Translate now

Common Xhosa to Lingala phrases

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

← Back to Xhosa to Lingala Translator

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

    Mbote

  2. Enkosi

    Melesi

  3. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Lala ngoxolo

    Malamu na butu

  7. Ndiza kubonana kamva

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Hamba kakuhle

    Kende malamu

  9. Ngubani igama lakho?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Igama lam nguJohn

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Unjani?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Uthetha isiNgesi?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Andithethi isiHindi kakuhle

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Andiqondi

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Nceda thethe kancinci

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

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Iphi ibhafu?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ndingafika njani kwi mveliso ye dolophu?

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

  8. Jolisa kwesokunxele

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Jolisa kwesokudla

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Hamba ngqo

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Iholo ingakanani?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Ithikithi elinye, nceda

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

  13. Ingakanani ukusuka apha?

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

  14. Ndilahlekile

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

  15. Nphi endinokuthenga khona iSIM card?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Ewe

    Oyo

  2. Hayi

    Te

  3. Mhlawumbi

    Soki

  4. Ndiyavuma

    Nalingi

  5. Andivumi

    Nalingi te

  6. Okuhle

    Eza malamu

  7. Ucinga ntoni?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Ungandinceda?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Ndidinga uncedo

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Sunga moke

  11. Ndicela uxolo

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Akukho ngxaki

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Wamkelekile

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Uhambo olukhuselekileyo

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Uphi umphakathi wemithwalo?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Uphi umphakathi weebhasi?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (uphi umphakathi weebhasi)

  3. Yeyiphi iphondo?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (yeyiphi iphondo)

  4. Ihamba ngexesha elingakanani?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (ihamba ngexesha elingakanani)

  5. Ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (ngaba le yindlela efanelekileyo)

  6. Ikho kufutshane apha

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. Ikude apha

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Ungandibonisa kwiimeko?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (ungandibonisa kwiimeko)

  9. Misa apha, nceda

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Ithatha ixesha elingakanani?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Ithini le mali?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Le mali ibiza kakhulu.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Unayo into engabizi?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Ndingakhokha ngekhadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Ndicela itafula lempahla ezimbini.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Ibhili, nceda.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Ingaba inkonzo ibandakanyekile?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ndiyavegetarian.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Akukho ukutya okunobhotolo, nceda.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Oku kumnandi.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Ndingafumana imenyu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Ingxube ye water, nceda.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Biza uphondo

    Tindá polisi

  2. Biza i-ambulensi

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ndifuna ugqirha

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ndiziva ndingalunganga

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ndine-allergy kwi-peanuts

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Uphi umphakathi oseduze?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Kubuhlungu apha

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Ndilahlekelwe yi passport yam

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Ungabiza ihotele yam?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Uncedo!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Kuhle ukukwazi

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Yiphi ixesha elikufaneleyo?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Ndiza kuthumela ingxelo namhlanje

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Singathetha ngomso?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Nceda ufumane ifayile ehlanganisiweyo

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

  7. Enkosi ngexesha lakho

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ndijonge phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Ungacacisa le ndawo?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Mna ndiza kubuyela kuwe

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Umhla wokugqibela nguLwesihlanu

    Mokolo ya kokanga ezali Vendredi

Time, days and numbers

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

  1. Yintoni ixesha?

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

  2. Iiyure ezintathu

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

  3. Namhlanje

    Lelo (Nam-hlan-je)

  4. Manga

    Bokoko (Man-gah)

  5. Izolo

    Kaka (Ee-zoh-loh)

  6. Mvulo

    Lundi (M-vu-lo)

  7. Lwesibini

    Mardi (Lwe-si-bi-nee)

  8. Lwesithathu

    Mercredi (Lwe-si-tha-thu)

  9. Ene

    Moko (Eh-neh)

  10. Mbini

    Mbala (M-bee-nee)

  11. Thathu

    Misato (Thah-thu)

  12. Ishumi

    Libwa (Ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Ishumi elinye

    Sankuru (Ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-yeh)

  14. Umgama

    Bato (Um-gah-mah)

  15. Ngaphezulu

    Soki (Ngah-peh-zulu)

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

Open translator