Note :
At the insistent request of some English-speaking visitors, I was forced to translate this lexicon from French to English. It’s a colossal job that took me a lot of time, I applied myself and tried to do my best. Despite this, since English is not my usual language, there could be some translation errors here and there. If you find any, do not hesitate to report them to me by writing to me through the contact page of this website.
Thank you in advance !
Remarks:
Many words begin with “mo”, “bo” or “li”, they are words derived from verbs. The formation of these words is done by replacing the “ko” of the verb by “mo” (to indicate the actor of the verb), “bo” (to indicate a quality or habit) or “li” (to indicate the object or source of the action). In these cases, the “a” at the end of the verb is replaced by “i”. Thus the verb “komela” is transformed into “momeli” to mean the drinker, the verb “kolimbisa” becomes “bolimbisi” to mean forgiveness and the verb “koseka” becomes “liseki” to mean the joke that makes you laugh.
Other words beginning with “bo” are formed by associating the prefix “bo-“ with a noun to indicate a qualifier or state related to that word. For example: “moto” (man or human) gives “bomoto” which means humanity or quality of human being; “mpeto” (clean) gives “bopeto” which means cleanliness; “ndeko” (brother) gives “bondeko” which means fraternity.
In the plural, the “mo” is replaced by “ba” if the word refers to humans and by “mi” if not, the “bo” remains unchanged while “li” becomes “ma”.
Other words are formed by replacing the “ko” with “e” and the final “a” of the verb with “eli”, the word then indicates “the way of (verb)-ing”, example “kozala” which becomes “ezaleli” which means behaviour or way of being. Similarly, some verbs transform their final “a” into “elo” to indicate the place where the action of the verb usually takes place, for example: the verb “kosambisa” which means “to try” is transformed into “esambiselo” to indicate the court. This same suffix is used to designate the means or object used to perform the action of the verb, for example: the verb “kosala” which means “to work” is transformed into “esalelo” to indicate a tool.
Not all derived words are in the following list, but when you encounter a word in this form, you only have to reconstruct the verb from which it originated by doing the reverse operation to find its meaning.
As a general rule, the plural of words is done as follows:
– the words beginning with “e” replace “e” with “bi”. Ex: ekoti becomes bikoti
– the words beginning with “li” replace “li” with “ma”. Ex: liboke becomes maboke.
– the words beginning with “mo” replace “mo” by “mi” when these words are qualifiers. Ex.: mondele becomes mindele (white or mixed), mobange becomes mibange (old), moyibi becomes miyibi (thief).
We obtain the plural of words beginning with “mo” by replacing “mo” with “ba” when these words define humans in their state or profession. Ex: moto becomes bato (human), moyembi becomes bayembi (singer), moyindo becomes bayindo (black man) and mobange becomes babange (old man). Similarly, in some cases the “mo” can be replaced by “bami”. Ex: the mondele becomes bamindele (white or mixed race man) and moyibi becomes bamiyibi (professional thief).
For all other words, the plural is done either by prefixing them with “ba” (mboka becomes bamboka), or they remain invariable like mbongo. The prefix “ba” generally refers to the plural related to humans.
The words beginning with “ma” are generally already in the plural form and therefore remain unchanged.
Words beginning with the prefix “kimo” often indicate “quality of, state of”, and are derived from words beginning with “mo”. Ex: mondele gives kimondele (quality of white, way of white); mokolo gives kimokolo (quality of elder, right of elder). When the word also ends with “i”, it means that it comes from a verb with the same meaning. Ex: moyibi (thief) which gives kimoyibi (quality of thief) of koyiba (to steal); moyembi (singer) which gives kimoyembi (state of singer) of koyemba (to sing).
Some examples of common verbs and their derived words:
– Kozala : to be (“to have” under certain conditions, see below)
*Ezaleli : derived word meaning the way of being, in short, the character.
–Kolia : to eat
*Eleli : the way of eating
– Kolamba : preparing (to eat) can also mean figuratively deceiving in the sense of swindling
*Elambeli : the way of preparing
– Komela : drinking
*Emeleli : the way to drink
– Kokoma : to write, also means according to the intonation “to arrive”
*Ekomeli : way of writing or writing.
