    Kende malamu

  9. Magacaa maxay tahay?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Magacaygu waa John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Sidee tahay?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Aad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Hindi si fiican uma hadlo

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Ma fahmin

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Fadlan si tartiib ah u hadal

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

  5. Ma ku celin kartaa?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Musqusha xaggee buu yaalaa?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Sideen ku gaari karaa xarunta magaalada?

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

  8. Bidix u leexo

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Midig u leexo

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Toos u soco

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Immisa ayey tahay lacagta?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Hal tigidh, fadlan

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

  13. Ma fog tahay halkan?

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

  14. Waan lumay

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

  15. Xaggee ka iibsan karaa kaarka SIM?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Haa

    Oyo

  2. Maya

    Te

  3. Malaha

    Soki

  4. Waan ku raacsanahay

    Nalingi

  5. Waan ku raacsaneyn

    Nalingi te

  6. Taasi waa wax fiican

    Eza malamu

  7. Maxaad u malaynaysaa?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Ma i caawin kartaa?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Waxaan u baahanahay caawimaad

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Sug daqiiqad

    Sunga moke

  11. Waan ka xumahay

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Dhib malahan

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Hambalyo

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Dhalasho wacan

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Safar wanaagsan

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Xagee buu tareenka jooga?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Xagee buu basaska jooga?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. Keenka sidee buu yahay?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Goormee ayuu baxayaa?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. Ma tan saxda ah?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. Waa halkan u dhow

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. Waa halkan fog

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Ma ii muujin kartaa khariidada?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Halkan joog, fadlan

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Immisa waqti ayey qaadaneysaa?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Imisa ayuu ku kacayaa?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Taasi waa qaali aad u badan.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Ma haysta wax ka jaban?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Ma bixin karaa kaarka?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Waxaan jeclaan lahaa miis laba qof ah.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Fadlan, biilka.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Ma ku jirtaa adeegga?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Anigu waxaan ahay khudradeed.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Fadlan, cunto aan xawaash lahayn.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Tani waa macaan.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Ma heli karaa menu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Fadlan, koob biyo ah.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Wac booliiska

    Tindá polisi

  2. Wac ambalaas

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Waxaan u baahanahay dhakhtar

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Waxaan dareemayaa xanuun

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Waxaan leeyahay xasaasiyad lowska

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Isbitaalka ugu dhow xagee buu yaalaa?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Halkaan ayaa i xanuunaya

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Dukumeentigayga safarka ayaan lumiyay

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Ma wici kartaa hoteelkeyga?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Caawimaad!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Aad baan ugu faraxsanahay in aan ku arko

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Aan qorshayno kulan

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Waa maxay waqtiga ku habboon adiga?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Waxaan maanta soo diri doonaa warbixinta

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Ma ka hadli karnaa berri?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Fadlan eeg faylka ku lifaaqan

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

  7. Waad ku mahadsan tahay waqtigaaga

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Waxaan rajeynayaa in aan kula shaqeeyo

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Ma faahfaahin kartaa dhibicdaas?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Aan ku soo laabto

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Waqtiga kama dambaysta ah waa Jimcaha

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Waa imisa saac?

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

  2. Waa seddex saac

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

  3. Maanta

    Lelo

  4. Berri

    Bokoko

  5. Shalay

    Kaka

  6. Isniin

    Lundi

  7. Talaado

    Mardi

  8. Arbaco

    Mercredi

  9. Hal

    Moko

  10. Laba

    Mbala

  11. Seddex

    Misato

  12. Toban

    Libwa

  13. Boqol

    Sankuru

  14. Nus

    Bato

  15. Aynu

    Soki

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