Note :
At the insistent request of some English-speaking visitors, I was forced to translate this lexicon from French to English. It’s a colossal job that took me a lot of time, I applied myself and tried to do my best. Despite this, since English is not my usual language, there could be some translation errors here and there. If you find any, do not hesitate to report them to me by writing to me through the contact page of this website.
Thank you in advance !
Lingala is a modern language that evolves in contact with other languages. In the streets of Kinshasa which is the man laboratory of this language, the Lingala you will hear is often different from the literary Lingala you learn in school, but over time, this spoken Lingala enriches the literary Lingala. The major influences of the evolution of Lingala are primarily due to the interpenetration with other national languages, mainly Kikongo because Kinshasa is enclosed in the Kikongophone area. Then, Lingala borrowed from French many terms that it seasoned in its sauce to give tasty expressions that constitute the major part of the neologisms present in this list. Other languages such as Portuguese, English or Spanish contribute to the enrichment of our language.
To be noted, a special mention will be given to the Portuguese, which is the first foreign language to permeate the Kikongo of the Kongo kingdom during the four centuries preceding Belgian colonization, then through the Kikongo the three other languages of the new Congolese state, including Lingala with several words that were neologisms of the past and have become common today, this is how we can quote words such as loso, mesa, sabuni, mateka, our famous makayabo and many others.
- NEOLOGISMS DERIVED FROM EUROPEAN LANGUAGES (French, Portuguese, …).
– adorasio : adoration
– aje (aze) : age
– akisio : action
– aleze : comfortable
– aliyanse : alliance
– alo-alo : phone
– alore : then, so
– angeleza : English
– aniveresere : anniversary, birthday
– ankete : inquiry, investigation, survey
– antene : antenna
– anvutema : bewitchment
– apaleyi : apparatus, device
– apare : apart, aside
– apelasio : appellation
– apui : support
– aritikile : article
– asansere : lift, elevator
– asase : murderer, murderess, assassin
– atribi : attribute
– avanse : advance
– avantaje : advantage
– banke : bank
– base : basin
– baze : base
– bila : balance sheet
– bilete : bulletin, school report
– biye : banknote, bill, ticket, ball
– bizare : weird, strange
– bombe : bomb
– boyikote : boycott
– bule : blue, ball
– buluweti : wheelbarrow
– dakoro : Okay, all right
– dayere : moreover, by the way
– dega : damage
– demaraje : start-up
– demisio : resignation
– demokrasia : democracy
– depite : deputy
– dese : drawing
– desizio : decision
– dezere : desert
– dezole : sorry, apologize
– disike : disc
– disipele : disciple
– dokima : document
– dokitrine : doctrine
– domene : domain, field, area
– doze : dose
– druwa : right, law
– dushe : shower
– dute : doubt
– efe : effect
– ekilibre : balance, equilibrium
– ekizample : example
– ekole : school
– ekonomi : economy
– elite : elite
– emperiyalisite : imperialist
– entere : interest
– enzeniere : engineer
– epoke : time, era
– ere : era
– eritaje : heritage, inheritance
– ero : hero
– esikaliye : stairs, stairway, staircase
– esike : does it, is it
– esikro : crook, swindler
– esikrokeri : swindle
– esipri : spirit, mind
– eta : state
– etide : study
– etidiya : student
– evre : work
– falamasi : pharmacy
– falanse : French
– fanatike : fanatic
– fenetele : window
– fenomene : phenomenon
– fikisio : fiction
– filime : film
– filozofi : philosophy
– fize : rocket
– fizike : physical, physics, gymnastics, sport
– fromaje : cheese
– galasi : ice
– gere : war
– gobele : cup
– grase : grace
– grupe : group
– gu : taste, flavour