– Kolata : dressing up
*Elateli : how to dress
– Kotala : to look, to visit
*Etaleli : way of looking, look
– Koseka : to laugh
*Esekeli
– Kobina : dancing
*Ebineli
– Kosimba : to hold, to touch
*Esimbeli
– Kotambola : walking….
*Etamboli
– Kokota : to enter
* Ekoteli
– etc….
– abakos : collarless jacket created to reject the European jacket, Mao collar jacket
– alima : rectitude, order, rule, legality, conformity
– alimina : fishing or hunting net
– ambolo : simple soldier, squaddie, bidasse
– angana : others’ property, which do not belong to you
– angele : attention, vigilance
– angwalima : burglar, brigand named after a famous robber from the Kinois past
– asansele : elevator
– atalaku : singer and dance animator initiated by Zaïko Langa Langa Langa in the 1970s
– avio : plane
– avoka : lawyer
– baba : mute, deaf and dumb person
– balabala : street, avenue
– bale : ball
– balobi : the hearsay, rumour, idle-gossip
– bandi : bandit, thug, outlaw
– bangi : hemp, cannabis
– base : basin
– batu : people, humans, mankind
– bayi-mboka : those from or inhabitants of the country
– bebo : in large quantities, full of
– beke : kiss
– belezi : Belgian
– benda-benda : hellish atmosphere
– benda-bika : conflict situation, crisis breaking point
– bendele : flag, standard
– benefise : benefit, profit
– besi : kiss
– bikila-kila (bikela-kela) : fetishist preparations, magic potions, beauty preparations
– bilanga : garden, plantation
– bilelo : tears
– bilili : images, photos, film, video
– bilinga-linga : frivolous person, sentimental vagrancy, fickle behaviour
– bilo : office
– biloba-loba : gossip
– bilobela : twaddle, drivel
– bipale : manners
– bipola : who is used to losing, eternal loser
– bisaka : luggage, baggage
– bisako : applause
– bisala-sala : multiple and unsuccessful activities, malicious acts
– bisalela : disorderly acts, trivial acts, actions without impact
– bisanza : vomit
– bisenga-senga : begging, beggary
– bisi : bus
– bisimba-simba : touch-and-go behaviour, behaviour of someone who dabbles in this and that
– bizaleli : behaviour, habits
– bize : kiss
– bizu : kiss
– bobangi : fear, terror, panic
– bobe : evil, bad behaviour
– bobembani : agreement, rapprochement, cooperation
– bobendani : conflict, clash, wrangling
– bobendi : attraction
– bobengami : vocation
– bobiso : our habits and customs, our way of living, our manners
– bobola : poverty, destitution
– boboto : kindness, peace, harmony
– bofuluki : abundance, proliferation
– bokalaka : administration, civil service
– bokali : adultery
– bokasi : strength, energy, power
– bokebi : attention, prudence
– bokengi : security, protection, surveillance, oversight
– bokeseni : difference, inequality relationship
– bokila : hunting
– bokitani : succession, inheritance
– bokokani : similarity, equality relationship
– bokoko : tradition
– bokolo : adult state, maturity
– bokolongonu : health
– bokono : illness, desease
– bokonzi : authority, leadership, power, reign, governance
– bokulaka : chief, senior, elder, reign, governance
– bokuse : summary
– bokutu : in camera, hiding place, clandestinity, secret
– bokutua : a bit, little, almost
– bokutui : decrease
– bolamu : good, benefit, goodness, kindness
– bolandisito : follow-up
– bolayi : length, development
– bolei : appetite, eating action
– bolema : madness, mental disability
– bolembeteli : character, behaviour, attitude
– bolembu : slowness, slow-down, calm, lethargy, weakness
– bolenge : youth
– bolimbisi : forgiveness
– bolingo: love
– boloko : prison
– bolole : idiocy, stupidity
– bololo : bitterness
– bolozi : suffering, pain, servitude, domination, humiliation
– bolukiluki : investigation, research, resourcefulness
– bolumbu : nakedness
