Lingala grammar-gctid91549

[Mani Kongo]

LINGALA GRAMMAR

NOUNS

The indefinite article "a" (or an) is "mókó", whether it is a masculine or a feminine noun. "mókó" always stands after a noun,

a bed: mbéto mókó
a day: mokolo mókó
a woman: mwási mókó
an idea: likanisi mókó

Note that "mókó" also means: one.
For example:
moto mókó: one person

The definite article "the" does not exist in Lingala:

the man: mobáli
the woman: mwási
the knife: mbelí
the answer: eyano

The plural of most nouns in Lingala is formed with "ba", placed before a noun:

kópo (glas) ba kópo (glasses)
nzeté (tree) ba nzeté (trees)
ndáko (house) ba ndáko (houses)
nzúbé (thorn) ba nzúbé (thorns)

But there are some exceptions. The plural of some nouns, which begin with "li" or "lo", is formed with "ma". The latter replaces "li" or "lo":

The plural of some nouns, which begin with "mo", is formed with "mi". The latter replaces "mo":

moyíbi (thief) miyíbi (thieves)
mobáli: (man) mibáli (men)
mololo: (day) mikolo (days)
mondélé: (white person) mindélé: (white persons)

The plural of very few nouns, which begin with "mwá", is formed with "ba". The latter replaces "mwá":

mwási (woman) bási (women)
mwána (child) bána (children)

PERSONAL PRONOUNS

ngáí - I

yó - you

yé - he/she/it

bísó - we

bínó - you

bangó - they

Example:
Kozala... to be...

ngáí nazalí kitoko I am beautiful

yó ozalí kitoko you are beautiful

yé azalí kitoko he/she/it is beautiful

bísó tozalí kitoko we are beautiful

bínó bozalí kitoko you are beautiful

bangó bazalí kitoko they are beautiful

Note that personal pronouns are, very often, not used in Lingala. So instead of saying "yé azali kitoko", people usually say "azalí kitoko", or "aza kitoko".

Vocabulary:

áwa: here
kúná: there
wápi: où
níni: what ?
náni: who?

Ten Verbs to learn:

kobomba : to keep
koyebisa : to tell
kobosana: to forget
koyoka: to listen; to hear
kosenga: to ask
koluka: to seek; to search
Kotosa: to obey; to comply with; to abide by
kopesa: to give
Kosalisa: to help
kobatela: to protect

Source : http://lingala-direct.blogspot.fr/2010_04_01_archive.html
 
Simplified Grammar:

let us introduce in this lesson the continuous present tense, which in Lingala is formed by the root of a verb plus "aka" at the end. Examples: yók(aka); pés(aka) and bátel(aka).

Apésaka is a short form of "ye apésaka", which means he/she gives (continuously or habitually). It also means: he/she has the habit of giving.
Abátelaka is a short form for "ye abátelaka", which means he/she (continuously or habitually) protects.  He/she is in the business of protecting, or he/she has the habit of protecting.
Ngai natángaka = natángaka  - meaning  I continuously (or often) read or study
Yo oyémbaka= oyémbaka  - meaning you often (or continuously) sing ; or are in the habit of singing.
Ye abínaka= abínaka  -  meaning he/she often (or continuously) dance.
Biso tolingaka  -  we habitually, continuously)
Bino bolukaka  - you (habitually) seek
bango basálisaka  -  they (habitually, continually) help.

Source : http://lingala-direct.blogspot.fr/2013/03/mayele-ebatelaka-moto-ebandeli.html#more