– guvernema : government
– idole : idol
– ilizio : illusion
– imazinasio : imagination
– imazinere : imaginary
– jame : never
– jeran : manager
– kalite : quality
– kameme : still, anyway, though
– karitie : district
– kataloge : catalog
– kategori : category
– kelekepare : somewhere
– kelekeswa : whatever
– kifanatike : fanaticism
– kilitire : culture
– koanvute : to bewitch
– kobaze : to base
– kobenefisie : to benefit
– koboyikote : to boycott
– kodeborde : to overflow
– kodekuvrire : to discover
– kodemisione : to resign
– koderanze : to disturb, to make uncomfortable, to worry, to torment
– kodesevuare : to disappoint
– kodeside : to decide
– kodesine : to draw
– kodomine : to dominate
– koempoze : to impose
– koenvoke : to invoke
– koesikroke : to swindle
– koezite : to hesitate
– kofavorize : to promote
– kofonde : to found, to invent, to imagine, to create from scratch
– koforse : to force, to compel
– koganie : to win
– kokilike : to click
– kokiye : shell
– kokolabore : to collaborate
– kokolonize : to colonize
– kokominike : to communicate
– kokontamine : to contaminate
– kokoopere : to cooperate
– kokopie : to copy
– kokorije : to correct
– kokrake : to crack up, to be seduced, to fall under the spell
– kokreye : to create
– kolabo : collaborateur, collaborator, collaborationist
– kolaborasio : collaboration
– kolege : to bequeath, to leave
– koleje : secondary school, high school
– kolon : colonist
– kolonizasio : colonization
– komanke : to miss, to disrespect
– komatshe : to coincide, to match
– komenase : to threaten
– kometrize : to control, to master
– komine : commune
– kominikasio : communication
– kominike : communiqué, official-statement
– kominote : community
– komobilize : to mobilize
– kondisio : condition
– konesanse : knowledge
– konsekanse : consequence
– konsianse : consciousness, conscience
– kontere : counter
– kontrere : opposite
– konze : holyday, vacation
– kookipe : to occupy
– kooze : to dare
– kopi : copy
– kopiye : to plunder, to loot
– kopratike : to practise
– koprefere : to prefer
– koprofite : to benefit, to make a profit, to enjoy
– koprovoke : to provoke
– korekipere : to recover, to retrieve, to get back
– koreve : to dream, to see
– korezone : to reason, to think
– koshoke : to shock
– kosiporte : to support
– kosipoze : to suppose, to assume
– kosivilize : to civilize
– kosuanie : to treat, to take care of, to look after
– kosuwete : to wish
– kote : side
– kotraduire : to translate
– kotemuanie : to testify
– kovarie : to vary
– kovide : to finish, to empty
– koviole : to rape, to violate
– kovize : to target, to aim, to throw
– kovote : to vote, to elect
– kovuayaze : to travel
– koyimazine : to imagine
– kreyasio : creation
– kudeta : coup d’etat, putsch
– kuluware : corridor, street
– kuple : couple
– kura : current
– kurie : mail
– kurse : race, running, shopping, course
– kutime : custom
– kwen : corner, place
– labo : laboratory
– lavaje : pressing, dry cleaner’s
– lesibiene (lezibiene) : lesbian
– limiere : light
– lisite : list
– lodela : the Afterlife
– lokatele : tenant, lessee, leaseholder, lodger, roomer
– mafia : mafia
– majorite : majority
– malaleze : discomfort, uncomfortable
– malere : misfortune, unhappy, miserable
– malerezema : unfortunately
– maligre : despite, in spite of
– mantale : mental
– mantalite : mentality
– masakre : massacre
– masheti : machete
– medese : doctor
– medesine : medicine
– media : media
– menase : threat
– mesaje : message
– metele : meter, master
– miliye : middle
– minisitele : ministry, departement
– minisitre : minister
– misile : missile
– misio : mission
– misionere (misionele) : missionary
– nasionalite : nationality
– natire : nature
– natirele : natural
– odiyo : audio
– okazio : opportunity
– okipa : occupant
– okipasio : occupation
– okipe ! : busy !