– bomama : motherhood, womanhood
– bomanioli : understanding
– bombanda : rivalry, opposition, relationship between two people who love the same person
– bomengo : fortune, wealth
– bomoko : unity
– bomoto : humanity, quality of being a human being
– bomoyi : life, existence
– bomuana : childhood
– bondeko : fraternity, brotherhood
– bondongwani : opposition, confrontation, conflict
– bonene : magnitude, importance, greatness, size
– bongo : brain, mind
– boniama : bestiality, cruelty
– bonkuku : confidentiality
– bonongi : observation, investigation
– bonzenga : youth, prettiness, elegance
– bopemi : rest, breathing, respiration
– bopete : softness, ease, simplicity
– bopeto : cleanliness, hygiene
– bopikiliki : inner strength, vitality, vigour, endurance, perseverance
– boponi : choosing, sorting, voting
– bopunzami : looting
– bosamboli : humiliation, enslavement
– bosembo : truth, correctness, impartiality, equity, objectivity, honesty
– bosenga : request, need, necessity
– bosomi : freedom, sovereignty
– bosolo : truth
– bosoto : dirt, filth, dirtiness, bullshit
– botawu : passivity, nonchalance, carelessness
– botosi : obedience
– botutu : curse, bad luck
– bowumbu : slavery, servitude
– boyambi : faith
– boyangeli : management, administration
– boyei : coming
– boyi : servant, domestic, waiter
– boyike : plural
– boyinga : ignorance, deficit, lack
– boyingisi : introduction, intrusion, import
– boyini : hatred
– boyokani : agreement
– bozindo : depth
– bozito : importance, size
– bozoba : idiocy
– bozui : possessions, assets, fortune, wealth
– buaki : malnutrition
– buale : grief, distress, desolation, bad luck, misery
– buania : wisdom, serenity, sovereignty, power
– buato : pirogue
– buembo : elephant trunk
– bukabuka : poliomyelitis
– buku : book, booklet
– buku ya leta : identity card
– bula(wayo) : bitch
– bule : blue, novice
– buluweti : wheelbarrow
– buluyeke : confusion, disorder, mess
– busho : cap, plug
– butike : shop
– butu : night
– buyi-buyi : sebum, viscous sweat, inflammation of the skin due to heat
– buyi-buyi : idiocy, weakness of mind, insanity
– dalapo : flag
– dati : date
– debaze : official spouse, main partner
– demokuse : small person, dwarf
– demolayi : tall person, giant person
– detaye : detail
– devuale : homework
– diamba : hemp, cannabis
– diemba : swing, rope at the end of which you swing
– diki-diki : tickle, palpitation, excitement
– dilekitele : director, manager
– dime : tithe
– dipolomi : diploma, certificate
– djololo : yellow-belly, chicken, coward
– dokotolo : doctor
– dongi : pants smaller than the required size, length far less than normal
– dongolamiso : scarecrow, criminal, brigand
– dosie : file, dossier, record
– duane : customs
– duanie : customs officer
– ebakata : enormity, immensity, enormous, imposing
– ebale : river
– ebandeli : beginning
– ebe : boat, small craft, whaleboat
– ebebe : naive, cretin, idiot
– ebele : a lot, in abundance, in number, in profusion
– ebembe (bibembe) : corpse
– ebende : metal, machine, coin
– ebombelo : attic, hiding place, storage room
– ebonga : seat, stool
– ebotu : big punch
– ebubu : mute, inert
– ebundeli : work tool, way of fighting
– edikasio : education
– efelo : wall, fence
– egogo : flat punch on the skull, big ring, signet ring
– ekala : bistro, bar, living space open to the public
– ekangelo : barrier
– ekeke : wood, good-for-nothing
– ekeke : century
– ekeko : statue
– ekela : phenomenon, behaviour, incident
– ekelamu (bikelamu) : living being, creature
– ekenge : vigilance, caution
– eketo : fish trap
– ekila (bikila) : interdict, taboo
– ekimelo : refuge, emergency shelter
– ekipe : team
– ekobo : adultery, sexual act out of wedlock, sexual act not allowed
– ekole : school
