te
In Lingala, the word for no is te.
The particle te is used to express negation or to show disagreement.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
How does it change in a sentence?
In Lingala, the negation particle te is typically placed after the verb rather than appearing at the beginning of the sentence.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use te as a standalone word at the start of a sentence like the English 'no', whereas it functions as a particle that follows the verb.
Did you know?
- The word te is actually a borrowed particle from the Bangi language, rather than being an indigenous part of the original Lingala core.
- In some Congolese social contexts, saying te too directly can be perceived as harsh, leading speakers to use indirect phrases or soft tones to avoid conflict.
- Lingala is a vehicular language used across the Congo Basin, meaning te is understood by millions of people who speak entirely different native tribal languages.
Examples in context
- Nayoki te.I did not hear.
- Eza te.It is not there.
- Nalingi te.I do not want it.
Example conversation
Jean and Grace are talking about eating dinner.
- JeanOzo lya?Are you eating?
- GraceTe, nazali na nzala te.No, I am not hungry.
- JeanOlingi mayi?Do you want water?
- GraceEe, nalingi.Yes, I want some.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry te, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