– opozisio : opposition
– orke : whereas
– otorute : motorway, freeway, highway
– oseya : ocean
– palafo : ceiling
– palake : parquet, flooring, court, public prosecutor
– palaneti : planet
– pale : palace, house, home, domicile
– patro : boss
– pede : pederast, homosexual
– peple : people
– periyode : period, menses
– peye : pay
– pibilisite : publicity, advertising
– pine : tyre
– pisikoloji : psychology
– pisikolojike : psychological
– poligami : polygamy
– politike : politics, lie
– polopagandi : propaganda
– poloti : door
– poloze : project
– pompi : pump
– popilasio : population
– posite : post, station, position
– pratike : practice
– pre : ready, close
– preno : first name, forename
– presingi : pressing, dry cleaner’s
– presio : pressure
– preske : almost
– prezida : president
– prense : tarmac road
– produi : product
– profesi : prophecy
– progre : progress
– promosio : promotion
– provense : province
– purekua : why
– puvware : power
– pwa : weight, support
– pwazo : poison
– rase : race
– rebele : rebel
– rebelio : rebellion
– rekreyasio : recreation
– relasio : relationship
– relizio : religion
– reprezanta : epresentative
– resipe : respect
– reveye : awakening
– reyalite : reality
– rezilita : result
– rezo : network, reason
– rezo sosio : social networks
– risike : risk
– rite : rite
– role : role, part
– sakrifise : sacrifice
– salere : salary, wage
– santima : feeling
– santimetele : centimeter
– sanzefe : no effect, without effect
– sekise : sex, gender
– sekite : sect
– sekitele : district, sector
– selo : according to
– sembole : symbol
– senariste : screenwriter
– sene : scene
– seniele : lord
– seri : series
– shanse : chance, luck
– shedevre : masterpiece
– shefe : head, chief, leader
– sheke : cheque, check
– shekie : cheque book, checkbook
– sheri : darling
– shoke : shock, shocked
– shwa : choice
– sianse : science
– siekle : century
– sije : subject
– simisi / somisi : shirt
– sinema : cinema
– sinifikasio : meaning
– sipozisio : supposition, assumption
– sire : sure
– sirtu : especially
– sitiwasio : situation
– sitwaye : citizen
– sivilizasio : civilization
– solisio : solution
– sosiale : social
– sosiete : society, company
– stare : star
– suadiza : so-called, supposedly
– sudi : South
– suite : continuation
– sulajema : relief
– susi : worry, concern
– suvetema : underwear, undergarment
– tekinike : technical, technique
– tekinoloji : technology
– telefone : phone, telephone
– teleman : so much
– televizio : television
– temuaniaje : testimony, witness
– temwe : witness
– teritware : territoiry
– terorisite : terrorist
– teyatre : theater
– titele : title
– tribinale : tribunal, court
– tro : too much
– ture : turn, tower, tour
– valere : value
– verisio : version
– vi : life
– vide : empty, emptiness, void
– videyo : video
– vilaje : village
– vitese : speed, rate, velocity
– vizavi : opposite, vis-à-vis
– vote : vote, election
– vrema : really
– vuatile : car
– vuaze : neighbour
– wese : toilet
– wesiti : West
– yimazinasio : imagination
– zandalame : gendarme
- KINSHASA NEOLOGISMS.
– awa-toza : generous ass of a woman
– awimbawe : woman with generous forms
– balado : vagrant, thug
– bandayese : coward
– bayaya : comrades, friends
– belevi : affluent life, bourgeois life
– bilamba ya tralala : second-hand clothes, low-value clothes, rags
– Bilayi : divinity of fighting, spirit of anger, invocation of that spirit
– bilele : clothing, clothing for the SAEP
– bil : proud and arrogant boy
– bilokos : low-cost goods, second-hand products
– biro (office, second, third, …) : mistress
– bleblan : school uniform
– bof : brother-in-law
– bok : beer
– bolite : punch
– bonevi : affluent life, bourgeois life
– bore : object, thing
– bulanko : european, the white man
– bule : idea
– buluyeke : confusion, disorder, muddle, mess
– buro : fat, overweight person
– clair eleka yo : you are without embarrassment, you’re not afraid of anything
– damaje : food
– danze : great, extraordinary, impressive, terrific
– dekor : appearance
– defwa te : without equivalent, without comparison
– djenda : person who is used to satisfy one’s material needs
– djika : Belgian, Congolese residing in Belgium in particular and in Europe in general
– djo : guy, bloke, man, buddy, pal
– djogo : football player
– duble sim : bisexual, homosexual
– dudja : tough guy, strong-tempered person, kaid
– duser eleka : very charming, too sweet, too nice, too good
– dumar : chikwangue
– ekiri : group of friends, gang
– ere moko ! : see you later! see you next!