– ekolo (bikolo) : country, tribe
– ekolo : bag, basket
– ekomba : sterile person
– ekombela : control
– ekonomi : economy
– ekonzo : saving
– ekoti (bikoti) : hat, cap, beret, helmet
– ekuke : front door
– ekunde : garbage can, dump
– elaka : rendezvous, appointment, promise, prediction
– elanga : dry season, tropical winter
– elanga : garden, plantation
– eleke : gutter
– eleko : moment, time, period
– elema : mentally handicapped
– elemba : soft
– elembetele : sort, kind, type
– elembo (bilembo) : sign, badge, point, mark, proof, indication, clue, symptom
– elenge : a youth, a girl
– elengi : pleasure, tastefulness
– eliki (biliki) : desert
– elikia : hope
– elili : shadow, image, photography, ghost
– elilingi : image, representation, brand image
– elima : monster, dragon
– eloko (biloko) : thing, object
– elombe : champion
– elonga : winner, champion, victory
– elumbu : albino
– emoniseli : demonstration
– enemi (binemi) : enemy
– engambe : giant, imposing creature
– engombi : success
– engongolo : cask, barrel
– engumba : city, large urban area
– engumba mokonzi : capital city
– engunduka : train, audiovisual channel
– enzenga : suitability, appropriateness
– epaka : conflict, unrest
– epakolami : anointing, reward, gratification
– epangola : slingshot
– epasola : axe
– epayi (bipayi) : indication of place, at, in, towards, against
– epelisa : tease
– esaleli : way of doing things, way of working, practice
– esalelo : work equipment, tool
– esambiseli : way of judging, judging procedure
– esambiselo : court
– esanga : herd, flock, gaggle, group
– esanga (sanga) : lake, island, islet
– esansi : gasoline
– esengisi (bisengisi) : duty, obligation
– esengo (bisengo) : joy, happiness
– esepelo : party, celebration, rejoicing
– esika (bisika) : place, location
– esipasi : space, area
– esipesi (besipesi) : species
– esiti : East
– esobe : bush
– etambe (bitambe) : underfoot, sole, footprint, step
– etamboli : behaviour, way of walking
– etando : territory, land, area
– etando eke : small screen, television, small surface
– etape (bitape) : branch, bough
– etendi : piece of fabric
– eteni : piece, part, chapter, level
– eteyeli : way of teaching, teaching
– eteyelo : school, place of instruction
– etika : waste, rest, remainder
– etike : orphan, abandoned
– etima : lake
– etinda : command, order
– etirete : zipper
– etoma : prisoner
– etonga : building, church, temple
– etuka : local authority, province
– etula (bitula) : person who cannot find a spouse, unsold merchandise
– etumba (bitumba) : fight, battle, war
– etumbu : punishment
– evida : smoked fish
– evunda : a woman’s buttock
– ewaka : coward, laughing stock, target, butt
– ewewe : coward, good-for-nothing, lazy
– eyamba : religious building, church, temple
– etonga : building, church, temple
– eyanga (biyanga) : reception area, reception centre
– eyano : answer
– eyema : tent
– eyenga : public holiday, rejoicing, celebration
– eyoma : disorder, dirty trick, conspiracy, cabal
– ezaleli (bizaleli) : behaviour, way of being
– ezibele : opening, entrance, door
– falanga : franc, money
– falanse : French
– feti : fete, festival, feast
– fiele : pride, vanity
– fioti-fioti : very young woman
– foko-foko : suction pump for fountain
– fonoli : madness
– foti : fault
– fulafula : truck equipped for public transport
– fula-ngenge : success promoter, good luck charm
– fulu : rubbish dump, dump, landfill
– galo : stripe, band
– gangi : a person who terrorizes others
– gbagba : bridge
– gido : handlebar
– goyigoyi : laziness
– gugbe : weakness
– gwa : fetish
– imbusu : good-for-nothing, idiot
– ingelezia : English
– iyo : yes, affirmative
– iyolela : arbitrarily, indiscriminately, in vain, fruitlessly
– ka : case, attention
