Language/Lingala/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
Learning how to tell time in Lingala is a practical and essential skill for those wishing to communicate with native Lingala speakers. In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Lingala, including how to say the hours, minutes, and the difference between a.m. and p.m.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Important words & Using ‘moko’ and ‘liboso’.
Lingala Numbers Review
Before we dive into telling time, let's have a quick review of numbers in Lingala. Numbers are an important part of any language, and this is especially true for Lingala. Here are the numbers from one to ten in Lingala:
Lingala | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
moja | moh-jah | one |
mbili | mm-bee-lee | two |
tatu | tah-too | three |
nne | nneh | four |
tano | tah-noh | five |
sita | see-tah | six |
saba | sah-bah | seven |
nane | nahn-neh | eight |
tisa | tee-sah | nine |
kumi | koo-mee | ten |
The numbers in Lingala have a straightforward pronunciation, but make sure to practice each one until you feel comfortable with your pronunciation.
Telling Time
Now that we have reviewed the numbers in Lingala, let's move on to telling time. To tell time in Lingala, we use a combination of numbers, words, and phrases. Let's start with the basics:
The Hours
In Lingala, we use "saa" to express the concept of the hour. Here are the Lingala words for some of the hours of the day:
Lingala | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
saa moja | sah-ah moh-jah | one o'clock |
saa mbili | sah-ah mm-bee-lee | two o'clock |
saa tatu | sah-ah tah-too | three o'clock |
saa nne | sah-ah nneh | four o'clock |
saa tano | sah-ah tah-noh | five o'clock |
saa sita | sah-ah see-tah | six o'clock |
saa saba | sah-ah sah-bah | seven o'clock |
saa nane | sah-ah nahn-neh | eight o'clock |
saa tisa | sah-ah tee-sah | nine o'clock |
saa kumi | sah-ah koo-mee | ten o'clock |
When telling time, the hour always comes first, followed by the minutes.
The Minutes
In Lingala, we express the concept of minutes using "senti." For example,
- 2:05 p.m. would be expressed as "saa mbili na senti tano ya mchana"
- 9:42 p.m. would be expressed as "saa tisa na senti arobaini na mbili ya usiku"
Here are some additional examples:
Lingala | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
saa kumi na moja na senti ishirini | sah-ah koo-mee nah moh-jah nah sen-tee ee-shee-roh-nee | twenty past eleven |
saa tano na dakika hamsini | sah-ah tah-noh nah dah-kee-kah hahm-see-nee | half past five |
saa mbili na nusu | sah-ah mm-bee-lee nah noh-soo | half past two |
saa moja na dakika kumi | sah-ah moh-jah nah dah-kee-kah koo-mee | ten past one |
When telling time, it is important to note that the minute comes after "na," which means "and." The word "dakika" means "minutes," and "nusu" means "half."
A.M. and P.M.
In Lingala, we use "ya asubuhi" to indicate the morning and "ya mchana" to indicate the afternoon. As for the evening, we use "ya jioni" to indicate the late afternoon and "ya usiku" to indicate the night. To indicate a.m. or p.m., we simply add "ya asubuhi" or "ya jioni" to the hour. For example,
- 2:00 p.m. would be expressed as "saa mbili ya mchana"
- 6:30 a.m. would be expressed as "saa sita na nusu ya asubuhi"
- 9:00 p.m. would be expressed as "saa tisa ya jioni"
By adding "ya asubuhi" or "ya jioni" to the hour, we can indicate whether the time we are referring to is in the morning or the afternoon/evening.
Practice Makes Perfect
To really master telling time in Lingala, it is important to practice as much as possible. Try asking a friend to quiz you on different times of the day and see if you can respond correctly. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with the vocabulary and the grammar of telling time in Lingala.
Congratulations on learning how to tell time in Lingala! This is an important skill that will come in handy when communicating with native speakers. Keep practicing and working hard, and you'll be well on your way to fluency in no time.
Other Lessons
- Modes of Transportation
- Days of the Week
- Work and School
- Drinks
- Family Members
- It’s a miracle!
- Daily routines
- Animals
- Time
Sources
- Lingala Vocabulary - Food
- Learn to Speak Lingala: English-Lingala Beginner's Course Audio ...
- Lingala Dictionary Online Translation LEXILOGOS