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A free game for learning Lingala

Learn Lingala through play.

The language of Kinshasa, Congolese rumba and millions of families around the world, a few words at a time. No experience needed.

Find my learner profile Just play

Take a two-minute quiz to find the best place to begin.

The iPhone app is coming soon. Get told first →
The learner profile result screen in Loba Lingala The Loba Lingala matching game
New to Lingala?

Spoken by over 40 million people, and hardly taught anywhere.

Lingala is one of the main languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. You’ll hear it on the streets of Kinshasa, in the songs of Congolese rumba, and in family voice notes from London to Brussels to Paris.

Most language apps don’t offer it. Loba Lingala does.

Tantine Vero, the guide in Loba Lingala, beckoning you over

Mbote! I’m Tantine Vero. Tap a word and say it with me.

Learner profiles

Not sure where to start?

There are four learner profiles, each with a Lingala name. Yours describes where you are with Lingala today, so the game can start you in the right place. Answer a few quick questions to find it. It takes two minutes and there are no wrong answers.

Find my learner profile
Two young women chatting and smiling
The Fresh Starter
Mwana Sika
[mwah-nah see-kah]

I’m new to Lingala. Let’s start with hello.

A young woman listening thoughtfully while two friends talk to her
The Listener
Mososoli
[moh-soh-soh-lee]

I understand more than I can say. My replies just aren’t in Lingala yet.

A young woman and an older woman in a headwrap talking warmly
The Reconnector
Mozongi
[moh-zon-gee] Lingala for “the one who comes back”

It’s been a while. I’m finding my way back to Lingala.

A young man talking confidently while two friends listen
The Confident Speaker
Nganga‑Maloba
[ngah-ngah mah-loh-bah]

I’m the one everyone asks, “How do you say…?”

Swipe to see all four

What’s inside

From first word to first conversation.

The memory game matching Lingala words with English and French
The memory game matching Lingala words with English and French
Play

Flip the cards, study the words, then match them from memory. Three levels take you from the building blocks to everyday sentences, in English or French.

Speak mode recording a word and comparing pronunciation
Speak

Record yourself, then play it back next to the example. It’s the quickest way to go from understanding Lingala to actually speaking it.

The proverbs booklet showing a Lingala proverb
Proverbs

Maloba ya Kala is a booklet of real Lingala proverbs, with what they mean and when people actually use them. Hear each one, then try it yourself.

Phrases built from the words a learner has earned
Your words

Every word you learn builds into sentences you can use today, like asking Mum how she is. Your progress map shows how far you’ve come.

Translate

Type what you want to say and get it in Lingala.

Word of the day

A new word every day, with the story behind it.

Works offline

Keep playing on the bus or the plane home.

Made for everyone

Dyslexia-friendly font, high contrast, larger text and reduced motion.

Where people play

Played 4,800+ times in 53 countries, and counting.

Lingala started in Kinshasa and now lives in family homes from London to Montreal. Find your country below, or tap the map.

World map. Coloured dots mark the 53 countries where people have played Loba Lingala, pink where it has been played 500 or more times, gold for 50 to 499 and blue for under 50, with lines running from Kinshasa to London, Brussels, Paris, Montreal and Houston.
500+ plays 50 to 499 Under 50 Kinshasa Tap a country
Find your country

Country not here yet? Play once and put it on the map.

“Really good, played it with my mum.”
Loba Lingala player
“As someone who doesn’t speak Lingala, this is sick!”
Loba Lingala player
“Honestly more resources like this are needed.”
Loba Lingala player
Events

Come and learn with us.

We take Lingala off the screen with relaxed, social events in London. Come on your own or bring the family. Everyone is welcome, whatever your level.

We choose who we work with on purpose. Wherever we can, our venues, co-hosts and ticketing are Congolese or Black-owned.

Around thirty smiling learners at our first event with Lingala Lounge, at the Prince of Peckham
Our first event, co-hosted with Lingala Lounge · Prince of Peckham, July 2026
Maïté, founder of Loba Lingala, at our first event, under a screen that reads “Loba means speak.”
Our story

I built this for myself.

I wanted to get better at Lingala through play rather than textbooks. Gbamu, a Yoruba card game, showed me what a language game made with real cultural care could look like, and I wanted Lingala to have the same.

Then people started playing it and telling me it was what they’d been waiting for, especially second and third generation learners who want to talk with their parents and grandparents. That changed what Loba Lingala is for.

My dad and family helped choose the words, phrases and proverbs, elders across the diaspora have shared proverbs with us, and our content is reviewed by Professor Michael Meeuwis, a Lingala linguist at Ghent University.

Maïté Bikenge, founder

Read the full story
Recognised by and built with
The Languages GatewayListed as a Lingala learning resource Roots Bawa EducationListed as a Lingala learning resource in their members’ portal Daraja AITheir African-language AI powers our Translate feature.
Questions

Good to know

Can’t find your answer? Email us and we’ll get back to you.

Spotted a mistake or have an idea?

Loba Lingala is shaped by the people who use it.

Give feedback
What does Loba Lingala mean?

Loba means “speak!” in Lingala, so Loba Lingala means “Speak Lingala”. That’s what the game is for: getting you from recognising words to saying them out loud.

Is Loba Lingala free?

Yes. The core game is free and will stay free. We may add optional extras and physical products later.

Do I need to know any Lingala already?

Not at all. It’s made for complete beginners and for people who grew up hearing Lingala but never learned to speak it. Not sure where you fit? Find your learner profile.

Is it only for Congolese people?

No. It’s for anyone curious about Lingala: partners and in-laws, music lovers, travellers and anyone who wants to learn.

How accurate is the Lingala?

Our content is reviewed by native speakers and a Lingala linguist. Some features, like Translate, use AI-assisted translation that we’re still improving, and you can report anything that looks wrong.

Is there a mobile app?

Loba Lingala works in your phone’s browser right now, with nothing to download. An iPhone app is on the way, and you can get told when it launches.

Will you add other languages?

Yes. Once Lingala is complete, we plan to bring the same approach to Swahili, Kikongo and Tshiluba.

What happens to my email if I sign up for updates?

We only use it to send the updates you chose. We never sell it or share it with third parties. Our privacy policy explains exactly what we collect and why.

Can I help?

Yes, please. We’re always looking for help with cultural review, translation and spreading the word. Get in touch.

Mbote.

That’s your first word. The rest starts here.

Find my learner profile

Be first to get the app

We’ll tell you when the iPhone app launches, plus new events and features. A few emails a year, nothing more.

What would you like to hear about?
Which phone do you use?

Learn Lingala freeFind my profile