– kafukafu : extraordinary, sumptuous, terrible
– kafumba : enormity, gigantism, immensity, hugeness
– kake : lightning
– kala : age, seniority
– kalaka : secretary, bureaucrat, civil servant, office worker
– kale (bakale) : obstacle, impediment, traps
– kama : one hundred
– kamaladi : friend, comrade
– kambi : camp
– kaminio : truck
– kamo : cannabis, drug, fetish
– kamuke : very young woman
– kanaye : injustice, wilful wickedness, bad faith
– kanda : anger
– kanga-moyibi : barbed wire fence, anti-theft device
– kaniaka : corruption, bribery, racketeering
– kanza : violence, aggression
– kapita : captain, chief
– kara : indifference, dodge
– kati : inside, interior
– kati-kati : centre, center, middle
– kasa-kasa : vivacity, hyperactivity, reactivity
– kayi : paddle
– keba-keba : precaution
– kekele : reed, rush, stem, rod, stick, baton
– kelasi : classroom, school
– kesi : case, box, chest
– kibeka : belly
– kiboba : old lady
– kibomuasi : quality of woman, femininity
– kibuanga-ntu : uncontrollable person, stubborn person
– kidiba : forgetfulness, ignorance
– kifunda (bifunda) : luggage, bundle
– kikumbi : rite of initiation of young women to conjugal life
– kilelo : new wave, current time, present era, in the tune with the time, fashionable
– kilikili : of all kinds
– kilo : respect, consideration
– kilo : kilo, weight, load
– kimalumalu : makeshift vehicle that runs fast and is used to transport people
– kimbambala : rolling wreck, vehicle in poor condition
– kimbiolongo : root of a plant that possesses an aphrodisiac virtue
– kimia : tranquility, calmness, peace
– kimobali : male quality, masculinity, virility
– kimpuaka : worthless card, loser
– kindotila (bindotila) : sleepwalking, waking dream, nightmare
– kindumba : prostitution
– kinga : bicycle, vehicle
– kinga : root
– kingamba : enslavement, slave state
– kingandi : so-and-so
– kingololo : box
– kiniengi : lamentation, moaning
– kinsekwa : bed bug, parasite
– kintuntu : measles
– kinzambi-nzambi : sect, for-profit church
– kinzonzi : palaver, conciliation talks between two families for the resolution of various disputes
– kipelekese : panic, trouble, mental confusion, mental disorder
– kisakasaka : agitation, disturbance, head in the clouds
– kisakata : manners, arrogance, boasting
– kisefe : interference in the lives of others, unhealthy curiosity
– kisi : medicine, fetish
– kisimbi : gnome, guardian angel, river nymph
– kisita : sterile
– kitendi : piece of fabric, linen, clothing
– kitoko : beauty, prettiness
– kitshakatshaka : percussion instrument in the shape of a rattle, maracas
– kitubu : place of prostitution, brothel
– kiungu : telephone, phone
– kiwelewele : vagrant, vagabond
– kizame : examination, exam, test
– kizengi : idiot, simpleton, mental defective, mentally deficient person
– kizunguzungu : dizziness, epilepsy, a whirlwind of feelings
– kodia : symbol of the law represented by the snail shell, fetish, talisman
– koka : paralytic
– kokoti : coconut palm, coconut
– koleje : secondary school, high school
– kolo : dirty trick, injustice, ingratitude, blow to the heart
– kolon : colonist
– koloni : colony
– kombo : name, appellation, broom
– komisionele : (real) estate agent, commissionaire
– kompani : corporation, company, enterprise
– konzo : valour, intrepidity, bravery, manhood
– kosukosu : cough
– koto : thousand
– kuakasa : immediacy, suddenness
– kube-kube : weak person
– kuele-kuele : abnormal way, diverted way, illegal way
– kufa : death
– kufua tango : good-for-nothing, who wastes his time unnecessarily
– kuiti : drunkenness
– kulele : colour
– kuluna : thug terrorizing passersby in bands, neighborhood gang
– kunda : tomb, death, abyss, bankruptcy
– kund’ebembe : hearse
