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Common Yoruba to Lingala phrases

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

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

    Mbote (bawoh)

  2. O seun

    Melesi (oh shayoon)

  3. E kaaro

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo (eh kah-roh)

  4. E kaasan

    Mbote na ntango ya midi (eh kah-sahn)

  5. E kuurole

    Mbote na ntango ya soir (eh koo-roh-leh)

  6. O daaro

    Malamu na butu (oh dah-roh)

  7. A ri e laipe

    Tala yo nsima (ah ree eh lie-peh)

  8. O dabọ

    Kende malamu (oh dah-boh)

  9. Kí ni orukọ rẹ?

    Nkombo na yo nani? (kee nee oh-roo-koh reh)

  10. Orukọ mi ni John

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John (oh-roo-koh mee nee John)

  11. Bawo ni?

    Ozalaki malamu? (bawoh nee)

  12. Inu mi dun lati pade e

    Nayoki malamu na yo (ee-noo mee doon lah-tee pah-deh eh)

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ṣe o n sọ Gẹ́gẹ́?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Mi ò sọ Hindi dáadáa

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Mi ò ye mi

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Jọwọ sọ ní kíkankíkan

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

  5. Ṣe o le sọ é lẹ́ẹ̀kan síi?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Nibo ni baluwe wa?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Báwo ni mo ṣe lọ sí àárín ìlú?

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

  8. Yí si apa osi

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Yí si apa otun

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Lọ taara

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Elo ni owo ọkọ?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Ticket kan, jọwọ

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

  13. Ṣe ó jìnà síbí?

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

  14. Mo ti sọnù

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

  15. Nibo ni mo ti le ra kaadi SIM?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Bẹẹni

    Oyo

  2. Rara

    Te

  3. Bóyá

    Soki

  4. Mo gba

    Nalingi

  5. Mo kọ

    Nalingi te

  6. Iyẹn dára

    Eza malamu

  7. Kí ni ìrònú rẹ?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Ṣé o lè ràn mí lọ́wọ́?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Mo nílò ìrànlọ́wọ́

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Dákẹ́ díẹ̀

    Sunga moke

  11. Mo bínú

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Kò sí ìṣòro

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Ẹ kú àṣeyọrí

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Ẹ kú ọjọ́ ibi

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Ṣe ìrìn àjò tó ààbò

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Nibo ni ibudo ọkọ oju-irin wa?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (Nibo ni ibudo bosi wa?)

  3. Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (Ibo ni pẹpẹ naa?)

  4. Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (Iwo wo ni o fi n lọ?)

  5. Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (Ṣe eyi ni ọna to tọ?)

  6. O sunmọ ibi yi

    Ezali pene awa.

  7. O jinna si ibi yi

    Ezali mbali awa.

  8. Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (Ṣe o le fihan mi lori maapu?)

  9. Duro nibi, jọwọ

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Bawo ni igba wo ni o gba?

    Ekozala ntango nini?

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Elo ni eyi?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini? (elo ni eyi)

  2. Eyi jẹ́ gbowó púpọ̀

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo. (eyi je gbowo pupo)

  3. Ṣe o ni nkan tó rọrùn?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke? (se o ni nkan to rorun)

  4. Ṣe mo le sanwo pẹ̀lú kaadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte? (se mo le sanwo pelu kaadi)

  5. Mo fẹ́ tábìlì fún méjì

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale. (mo fe tabili fun meji)

  6. Iwe isanwo, jọwọ

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît. (iwe isanwo jowo)

  7. Ṣe iṣẹ́ wa nínú?

    Service eza na kati? (se ise wa ninu)

  8. Mo jẹ́ onjẹ ẹfọ

    Nazali mvegetarian. (mo je onje efo)

  9. Kò sí onjẹ tó ní ìkà, jọwọ

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît. (ko si onje to ni ika jowo)

  10. Eyi dára

    Yango ezali malamu. (eyi dara)

  11. Ṣe mo le ní àtòjọ onjẹ?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît. (se mo le ni atojo onje)

  12. Gilaasi omi, jọwọ

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît. (gilaasi omi jowo)

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Pe iroyin ọlọpa

    Tindá polisi (pe iroyin olopa)

  2. Pe ambulance

    Tindá ambulance (pe ambulance)

  3. Mo nilo dokita

    Nalingi médecin (mo nilo dokita)

  4. Mo n ni irora

    Nazali na maladi (mo n ni irora)

  5. Mo ni àkúnya sí ẹ̀fọ́

    Nazali na allergie na mbala (mo ni akunya si efo)

  6. Nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi? (nibo ni ile-iwosan to sunmo)

  7. O n dun nibi

    Ezalaka na nse awa (o n dun nibi)

  8. Mo padanu iwe irinna mi

    Nazwi passport na ngai (mo padanu iwe irinna mi)

  9. Se o le pe hotẹẹli mi?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai? (se o le pe hoteeli mi)

  10. I ranlọwọ!

    S.O.S! (i ranlọwọ)

Work and business

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

  1. Inu mi dun lati pade e

    Nasepeli na yo (Inu mi dun lati pade e)

  2. Jẹ ki a ṣe ipade

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Iwo, wo ni akoko ti o ba mu?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Mo maa fi iroyin ranṣẹ loni

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Se a le ba ara wa sọrọ ni ọla?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Jọwọ ri faili ti a so mọ́

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

  7. O seun fun akoko rẹ

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Mo n reti lati ṣiṣẹ pẹlu rẹ

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Se o le ṣalaye aaye yẹn?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Jẹ ki n pada sọrọ si ọ

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Akoko ipari ni 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. Kini akoko to wa?

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

  2. O ti di mẹta

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

  3. Loni

    Lelo (loni)

  4. Ọla

    Bokoko (ọla)

  5. Ana

    Kaka (ana)

  6. Ọjọ́ Ajé

    Lundi (ọjọ́ ajé)

  7. Ọjọ́ Iṣẹ́gun

    Mardi (ọjọ́ iṣẹ́gun)

  8. Ọjọ́ Rú

    Mercredi (ọjọ́ rú)

  9. Ọkan

    Moko (ọkan)

  10. Meji

    Mbala (meji)

  11. Mẹta

    Misato (mẹta)

  12. Mẹwa

    Libwa (mẹwa)

  13. Ọgọ́rùn-ún

    Sankuru (ọgọ́rùn-ún)

  14. Idaji

    Bato (idaji)

  15. Diẹ sii

    Soki (diẹ sii)

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