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Common Tumbuka to Lingala phrases

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

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

    Mbote

  2. Zikomo

    Melesi

  3. Muli bwanji

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Muli bwanji

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Muli bwanji

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Malamu na butu

  7. Tiwonana

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Kende malamu

  9. Dzina lanu ndi ndani?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Ndine wokondwa kukumana nanu

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Muli ndi Chingerezi?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Sikuyankhula Hindi bwino

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Sindikumva

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Chonde yankhulani pang'ono

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

  5. Mungandiyankhulepo?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ndingafike bwanji ku msewu waukulu?

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

  8. Pita kumanzere

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Pita kumanja

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Pita mwendo

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Tiketi imodzi, chonde

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

  13. Ndi mtunda wautali kuchokera pano?

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

  14. Ndakhalapo

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

  15. Ndingatengere kuti kuti SIM card?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Iye

    Oyo

  2. Ayi

    Te

  3. Pang'ono

    Soki

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Nalingi

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Nalingi te

  6. Ichi chimaoneka bwino

    Eza malamu

  7. Muli ndi chiyani choti mumaganize?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Dikirani pang’ono

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Palibe vutoli

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Zikomo

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Pita bwino pa ulendo

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Kukakhala kuti chiteshi cha njinga?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Kukakhala kuti malo otchinga basi?

    Eko zali wapi na bis?

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Eko zali na esika nini?

  4. Nanga nthawi itangopita?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini?

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu?

  6. Iyi ndi pafupi apa

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. Iyi ndi kutali ndi apa

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Mungandionetse pa chithunzi?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape?

  9. Chimitsa apa, chonde

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Iyi ikuguliradi chingwe?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (iyi ikuguliradi chingwe)

  2. Iyi ndi mtengo wopusa

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo. (iyi ndi mtengo wopusa)

  3. Muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke? (muli ndi chinthu chochepa mtengo)

  4. Ningathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte? (ningathe kulipira ndi khadi)

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale. (ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri)

  6. Chikalata, chonde

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît. (chikalata, chonde)

  7. Ntchito ikuphatikizidwa?

    Service eza na kati? (ntchito ikuphatikizidwa)

  8. Ndine wopanda nyama

    Nazali mvegetarian. (ndine wopanda nyama)

  9. Chonde, osati chakudya chothira

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît. (chonde, osati chakudya chothira)

  10. Iyi ndi yokoma

    Yango ezali malamu. (iyi ndi yokoma)

  11. Ningathe kupeza menyu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît. (ningathe kupeza menyu)

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît. (galasi ya madzi, chonde)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Fufuzani polisi

    Tindá polisi

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndikuwona bwino

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndine wosowa ma groundnuts

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Kuti ndi chiyani chachikondi?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Kuli kuuma apa

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Ndasowa pasipoti yangu

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Thandizani!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Ndalumba kukumana nanu

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Tiyeni tiwoneke pa nthawi

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Nthawi yiti ikukugwirirani ntchito?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Ndidzatumiza lipoti lero

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Chonde onani fayilo yolembedwa

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

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyi?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Nditenge nthawi ndikubwerereni

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Nthawi yomaliza ndi Lachisanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Ndi chiyani nthawi?

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

  2. Ndi saa tatu

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

  3. Lero

    Lelo

  4. Maŵa

    Bokoko

  5. Kale

    Kaka

  6. Lolemba

    Lundi

  7. Lachiwiri

    Mardi

  8. Lachitatu

    Mercredi

  9. Mmodzi

    Moko

  10. Awiri

    Mbala

  11. Atatu

    Misato

  12. Kumi

    Libwa

  13. Zana

    Sankuru

  14. Pachikhalidwe

    Bato

  15. Zambiri

    Soki

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