– fakwa : rogue, thief, crook, counterfeiter
– fara fara : face to face, facing each other
– fazer : lazy, vagrant, homeless
– fo : unreliable, false
– fo lar : small amount of money, low value currency
– fo motu : unreliable person
– forme : clothing, brand clothing, haute couture clothing
– foto pasepor : passport photo
– futere : incompetent, weak link in a team
– gayar zero : irresponsible adult living under the control of his parents or family
– gaze : success, fame, celebrity
– geto : home, residence, apartment
– goro : penis
– granpretre : very important person (V.I.P), famous person, wealthy person
– home : student residence
– ideoloji : idea, reasoning
– ingeta : affirmative, so be it in kikongo, rallying cry of Congolese patriots
– janre : as if
– jeton : sarcasm, taunt
– kabelo : hair to implant, hairpiece
– kadafi : informal gasoline seller
– karisme : deportment, presence, dignified attitude, pride
– katula kiadi : consolation partner, sentimental stopgap, consolation prize
– kawa : coffee
– kayu : work
– ketshi : shoes, sneakers
– kilebon : mushroom dish with caterpillars
– kingotolo : thief, swindler
– kitokolile : extreme beauty, great beauty, very beautiful
– (ki)tokos : beautiful, nice
– kobare : to kill, to bump off
– kobaye : to be fed up, to drop out, to get tired, to yawn
– kobaye : to drink, to smoke
– kobenda bote : to make oneself beautiful
– kobenda bule : to think, to reason, to become aware, to realize
– kobenda filime : to remember, to go back in time
– kobere : to bribe, to give money
– kobeta gazon : to bet
– kobeta ngos : to take a nap
– kobeta penalti : to have a screw
– kobeta poto : to miss one’s shot, to miss the target
– kobeta skantene : to perform a footwork as an expression of vanity
– kobeta skit : to lie, to tell tales
– kobeta virunga : to ravish the loving partner of a friend or relative
– kobipe : to turn on, to provoke, to seduce, to excite
– kobloke : to memorize, to learn by heart, to grasp
– kobombe : to sit down, to lie down
– kobule : to think
– kobuaka lisangu : to make a proposal, to give a broad hint
– kobuaka ngunda : to apply for political asylum
– kobuakela mutu ba jeton : to utter sarcastic innuendoes against someone, to denigrate
– kobuakela mutu bere : to accuse someone wrongly, to discredit someone
– kodame : to eat
– kodaye : to die, to give up the ghost
– kodie : to leave, to go away
– kodobe : to fuck, to perform a coitus
– kodonke : to spy on, to ogle
– kodoze : to lower the pitch, to calm things down, to slow down
– koedike : to educate
– kofakola : to steal, to make away with, to swindle
– kofaze : to rest, to lie down, to lounge, to laze
– kofole : to make eyes soft, to flirt
– kofute : to play badly, to pull the team down
– koganie ame : to convert someone to their faith in the church
– kogaze : to go away, to put one’s foot down, to step on the gas, to run away
– kogaze : to blame, to give hell
– kogete : to take a look, to look
– kokale : to prevent, to put a spoke in the wheels, to ambush
– kokanga (makolo) sizo : for a wife to refuse to perform the conjugal duty
– kokata mfumbwa : to wax
– kokata momi : to rape a girl
– kokende lipapu : to be turned away, to be deported by air to their country of origin
– kokobar : elderly person
– kokopere : to manage, to negotiate, to engage in informal business activity
– kokota mutu doute : to doubt someone
– kokrake : to be seduced, to fall under the spell, to crack up
– kokretshe : to mock, to slander, to make fun of someone, to speak ill of someone
– kokuanga : to have sex in exchange for a benefit
– kokuanza mutu : to take advantage of someone
– kolata botine : to put on a condom
– kolekela mutu espri : to deceive someone, to take someone for an idiot
– kolekisa mutu : to sacrifice someone
– kolela for : to be very fond of, to make crave, to hope intensely
– kolia linioko : to work in harsh conditions, to work hard
