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Common Zulu to Lingala phrases

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

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

    Mbote

  2. Ngiyabonga

    Melesi

  3. Sawubona

    Mbote na ntango ya mokolo

  4. Good afternoon

    Mbote na ntango ya midi

  5. Ubusuku obuhle

    Mbote na ntango ya soir

  6. Lala kahle

    Malamu na butu

  7. Sizobonana

    Tala yo nsima

  8. Hamba kahle

    Kende malamu

  9. Ubani igama lakho?

    Nkombo na yo nani?

  10. Igama lami nginguJohn

    Nkombo na ngai ezali John

  11. Unjani?

    Ozalaki malamu?

  12. Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

    Nayoki malamu na yo

Useful phrases for travellers

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

  1. Ukhuluma isiNgisi?

    Ozali koloba lingala? (ozali koloba lingala)

  2. Angikhulumi kahle isiHindi.

    Nasalaka hindi malamu te (nasalaka hindi malamu te)

  3. Angiqondi.

    Nalingi te (nalingi te)

  4. Ngiyacela, khuluma kancane.

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

  5. Ungakuphinda lokho?

    Okoki koloba yango lisusu? (okoki koloba yango lisusu)

  6. Iphi indlu yangasese?

    Bato ya nzoto ezali wapi? (bato ya nzoto)

  7. Ngiyawufika kanjani emaphandleni?

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

  8. Jika kwesobunxele.

    Tika na mobali (tika na mobali)

  9. Jika kwesokudla.

    Tika na mwasi (tika na mwasi)

  10. Hamba phambili.

    Kende na ntango (kende na ntango)

  11. Inani lokuhamba lingakanani?

    Mbala nini ezali? (mbala nini)

  12. Ithikithi elilodwa, ngiyacela.

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

  13. Ingabe kude lapha?

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

  14. Ngilahlekile.

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

  15. Ngaphi engingathenga khona i-SIM card?

    Nakanisi wapi nakokota SIM card? (nakokota SIM card)

Everyday conversation

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

  1. Yebo

    Oyo

  2. Cha

    Te

  3. Mhlawumbe

    Soki

  4. Ngiyavuma

    Nalingi

  5. Angivumi

    Nalingi te

  6. Lokho kuzwakala kahle

    Eza malamu

  7. Ucabanga ukuthini?

    Oyo olingi nini?

  8. Ungangisiza?

    Okoki kosalisa ngai?

  9. Ngidinga usizo

    Naza na bosenga ya kosalisa

  10. Linda umzuzu

    Sunga moke

  11. Ngiyaxolisa

    Nasalaki mabe

  12. Akukho nkinga

    Nani azali na problème

  13. Halala

    Mokolo malamu

  14. Usuku olumnandi lokuzalwa

    Mokolo ya mbotama malamu

  15. Uhambo olunempilo

    Zala na nzela ya malamu

Directions and getting around

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

  1. Iphi isitishi sesitimela?

    Eko zali wapi? (Eko zali wapi?)

  2. Iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi?

    Eko zali wapi na bis? (iphi indawo yokuma kwebhasi)

  3. Iphi ipulatifomu?

    Eko zali na esika nini? (iphi ipulatifomu)

  4. Ithini isikhathi sokuhamba?

    Ekozanga na ntango nini? (ithini isikhathi sokuhamba)

  5. Ingabe le yindlela efanele?

    Oyo ezali nzela ya malamu? (ingabe le yindlela efanele)

  6. Ikhaya lapha eduze

    Ezali pene awa. (ikhaya lapha eduze)

  7. Ikude lapha

    Ezali mbali awa. (ikude lapha)

  8. Ungangikhombisa emmaphini?

    Okoki kolakisa ngai na kati ya mape? (ungangikhombisa emmaphini)

  9. Misa lapha, ngiyacela

    Tika awa, s'il vous plaît. (misa lapha, ngiyacela)

  10. Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani?

    Ekozala ntango nini? (kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani)

Shopping and dining

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

  1. Kubiza malini lokhu?

    Mbongo ya yango eza nini?

  2. Lokho kubiza kakhulu.

    Yango eza mabe na mbongo.

  3. Unayo yini ethengiswa ngentengo ephansi?

    Ozali na makambo mosusu ya mbongo moke?

  4. Ngiyakwazi ukukhokha ngekhadi?

    Nalingi kobonga na carte?

  5. Ngifuna itafula labantu ababili.

    Nalingi meka mpo na mibale.

  6. Ibhili, ngiyacela.

    Liyangani, s'il vous plaît.

  7. Inkonzo ifakiwe?

    Service eza na kati?

  8. Ngiyisithuthuthu.

    Nazali mvegetarian.

  9. Ngicela ukudla okungashisayo.

    Bokoya biloko ya mabe, s'il vous plaît.

  10. Lokhu kuhle.

    Yango ezali malamu.

  11. Ngicela imenyu?

    Nalingi menu, s'il vous plaît.

  12. Ingilazi yamanzi, ngiyacela.

    Leki ya mayi, s'il vous plaît.

Emergencies and health

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

  1. Shayela amaphoyisa

    Tindá polisi

  2. Shayela i-ambulensi

    Tindá ambulance

  3. Ngidinga udokotela

    Nalingi médecin

  4. Ngizizwa ngigula

    Nazali na maladi

  5. Ngine-allergy kumantongomane

    Nazali na allergie na mbala

  6. Iphi isibhedlela esiseduze?

    Hospital ya liboso ezali wapi?

  7. Kubuhlungu lapha

    Ezalaka na nse awa

  8. Ngilahlekelwe ipasipoti yami

    Nazwi passport na ngai

  9. Ungashayela ihhotela lami?

    Okoki kotinda hôtel na ngai?

  10. Usizo!

    S.O.S!

Work and business

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

  1. Ngiyajabula ukukwazi

    Nasepeli na yo

  2. Masihlele umhlangano

    Tika tozala na mitema

  3. Yisiphi isikhathi esikufanele?

    Ngai nalobi ntango nini ekozala malamu na yo?

  4. Ngizothumela umbiko namuhla

    Naboya raport lelo

  5. Singakhuluma kusasa?

    Tango tozali na mposo?

  6. Sicela uthole ifayela elixhunywe

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

  7. Ngiyabonga ngalesi sikhathi

    Mersi mpo na ntango na yo

  8. Ngibheke phambili ekusebenzeni nawe

    Nasalela yo na mosala

  9. Ungacacisa leyo ndaba?

    Okoki kosala likambo yango malamu?

  10. Ngizobuyela kuwe

    Napesi yo nzela

  11. Usuku lokugcina 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. Kuyini isikhathi?

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

  2. Kuyisithathu

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

  3. Namuhla

    Lelo (nah-moo-hlah)

  4. Kusasa

    Bokoko (koo-sah-sah)

  5. Izolo

    Kaka (ee-zoh-loh)

  6. uMsombuluko

    Lundi (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  7. uMsombuluko

    Mardi (oom-sohm-boo-loo-koh)

  8. uLwesithathu

    Mercredi (ool-weh-see-thah-thu)

  9. Kunye

    Moko (koon-yeh)

  10. Kubili

    Mbala (koo-bee-lee)

  11. Kuthathu

    Misato (koo-thah-thu)

  12. Ishumi

    Libwa (ee-shoo-mee)

  13. Ishumi elinhlanu

    Sankuru (ee-shoo-mee eh-leen-hlah-noo)

  14. Iphinifa

    Bato (ee-pee-nee-fah)

  15. Okuningi

    Soki (oh-koo-neen-gee)

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