Language/Lingala/Grammar/Object-Pronouns

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Lingala → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Object Pronouns

Welcome to our lesson on Object Pronouns in Lingala! This is an essential topic as it allows us to convey who or what receives the action in a sentence, enriching our conversations in Lingala. Understanding object pronouns will help you form more complex sentences and engage in meaningful dialogues.

In this lesson, we will cover:

• What object pronouns are and why they're important

• The different object pronouns in Lingala

• How to use them in sentences

• A variety of examples to solidify your understanding

• Practice exercises to test your knowledge

Let's dive in!

What are Object Pronouns?

Object pronouns are words that replace nouns, specifically the nouns that receive the action of a verb. In English, we have pronouns like "me," "you," "him," "her," "us," and "them." In Lingala, object pronouns serve a similar purpose, and mastering their use is crucial for speaking and writing effectively.

Importance of Object Pronouns

Using object pronouns helps to avoid repetition and makes sentences clearer. For instance, instead of saying "I see the book. I read the book," you can say, "I see the book. I read it." This not only makes the conversation smoother but also shows your command of the language.

Object Pronouns in Lingala

In Lingala, the object pronouns are specific to the object of the verb and can change based on the noun's number and person. Here’s a breakdown of the object pronouns in Lingala:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
ngai	[ŋai]	me
yo	[jo]	you (singular/informal)
ye	[je]	him/her
biso	[biso]	us
bino	[bino]	you (plural/formal)
bango	[bɑŋo]	them

Usage of Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are placed after the verb in a sentence. Here are some examples to illustrate their use:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nazali kopesa ngai	[nazaɾi kɔpɛsa ŋai]	I am giving (to) me
Okozwa yo	[ɔkɔzwa jo]	You will buy (for) you
Akomi ye	[akɔmi je]	He/She wrote (to) him/her
Tokolanda biso	[tɔkɔlanda biso]	We will follow (us)
Bango bazali na ndako	[bɑŋo bɑzɑli nɑ ndɑko]	They are in the house

As you can see, the object pronoun follows the verb and helps clarify who or what is receiving the action.

Examples of Object Pronouns in Sentences

Here are 20 additional examples to further demonstrate the use of object pronouns in Lingala:

Lingala	Pronunciation	English
Nazali kolinga ngai	[nazaɾi kɔlɪŋa ŋai]	I love (you) me
Okomi yo	[ɔkɔmi jo]	You wrote (to) you
Aye akolanda ye	[aje akɔlanda je]	He/She follows (to) him/her
Tokoyekola biso	[tɔkɔjɛkɔla biso]	We are learning (for) us
Bino bokokanga bango	[bino bɔkɔkanga bɑŋo]	You will catch (for) them
Nazali kokanga ye	[nazaɾi kɔkanga je]	I am holding (to) him/her
Okozwa ngai	[ɔkɔzwa ŋai]	You will buy (for) me
Akomi biso	[akɔmi biso]	He/She wrote (to) us
Tokoleka bino	[tɔkɔlɛka bino]	We will call (for) you
Bango balingi ngai	[bɑŋo bɑlɪŋi ŋai]	They love (you) me
Nazali kotala ye	[nazaɾi kɔtala je]	I am watching (him/her)
Okozwa ye	[ɔkɔzwa je]	You will buy (for) him/her
Aye akokanga biso	[aje akɔkanga biso]	He/She will hold (us)
Tokosala bino	[tɔkɔsala bino]	We will do (for) you
Bino bokotalela bango	[bino bɔkɔtalɛla bɑŋo]	You will take care of (them)
Nazali kokoma ye	[nazaɾi kɔkɔma je]	I am writing (to) him/her
Okomi bango	[ɔkɔmi bɑŋo]	You wrote (to) them
Aye akolinga ngai	[aje akɔlɪŋa ŋai]	He/She loves (you) me
Tokokota bino	[tɔkɔkota bino]	We will welcome (you)
Bango bazali kolinga ngai	[bɑŋo bɑzɑli kɔlɪŋa ŋai]	They are loving (you) me

Now that you have seen various examples, let’s move to practice!

Exercises

Here are ten exercises designed to help you apply what you've learned about object pronouns. Try to fill in the blanks with the correct object pronoun in Lingala.

Exercise 1

Complete the sentences using the appropriate object pronoun.

1. Nazali kolinga _____ (me).

2. Okozwa _____ (you).

3. Aye akolanda _____ (him/her).

4. Tokolanda _____ (us).

5. Bino bokokanga _____ (them).

Exercise 2

Translate the following sentences into Lingala, using the correct object pronouns.

1. I love you.

2. They will buy it (the book).

3. She wrote him a letter.

4. We are learning it.

5. You will catch us.

Exercise 3

Identify the object pronoun in the following sentences.

1. Nazali kokoma ye.

2. Okomi ngai.

3. Aye akolanda bino.

4. Tokoleka bango.

5. Bino bokotalela ye.

Exercise 4

Rewrite the sentences using object pronouns.

1. I see the child. I love the child.

2. You will help the students. You will teach the students.

3. They are calling the parents. They are inviting the parents.

Exercise 5

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate object pronoun.

1. Okozwa _____ (me) na lisanga.

2. Aye akomi _____ (us) na bongo.

3. Bango bazali kolinga _____ (you).

Solutions to Exercises

Here are the solutions to the exercises provided above:

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. ngai

2. yo

3. ye

4. biso

5. bango

Solutions to Exercise 2

1. Nazali kolinga yo.

2. Bango bakozwa yango.

3. Aye akomi ye motango.

4. Tokosala yango.

5. Okozwa biso.

Solutions to Exercise 3

1. ye

2. ngai

3. bino

4. bango

5. ye

Solutions to Exercise 4

1. I see the child. I love him/her.

• Nazali kotala mwana. Nazali kolinga ye.

2. You will help the students. You will teach them.

• Okozwa baninga. Okozwa bango.

3. They are calling the parents. They are inviting them.

• Bango balandi ba maman. Bango balandi bango.

Solutions to Exercise 5

1. ngai

2. biso

3. yo

Congratulations on completing this lesson on object pronouns in Lingala! Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep using these pronouns in your conversations. They will help you sound more natural and fluent in the language.

Table of Contents - Lingala Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Singular and Plural Nouns
• Subject Pronouns
• Object Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Lingala Culture and Traditions

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance
• Traditional Foods
• Arts and Crafts

  ---

Professions and Hobbies

• Common Professions
• Hobbies and Interests

  ---

Questions and Interrogatives

• Yes/No Questions
• Wh- Questions

  ---

Daily Routines and Activities

• Morning Routine
• Work and School
• Evening Routine

  ---

Imperatives and Commands

• Forming Imperatives
• Using Commands in Context

Sources

• Lingala Grammar
• Lingala - Wikipedia
• Lingala Grammar - Personal pronouns

Other Lessons

• Plurals
• Verb To Have and To Be
• The Past Tense To Be
• Questions
• Past progressive tense
• Irregular verbs – kolia – to eat
• Using Commands in Context
• How to Use Be
• POSSESSIVES
• The Imperative Mood

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