dictionary / translation Lingala

po
mpósonorous consonant

for

mpo te
so that / for that

mpo na
because

mpo na nini
why

po na biso-biso se na SKOL
© unibra

see also : ponà, mpona

36 examples (bandakisa ntúkú mísáto na motóbá) ...

Motema na ngai ezali kobeta po na yo: My heart beats for you
Obangisi ye po na nini ?: Why did you scare him ?
Mama azali kolela po na nini ? Ntina nini ?: Why is mom crying ? For what reason ?
amati bisi po na kokende na zando.: He took the bus to the market.
... po na kozonga. ... po azonga. ... po azali kozonga.: ... to come back. ... so that he would come back. ... because he's coming back.
lakisa ngai nzela po na kokende na Kintambo.: Show me the way to go to Kintambo.
ezali esengo na ngai po na komona moko na moko na bino na liyangani oyo na sima ya nzanga.: It a pleasure for me to see everyone of you in this afternoon cult.
manguele mpe kisi ezali te po na kobatela moto azua VIH to bokono ya SIDA te.: There's no vaccine nor a medicine to protect someone from acquiring HIV or the disease AIDS.
Akufaki mpo na koningana ya mabele.: He died in an earthquake.
bazui singa po babenda mutuka: They took the rope to pull the car.
Po na nini mibali ya lelo balingi lisusu te babotine ?: Why don't today's men want condoms anymore ?
tata, mama, ndeko, tofuta mpaku ya mabele, po totonga ville ya kinshasa: papa, mama, cousin, let's pay the ground tax, so that we build the city of Kinshasa
po na kozwa bis okoki kosomba tiké po na mokolo moko, sanza moko to mbula mobimba.: To take the bus, you can buy a ticket for one day, one month or a whole year.
Bambanda na nga nyoso bafandeli yo po na mbongo na yo: all my rivals stay with you for your money
nalangwi na lolango po na yo: I'm drunk of love for you
ezali te po tomelaka na nganda moko, nde tokomi baninga: It's not because we use to drink at the same café, that we became friends
ozali po na nga eyano na mikakatano, nzela ya solo ya kotambola, yesu na nga, kumama: You are for me the answer to the problems, the real way to walk, my Jesus, be praised
bangotobobo bakima ntshik po nua eleki na bongo: The idiots have fled school because there's too much weed in the brain
yaka po tokende kotala yaya na yo ya mwasi: Come so we go see your big sister
naye po tosolola likambo wana: I came so that we discuss that problem
komela masanga ya sukali mingi te. eza malamu te po na mino.: Don't drink much sweet drinks. It's not good for your teeth.
tata naza na posa ya mbongo po nasomba bilamba: Father, I need money to buy clothes.
nazozela supu na ngai ebela po nalia: I'm waiting for my soup to be ready for me to eat.
sukola kikalungu po eza salite: Wash that pan because it is dirty.
kobela te po lobi tokobina: Don't be sick because tomorrow we will dance.
ebongi obima na mwana na yo po azua mopepe: You should step out with your child so he can take some aire.
yela ngai mwa ndambo ya loso po nalia: Bring me a small portion of rice so that I eat.
sala nyonso olingi po nakuta ye awa te !: Do everything you want so that I don't find her here.
Mwana oyo libota naye basundola ye po akoma bulawayo.: That child, her family abandoned her because she became a prostitute.
Nalembi koliya bazoka oyo po epesi nga mbanga pasi: I'm tired of eating this chewing gum, cause it makes my jaw hurt.
Azali na nkanda mpo na ngai.: He's mad at me (he has anger because of me)
Nakoki komona eloko te mpo na molili.: I could see nothing because of the darkness.
Napesi Nzambe matondi mpo na yo: I thank God for you.
ndenge ya komibatela : na capote. Nzela ya malamu koleka mpo na komibatela ezali kosalela capote: the way to protect oneself : with a condom. The best method to protect oneself is to use a condom.
bana bavandaki na mabele mpo na bakiti ezalaki te. source: Espérance-François Ngayibata Bulayumi, Mosuni: The children sat on the ground because there were no chairs.
mbinzo ezali malamu mpo na koliya.: The caterpillar is good to eat.

Article : consonants

In Lingala, sometimes you hear "nsoso" and sometimes you hear "soso". You might get the impression that
it would be free to choose wether to use the first letter m or n when the word starts with two consonants,
but in reality there is a precise rule for it :

In lingala, the first letter m or n may be ommitted for words that start with mp, nt, ns or nk.
(The voiced consonants - FR: Les consonnes sonores)

NK
nkama / kama	cent
nkingo / kingo	cou
nkisi / kisi	médicament
nkulutu / kulutu	aîné
nkoba / koba	tortue

MP
mpinzoli / pinzoli	larme
mpo / po	pour
mpamba / pamba	nul
mpuku / puku	souris
mpongi / pongi	sommeil

NS
nse / se	dessous
nsoso / soso	poulet
nsambo / sambo	sept
nsango / sango	information
nsinga / singa	fil

NT
ntina / tina	importance
ntolo / tolo	torse
ntalo / talo	valeur
ntango / tango	temps
ntaba / taba	chèvre

In all other cases, the first letter is mandatory.
(The unvoiced consonants - FR: Les consonnes sourdes)

NG
nguya	pouvoir
ngai	moi
nganda	bar
nguba	arachide
ngulu	cochon

MB
mboka	village
mbeli	couteau
mbetu	lit
mbila	palmier
mbisi	poisson

ND
ndako	maison
ndeko	cousin
ndakisa	exemple
ndumba	prostituée
ndunda	légume

NZ
nzoto	corps
nzete	arbre, baton
nzela	chemin
nzungu	marmite
nzala	faim

NY
nyei	excrément
nyoso	rien
nyoka	serpent
nyama	animal
nyongo	dette

translation / dictionary Lingala - English