Lingala Numbers: How to Count from 1 to 100 (Complete Guide)
Learning numbers in Lingala is one of the first steps for anyone who wants to speak this widely used language in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and also in parts of the Republic of the Congo.
Numbers are essential in many everyday situations: shopping, saying your age, talking about dates, time, or quantities.
In this complete guide, you will learn how to count in Lingala from 1 to 100, understand the logic behind the numbers, and start using them in real conversations.
Lingala Numbers from 1 to 10
Numbers from 1 to 10 are the foundation for forming almost all other numbers in the language.
| Number | Lingala |
|---|---|
| 1 | moko |
| 2 | mibale |
| 3 | misato |
| 4 | minei |
| 5 | mitano |
| 6 | motoba |
| 7 | nsambo |
| 8 | mwambe |
| 9 | libwa |
| 10 | zomi |
Tip: memorize these numbers well, because they are used to form larger numbers.
Lingala Numbers from 11 to 19
From 11 onward, numbers are formed by combining zomi (10) with the following numbers.
| Number | Lingala |
|---|---|
| 11 | zomi na moko |
| 12 | zomi na mibale |
| 13 | zomi na misato |
| 14 | zomi na minei |
| 15 | zomi na mitano |
| 16 | zomi na motoba |
| 17 | zomi na nsambo |
| 18 | zomi na mwambe |
| 19 | zomi na libwa |
The word na works like “and”.
Example:
zomi na moko
literally: ten and one
Tens in Lingala
After learning numbers from 1 to 10, it becomes much easier to learn the tens.
| Number | Lingala |
|---|---|
| 20 | ntuku mibale |
| 30 | ntuku misato |
| 40 | ntuku minei |
| 50 | ntuku mitano |
| 60 | ntuku motoba |
| 70 | ntuku nsambo |
| 80 | ntuku mwambe |
| 90 | ntuku libwa |
The word tuku (ntuku) means tens.
How to Form Numbers Between Tens
To form numbers like 21, 32, or 47, simply combine the tens with the desired number using na.
Examples:
| Number | Lingala |
|---|---|
| 21 | ntuku mibale na moko |
| 25 | ntuku mibale na mitano |
| 32 | ntuku misato na mibale |
| 47 | ntuku minei na nsambo |
| 58 | ntuku mitano na mwambe |
Structure:
tens + na + number
How to Say 100 in Lingala
The number 100 in Lingala is:
nkama moko
Examples:
- nkama mibale — 200
- nkama misato — 300
Example Sentences with Numbers
Learning numbers becomes easier when you see how they are used in context.
Nazali na mbula ntuku mibale.
I am 20 years old.
Nazali kosomba biloko mibale.
I am buying two items.
Tokutanaki na ngonga zomi.
We met at ten o’clock.
Why Learn Numbers in Lingala?
Knowing how to count in Lingala helps you communicate better in common situations such as:
- shopping in local markets
- talking about age
- scheduling time
- understanding prices
- following everyday conversations
In addition, learning numbers is an important step toward building confidence when speaking the language.
Learn Lingala with Kukubela
Kukubela is a platform dedicated to teaching and preserving African languages, offering structured and accessible courses for practical learning.
On Kukubela, you can learn:
- Lingala
- Kikongo
- Kimbundu
- Umbundu
If you want to continue learning Lingala in a simple and practical way, explore the available courses and start your language journey today.