Language/Lingala/Grammar/POSSESSIVES
POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS IN LINGALA
Lingala possessive pronouns and adjectives are the same; And they derived from personal pronouns. In lingala, we literally say "noun + of+possessor". The preposition "of" is "ya" or "na".
*Let's review personal pronouns first!
1. I/me = nga(i)
2. You/you = yo
3. He/him = ye
4. She/her = ye
5. It/it = e
6. We/us = biso
7. You/you = bino (many people)
8. They/them = bango
*Then let's learn possessive adjectives
1. My= noun + (na) nga
Do you know my name? = Oyebi kombo na ngai?
2. Your= noun + (na) yo
I saw your brother yesterday. = namonaki ndeko nayo lobi.
3. His = noun + (na) ye
His phone is broken = Telefoni naye ekufi.
4. Her = noun + (na) ye
Her husband is sick = Mobali naye azo bela.
5. Its = *noun + (na) ngo
Here's the guest room, but its bed isn't good = Oyo eza chambre ya bapaya, kasi mbetu nango eza malumu te.
6. Our = noun + (na) biso
Our house isn't big, but it's beautiful = Ndaku na biso eza munene te, kasi eza kitoko.
7. Your = noun + (na) bino (belonging to many people)
Your children are very clever = bana na bino baza mayele mingi.
8. Their = noun + (na) bango
Their parents got to Kinshasa last week = baboti na bango bakomaki na Kinshasa poso eleki.
*Finally, we have to conclude by making sentences with possessive pronouns as we have already learned their adjectives(determiners).
1. Mine = yanga
This is my phone, it's mine = oyo eza telefoni nanga, eza yanga.
2. Yours = yayo
Is your handbag? > No. It isn't my handbag. It's yours. = Oyo eza saki nayo? > Te. Eza saki nanga te. Eza yayo.
3. His = yaye
Your shoes are clean, but his are dirty = Basapatu nayo eza pete kasi yaye eza mbindo.
4. Hers = Yaye
Your parents speak French and Lingala, but hers speak only Lingala. = Baboti nayo balobaka lopoto(falanse) na lingala kasi yaye balobaka kaka lingala.
5. Its = *na yango (not common)
6. Ours = ya biso
That big house is ours = Ndaku ya munene wana eza ya biso.
7. Yours = Ya bino (belonging to many people)
Our country is rich and yours is rich, too. = Mboka na biso eza na bozui, ya bino pe eza na bozui.
8. Theirs = Ya bango
My children are all here, but theirs live abroad = Bana nanga nionso baza awa kasi ya bango bavandaka na mboka mopaya.