The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Lingala language. The words listed below are not the most common words, but a broad sampling of words. See the Word Lists page for more details.
| English | Lingala (lingála) |
| I | ngáí, na- |
| you (singular) | yɔ̌, o- |
| he | yě, a- *(person)*, e- *(thing)* |
| we | bísó, to- |
| you (plural) | bínó, bo- |
| they | bangó, [1] ba- *(persons)*, e-/i- *(things)* |
| this | óyo |
| that | wâná |
| here | áwa |
| there | kúná, wâná |
| who | náni *(interrogative)* |
| what | níni *(interrogative)* |
| where | wápi *(interrogative)* |
| when | ntángo *(interrogative)* |
| how | bóní *(interrogative)* |
| not | … tɛ́ |
| all | nyɛ́, tû |
| many | míngi |
| some | bɔ̌kɔ́ |
| few | mɔkɛ́mɔkɛ́ |
| other | mosúsu, -súsu |
| one | mɔ̌kɔ, -ɔ̌kɔ |
| two | míbalé, -íbalé |
| three | mísáto, -ísáto |
| four | mínei, -ínei |
| five | mítánɔ, -ítánɔ, mpáta |
| big | monɛ́nɛ, -nɛ́nɛ |
| long | monɛ́nɛ, -nɛ́nɛ, -laí |
| wide | -laí |
| thick | monɛ́nɛ, -nɛ́nɛ |
| heavy | bozitó, kiló, molito |
| small | mokɛ́, -kɛ́ |
| short | mokúsé, -kúsé |
| narrow | mokɛ́, -kɛ́ |
| thin | mokɛ́, -kɛ́ |
| woman | mwǎsí |
| man (adult male) | mobáli |
| man (human being) | moto |
| child | mwǎna |
| wife | bolóngani, mwǎsí |
| husband | bolóngani, mobáli |
| mother | mamá |
| father | tatá, papá |
| animal | nyama |
| fish | mbísi |
| bird | ndɛkɛ |
| dog | mbwá |
| louse | lonsili |
| snake | nyóka |
| worm | mpambó, mósɔ́pi, limpiká |
| tree | nzeté, mweté |
| forest | zámba |
| stick | nzeté |
| fruit | mbuma |
| seed | nyǎ, mbóto, bɔpɔ́ |
| leaf | nkásá |
| root | ntína |
| bark (of a tree) | lomposo |
| flower | fulɛ́lɛ, lómbé |
| grass | litíti |
| rope | nsi nga, moniɔlɔ́lɔ, likósi |
| skin | lomposo |
| meat | monsuni |
| blood | makilá |
| bone | monkúwa |
| fat (noun) | mafúta |
| egg | likeí, líki |
| horn | liséké, boséba |
| tail | mokɔndɔ́, mokíla |
| feather | lonsálá |
| hair | nsúki |
| head | motó |
| ear | litói |
| eye | líso |
| nose | zólo |
| mouth | mɔnɔkɔ |
| tooth | líno |
| tongue (organ) | lolému |
| fingernail | linzáka |
| foot | mopendé, lokolo |
| leg | lokolo |
| knee | libɔ́lɔ́ngɔ́, libɔ́ngɔ́ |
| hand | lobɔ́kɔ |
| wing | lipapú |
| belly | libumu |
| guts | nsɔpɔ́ |
| neck | nkíngó |
| back | mokɔngɔ |
| breast | ntólo |
| heart | motéma |
| liver | libale |
| to drink | -mɛlɛ |
| to eat | -lía |
| to bite | -swâ |
| to suck | -nyúnya, -núnga |
| to spit | -bwáka nsɔ́i |
| to vomit | -sánza |
| to blow | -pémela, -pɛpɛ |
| to breathe | -péma |
| to laugh | -sɛkɛ |
| to see | -mɔ́nɔ, -móna |
| to hear | -yóka |
| to know | -yéba |
| to think | -bánza, -kanisa |
| to smell | -núsa |
| to fear | -bánga |
| to sleep | -lála |
| to live | -vánda |
| to die | -kúfa |
| to kill | -boma |
| to fight | -bɛ́tɛnɛ, -bunda |
| to hunt | -bengana |
| to hit | -bɛ́tɛ |
| to cut | -kátakata, -káta |
| to split | -pasola |
| to scratch | -kóta, -nyaka, -kpaka, -kpala |
| to dig | -tímola |
| to swim | -nyanya, -túnga |
| to fly | -pimbwa |
| to walk | -támbola |
| to come | -yâ, -yáa, -úta |
| to lie (as in a bed) | -lálisana *(action)* |
| to sit | -vánda, -kisa *(action)* |
| to stand | -lamuka, -télema *(action)* |
| to turn (intransitive) | -balula |
| to fall | -kpâ |
| to give | -pésa, -kaba |
| to hold | -kamata |
| to squeeze | -kangisa |
| to rub | -bísa |
| to wash | -sukola |
| to wipe | -pangwisa |
| to pull | -bénda |
| to push | -tɔ |
| to throw | -bwáka |
| to tie | -kanga, -zínga, -línga |
| to sew | -sɔnɔ |
| to count | -tánga |
| to say | -loba |
| to sing | -yémba |
| to play | -sakana, -sana |
| to float | -tetwa, -tepa |
| to flow | -támbola |
| to swell | -vímba |
| sun | mói |
| moon | sánzá |
| star | monzɔ́tɔ |
| water | mái |
| rain | mbúla |
| river | mái, ebale |
| lake | etíma, nzálé |
| sea | mbú |
| salt | móngwa, mókpa |
| stone | libángá |
| sand | zɛ́lɔ |
| dust | putulú |
| earth | mabelé |
| cloud | lipata |
| fog | londendé |
| sky | likoló |
| wind | mompɛpɛ |
| smoke | mólinga |
| fire | mɔ́tɔ |
| ash | putulú |
| to burn | -pela, -zíka |
| road | balabála, nzɛlá |
| mountain | ngómbá |
| red | -táné |
| green | -bésu |
| yellow | -táne |
| white | mpɛ́mbɛ |
| black | molílí, -índo |
| night | butú |
| day | mokɔlɔ, mói |
| year | mbúla, mobú |
| warm | -tɔkɔ *(to warm up)* |
| cold | mpíɔ |
| full | má, mɛké |
| new | sika |
| old | kala |
| good | kitɔ́kɔ, malámu |
| bad | mabé |
| rotten | -pɔlɔ *(to go rotten)* |
| dirty | -bébisa *(to make dirty)* |
| straight | alimá |
| round | kílíkílí |
| sharp (as a knife) | -pela |
| dull (as a knife) | -túnú |
| smooth | patátálú, sɛ́lisɛ́li |
| wet | pɔlɔ |
| dry | -kauka *(to dry)* |
| correct | alimá, malongá, sémba, sɛló |
| near | mpɛmbɛ́ni |
| far | mosíká |
| right | a mobáli |