– kolia mutu ba pwen : to put someone at fault, to take over someone
– kolingela mutu bule : to have a grudge against someone, to conspire against someone
– komanke : to be disrespectful
– komela ti na mutu : to perform a sexual act with someone
– kopakola mutu bere : to make someone carry the can, to accue someone wrongly
– kope : business, informal activity to make money, deal, cooperation
– kopembenize : to set aside, to marginalize, to exclude, to banish
– koperan : person who practises resourcefulness, agent of an informal trade
– kopesa gu : to make tasty, to give pleasure, to make pleasant to the taste
– kopesa mua janre : to make a good impression, to give the illusion
– kopolisa ekipe : to disappoint, to lose face, to make the team lose
– koreve : to see, to realize
– korevese : to unmask, to expose, to reveal, to unveil, to expose
– kosakana na espri ya mutu : to take someone for less than nothing, to make fun of somebody
– kosala mua janre : to pretend, to look pretty, to give a good image of oneself
– kosala mutu fo : to beat someone up, to undermine someone’s physical integrity
– kosalela aje : to behave according to age, to live according to age
– koshaye : to sell door to door, to peddle on the streets, to practice itinerant trading
– koshina : to extract money from someone by using their charm
– kosimba tushe : to throw in the towel, to be sidelined, to be had, to get ripped off
– kosimbisa tushe : to push to the fault, to trap, to put in difficulty, to challenge, to marginalize
– kosinie eyoma : to start a fight, to declare war
– kosinie mutu : to settle somebody’s hash, to beat someone up, to execute someone
– kosopa bule : to betray (oneself), to reveal (oneself), to spill the beans
– kosubela kura : to suffer the consequences of rashness, to take ill-considered risks
– kotante : to wait
– kotia ba kale : to prevent, to throw a spanner wrench in the works, to put a spoke in the wheels
– kotia malaleze : to bother, to embarrass, to upset, to make uncomfortable
– kotia mutu na tan : to inform someone
– kotia mutu pwa : to support someone, to support someone by exercising their influence
– kotole : to give someone the patter in order to get money from them, to beg through flattery
– kotsheke : to beg
– kowaye : to lie
– kowuye : to take in, to take for aa ride
– kozala mwendre : to be insignificant
– kozala na gaze : to be in great form, to be in demand, to be in vogue
– kozala na tan : to be aware of, to be on page
– kozimela : to watch closely, to keep a close eye on
– kozua lipapu : to get deported and fly home
– kozua mutu mwendre : to underestimate someone, to take someone for less than nothing
– kraka : handcuffs
– kretche : taunt, mockery, slander, backbiting
– kroko : ticket controller
– kuluware : the street, path, corridor
– kwen : place, spot
– lar : money
– leke-leke : person who lives on her charms, prostitute
– lele : lesbian
– lembele : weak, coward
– libanga : verbal dedication
– libumu ndunda : pot-belly, tanker truck
– lifanto (lifanti) : child
– lifuendende : homosexual, fag
– ligablo : store, shop, booth
– likonda : money
– lisango : stick mike
– litshe : shirt
– lizeze : woman of easy virtue, slut
– lokuange : casting couch
– Lola : paradise, Europe or North America considered as paradise
– lotshotsho (litshotsho) : money, dough, lolly
– lubuaku : prison
– mampuya : deprivation of sexual relations, person in sexual abstinence
– mangokoto : respectable, honorable
– mangoya : family allowances, social benefits
– mari-bongwana : homosexual
– mario : gigolo
– masolo ya kati : confidences, private conversations, intimate conversations
– matshe : matchbox
– matshe eza bien ! : it’s a good idea! everything is going well! we are on the right track!
– matshe eza wooh ! : everything is perfect! the result is achieved! everything is going well!
