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Common Tiv to Lingala phrases

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

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

    Mbote

  2. Ior na

    Melesi

  3. Mgbakpa u sha

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Mgbakpa u kpa

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Mgbakpa u ter

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Mgbakpa u ter sha

    Malamu na butu

  7. Kpa a joo

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Ior a joo

    Kende malamu

  9. Ior m ngu?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. M ngu John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Ior m nande?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Ior m nande a joo

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. I kpa English?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. M nahan Hindi nahan.

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. M nahan usha.

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. M nahan usha kpa.

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

  5. I kpa a sha?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. I we a joo?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Nenge a kpa a city center?

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

  8. Kpa a joo.

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Kpa a nahan.

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Kpa a sha.

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Nenge a kpa a fare?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. I kpa a ticket, please.

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

  13. I we a nahan a nahan?

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

  14. M nahan sha.

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

  15. I we a kpa a SIM card?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ee

    Oyo

  2. Naa

    Te

  3. Iye

    Soki

  4. M na a kpa

    Nalingi

  5. M na a kpa nahan

    Nalingi te

  6. I kpa a kpa

    Eza malamu

  7. U kpa a nahan?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. U kpa m nahan?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. M na a kpa nahan

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Kpa a kpa

    Sunga moke

  11. M na a kpa

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Naa a kpa

    Nani azali na problème

  13. I kpa a kpa

    Mokolo malamu

  14. A kpa a kpa

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. U kpa a kpa

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Ior a nyam?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. Ior a gande?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Nenge a kpa?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. Ior a nenge a?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. I na kpa a.

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. I na kpa a kpa.

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. I ma ior a gande?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Kpa a, please.

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Nenge a kpa?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ior kwagh nahan?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (ior kwagh nahan)

  2. Ior u kpa a kpa

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo. (ior u kpa a kpa)

  3. Ior m ngu u kpa?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke? (ior m ngu u kpa)

  4. Ior m gban a card?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte? (ior m gban a card)

  5. A doo a table m ngu a yô

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale. (a doo a table m ngu a yô)

  6. Ior a bill, please

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît. (ior a bill, please)

  7. Ior a service m nahan?

    Service eza na kati? (ior a service m nahan)

  8. A m vegetarian

    Nazali mvegetarian. (a m vegetarian)

  9. A m nahan a spicy food

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît. (a m nahan a spicy food)

  10. Ior a kpa

    Yango ezali malamu. (ior a kpa)

  11. Ior m gban a menu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît. (ior m gban a menu)

  12. A glass a water, please

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît. (a glass a water)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Kpa a police

    Tindá polisi

  2. Kpa a ambulance

    Tindá ambulance

  3. M ba a doctor

    Nalingi médecin

  4. M kpa a kpa

    Nazali na maladi

  5. M kpa a nyam

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. I kpa a hospital mza?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. I kpa a sha

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. M kpa a passport m

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. I kpa a hotel m?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Kpa!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Ior u kpa.

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Ka a hia ikyô.

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Nî kpa u kpa?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. M gbanor u kpe.

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. A hia nî u hia?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. M kpa u venge.

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

  7. Ior u nenge.

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. M hia u kpa.

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Ior a hia u mba?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Ka m hia u.

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Ikyô u kpa a Friday.

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ior a kpa?

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

  2. Ior a tyoor

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

  3. Ior

    Lelo (Ior)

  4. Kpa

    Bokoko (Kpa)

  5. Ior a sha

    Kaka (Ior a sha)

  6. Ior a yô

    Lundi (Ior a yô)

  7. Ior a kô

    Mardi (Ior a kô)

  8. Ior a ngô

    Mercredi (Ior a ngô)

  9. Mba

    Moko (Mba)

  10. Ishô

    Mbala (Ishô)

  11. Tyoor

    Misato (Tyoor)

  12. Ishê

    Libwa (Ishê)

  13. Mba kpa

    Sankuru (Mba kpa)

  14. Ior a kpa

    Bato (Ior a kpa)

  15. Ior a kpa

    Soki (Ior a kpa)

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