mbote, kombo na ngai
To say "hello, my name is" in Lingala, use mbote, kombo na ngai.
This phrase is a polite way to greet someone and introduce yourself by stating your name. The phrase begins with mbote, which is the standard word for "hello" or "hi" in Lingala.
Did you know?
- The word ngai used for 'me' or 'my' was borrowed from the Bangi language.
- Because Lingala is heavily influenced by French, you may hear speakers blend mbote with French introductory terms in formal business settings in Brazzaville or Kinshasa.
- The word na in your phrase acts as a possessive marker, but in many dialects, it can also function as a preposition meaning 'in' or 'at'.
Examples in context
- Mbote, kombo na ngai Jean.Hello, my name is Jean.
- Mbote, kombo na ngai ezali Marie.Hello, my name is Marie.
Example conversation
Dieudonné and Grace meet for the first time at a party.
- DieudonnéMbote, kombo na ngai ezali Dieudonné.Hello, my name is Dieudonné.
- GraceMbote Dieudonné, ngai Grace.Hello Dieudonné, I am Grace.
- DieudonnéNzese, nazo pleased ya koyeba yo.Nice to meet you.
- GraceNgai mpe, nazali pleased.Me too, I am pleased.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kombo, na, ngai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