– matoliste : person who lives thanks to his sales pitch, professional beggar
– matolo : sweet talk to get money, begging
– mbenda : alcoholic beverage
– mbendre : idiot, naive person
– mbeyi : money
– mbila : police officer
– mère duble : mother of twins
– metshiola : halfcaste
– mfuengi : woman’s behind
– miar : hunger
– mikili : European or North American countries, foreign countries outside of Africa
– mikiliste : African living in Europe or North America
– minerval : school fees
– mista (masta) : friend, comrade
– mistike : amazing, strange, sensational, mysterious, unusual, extraordinary, unpredictable
– mogondo : person who dresses elegantly and who likes to flaunt himself
– mogroso : corpulent person, wholesaler, receiver
– mokonfia : confidant(e), person whom one has the confidence
– mokuli : mature woman
– momi : chick, girl
– mongbobu : penis
– mopila : driver
– motshada : whore, bitch
– mua genre : good impression
– muana mayi : childhood friend, comrade, classmate, fellow countryman, child of the country
– mudungu : phenomenon of borrowing and wearing another person’s clothing
– mukomprena : misunderstanding
– mushina : relationship maintained for the purpose of obtaining money or material goods
– mushina : naive person with whom one maintains a relationship for the sole material benefit
– nalela yo for : I love you, I’m crazy about you, I’m a fan of you
– ndibu : North African, Arab
– ndombolo : Congolese dance created in the late 90’s
– ndule : song, music tune
– nduleman : singer, music professional
– ngibi : penis
– ngulu : stowaways in the suitcases of a real passenger
– niar : vulva, vagina
– noko : guy, sir, man
– ntshofa (tshofa) : driver
– pata-punia : worthless, without consideration
– payini : bread
– peyiba : buttock
– pir : real
– pir moto na ngai (pir ngai) : very close person, trusted person, true friend
– plan : object, thing, thingummy
– pleyi : young man, handsome fellow
– potanaje : confrontation, dispute
– pretre : V.I.P, wealthy person, influential person, star, strong man
– prezo : president
– rando : punitive expedition on one or more individuals in retaliation
– robot : road traffic agent in charge of repressing bad drivers
– rondo : pregnancy
– salamu : greeting, hello
– salomo : under-housed person who squats in the living room sofa
– shayer : street vendor
– shege : street child, homeless child
– shida : business, mission to be accomplished to earn money
– shiklet : chewing gum
– shimbok : cigarette
– simanteri : generous backside of a woman
– skiveur : liar, crook
– sopeka : expression designating or characterizing begging
– sorodiongo : sorcerer, devil, genius of evil
– tantine : miss, madame, auntie
– terase : bar-restaurant in open space where music is played
– teren : the street, the outside, the place of life
– tierse : whore, prostitute
– tindika : informer
– tsheke : money obtained through the pitch, solicited tip, resourcefulness through the pitch
– tshel : , prostitute
– tshia fouin : product ingested to make the buttocks grow
– tshik : class, school
– tshoko : skin lightening product, skin depigmentation
– tshombo : mobile phone (device)
– tshombo tshombo : let’s call each other on the phone, we stay in touch
– tshoro : vampire, evil spirit, sorcerer
– tshweke : tip, bribe
– tubelezi : woman with well-stocked pelvis, woman with large buttocks
– ujana : young girl forced to offer herself to mature men to survive
– vewe : homosexual, pederast, in reference to the famous car whose engine is in the back
– vie : big brother, father, guardian, mark of respect that designates an elder
– virunga : seduction of the partner in love of a friend or relative
– vre djo : handsome man, handsome guy
– vre momi : beautiful woman, pretty girl
– vungule : bean and corn dish served in Congolese prisons
– waya ! : that’s a lie ! it’s bluff !
– wewa : moto-taxi, moto-taxi driver
– yaka tovanda : concubinage
– ya moto (mere ya moto): mine (my own mother)
– ya wuf : free, crazy, insane
– yaya : guy, man
– yebela vizion : take care of yourself, think of what awaits you, beware the consequences
– ye mei : himself in person
– yeyeye (yoyoyo) : pleasure, enjoyment
– yongololo : idiot
– zakalaha : culinary preparation to keep her husband or lover under her thumb
– zero fote : without fail, perfect
– ziani : Parisian
– zododo : new euphoric alcoholic beverage with devastating effects
– zumbel : hemp, cannabis, marijuana