Language/Lingala/Grammar/Questions
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MITUNA/QUESTIONS - Learn the Lingala Language
There exist two kinds of questions in lingala, just like in English. We can build questions by using the interrogative form of the verb or a question word.
Yes/No Questions
Lingala yes/no-questions do not swap the verb and the subject. We just add a question mark to the affirmative form and raise the voice to indicate the interrogative form.
- Ayebi nga?: Does he/she know me?
- Mike alobaka falanse?: Does Mike speak French?
- Boza malamu?: Are you all okay?
- Oza na nzala?: Are you hungry?
- Okoki kosalisa nga?: Can you help me?
- Boza bandeko?: Are you siblings?
- Ayebi nkombo nayo?: Does he/she know your name?
- Bovandaka esika moko?: Do you live together?
- Okoya lobi na pokwa?: Will you come tomorrow evening?
- Basilisi musala?: Have they finished working?
- Baza baboti nayo?: Are they your parents?
- Kongo eza munene?: Is the DRC big?
- Bakutanaki yenga eleki?: Did they meet last Sunday?
- Mwasi nayo alambaka malamu?: Does your wife cook well?
- Boyebanani
Question words
Nini: What/Which
- Olobi nini?: What do you say?
- Eza nini?: What is it?
- Lelo eza mukolo nini?: Which day are we today?
Nani: Who/Whom
- Eza ya nani?: To whom does it belong?
- Wana nani?: Who is that?
Wapi: Where
- Saki nanga eza wapi?: Where is my bag?
- Bavandaka wapi?: Where do they live?
- Owuti wapi?: Where are you coming from?
Tango nini/mukolo nini/ngonga nini: When
- Tango nini makita ekobanda?: When will the meeting begin?
- Bokoya tango nini?: When will you (all) come?
- Likambo oyo ekosila mukolo nini?: When will this problem take an end?
Boni: How many
- Oza na bana boni?: How many children do you have?
- Batu boni baza na kelasi nayo?: How many people are there in your class?
Mutuya nini: How much(price)
- Mutuka oyo eza mutuya nini?: How much is this car?
- Telefoni naye eza mutuya nini?: How much does her phone cost?
Mbala boni: How often
- Oliaka mbala boni na mukolo?: How often do you eat a day?
Pona nini: Why
- Ozoyekola lingala pona nini?: Why are you learning lingala?
- Asiliki pona nini?: Why is he/she angry?
NOTE: We can notice that lingala question words are most of the time used at the end of sentences while English ones are always at the beginning.