Language/Lingala/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Lingala Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Lingala learners! 😊
In this lesson, we'll be diving into the Lingala language and exploring how to use 'be'. This lesson is for intermediate learners who already have some knowledge of the language. If you're a beginner, don't worry, you can check out this Lingala course to start learning. Let's get started!

The Verb Be

The verb 'be' is very important in any language, as it helps to connect subjects, adjectives, and predicates. If you can use the verb 'be' correctly in Lingala, it will help you to express yourself more clearly and effectively.

In Lingala, the verb 'be' is expressed in two forms: 'ko' and 'e'. Here's a table to help you understand the different forms:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Ko	/ko/	is, am, are
E	/e/	was, were

Present Tense

In Lingala, to express 'be' in the present tense, we use the verb 'ko'. Here are some examples:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nazali nzela	/na.za.li ⁿze.la/	I am walking.
Oyaki mangɛmɛnge	/o.ja.ki ma.ŋɛ.mɛ.ŋe/	You are eating.
Alobeli yo	/a.lo.be.li jo/	He/she loves you.

As you can see, we use 'ko' to connect the subject with the predicate (verb or adjective).

Past Tense

In the past tense, we use the verb 'e'. Here are some examples:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nakoki epesaka	/na.ko.ki e.pe.sa.ka/	I was sleeping.
Oyaki monɛnga	/o.ja.ki mo.ⁿɛ.ŋa/	You were playing.
Ataɛni na ngambo	/a.ta.ɛ.ni na ŋam.bo/	She/he was in the forest.

Negative Statements

To make a negative statement with 'be' in Lingala, we use the negative adverb 'te'. Here are some examples:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nazali te na ndako	/na.za.li te na ⁿda.ko/	I am not at home.
Oyaki te libumu	/o.ja.ki te li.bu.mu/	You are not angry.
Ataɛni te na kolokoso	/a.ta.ɛ.ni te na ko.lo.ko.so/	She/he is not in the kitchen.

Questions

To ask questions with 'be' in Lingala, we simply invert the subject and the verb. Here are some examples:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nzala liwa?	/nza.la li.wa/	Am I tired?
Oyaki libumu?	/o.ja.ki li.bu.mu/	Are you angry?
Alobeli yo mingi?	/a.lo.be.li jo mi.ⁿgi/	Does he/she love you?

Dialogue

Let's see a short dialogue between two friends, Lina and Tino.

• Lina: Mbote Tino! Nzala liwa? (Hello Tino! Am I tired?)
• Tino: Mbote Lina! Te, ozali miso mibale. (Hello Lina! No, you are still young.)
• Lina: Ezali mingi. Na kobenga nioso (It's difficult. I am doing everything.)
• Tino: Okanisi, nazali na ngambo na biso? (By the way, were we in the forest?)
• Lina: Te, tozali na rua na biso. (No, we were on the street. )

Conclusion

In Lingala, 'be' is expressed in two forms: 'ko' and 'e'. We use 'ko' for the present tense and 'e' for the past tense. On negative statements, we add 'te' as a negative adverb. To ask questions, we simply invert the subject and verb. Practice using 'be' in Lingala to improve your speaking and writing skills.

To improve your Lingala Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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