– kusu : clandestine room, wooden shack used as a makeshift hotel
– kutukulu : lazy, unemployed
– kuya-kuya : immigrant, person from elsewhere
– kuzu : hiding place, refuge
– kwudu : tie, bond, rope
– laki : lake
– langi : colour, dye, paint
– lapolo : report
– lelo : today
– leso (baleso) : lesson, lecture, homework
– Leta : public service, public authority
– libabe : curse, bad luck
– libaku : stumble, obstacle on which we stumble, opportunity
– libala : wedding
– libanda : outside
– libanda-ya-mpepo : airport
– libanga : stone, electric battery, school board, work, dedication
– libanga ya talo : precious stone
– libela : eternity, forever
– libele (mabele) : breast, udder, teat
– libenga : pocket, purse, cash box
– libengi : erosion
– libiki : healing, rescue, deliverance, spiritual salvation, absolution
– liboke : pile, heap, bag of fish or meat cooked in papillote
– liboma : madness, dementia
– libonga : seat, stool
– libongo : harbour
– libota : family, family home
– libonza : offering, gift, donation
– liboso : front part, before
– libosono : paraplegic
– libua : nine
– libumu-ndunda : cargo plane, belly
– libulu : hole, pit, grave, crevice, crack, hollow, dip, cavity, well, shaft, prison
– libunga : error, ignorance
– libungutulu : zero, nought
– lidame : species of palm tree
– lidofolo (madofolo) : hole in a garment
– lidusu (madusu): orifice, opening, aperture, hole
– lifalanse : French
– lifile : parade
– lifulume : nurse
– lifuta : pay, salary, remuneration
– lifuti : payment, salary payment
– likabo : gift, present, donation
– likama : accident, incident, danger, threat
– likambo (makambo) : statement, speech, subject, case, problem
– likanisi (makanisi) : thought, idea, opinion, concern
– likata : testicle, palm of the hand to wave
– likatamelo : border, boundary, cut
– likaya : cigarette
– likebisi : warning
– likelemba : tontine, rotating solidarity system to finance members’ projects
– likembe : Central African musical instrument, lamellophone
– likili : orderly soldier, simple soldier, insignificant person
– likita : conspiracy
– likinda : uniqueness
– likindo : seminar, consultation, round table
– likofi (makofi) : fist, punch
– likolo : high, above, sky
– likombe : single, lonely, isolated
– likonda: money
– likonga : arrow, lance, clock hand
– likonzi : post, pillar, column, pylon
– likopa : conspiracy, conspiracy, organized gang meeting, alliance for evil
– likuangola : machete, cutlass
– likukuma : stuttering
– likulusu : cross
– likunda (nkunda) : tomb
– likundu : possession, enchantment, evil eye
– likunia : envy, jealousy in relation to material goods or the situation of the other
– likusa : family home
– likuta (makuta) : penny, coin, hundredth of the monetary unit “zaire”
– likuti (makuti) : mouthful
– lilaka : mourning
– lilita (malita) : grave
– liloba (maloba) : speech
– limemia : humility, free will, good will
– limowu : goitre, goiter
– linaka (manaka) : schedule, process
– lindalala (mandalala) : palm branch
– lindanda : guitar
– lingala : speech, statement, comment, language
– lingenda : whisk, stick, rod
– lingomba : community, club, group, association, organization
– lingwanda : traditional wrestling that is similar to a dance
– lingwanda : a loincloth worn as panties for a traditional wrestling
– linzanza : scrap metal, metal box used for preserving food or various products
– lipanda : independence, freedom
– lipapu (mapapu) : wing
– lipasa (mapasa) : twin(s)
– lipaso : surgery, surgical operation
– lipate : children’s game consisting in quickly guessing the hiding place of the symbol object
– lipati : celebration, solidarity contribution
– lipeka (mapeka) : shoulder, epaulette
– lipeko (mapeko) : kilometer
– lipela (mapela) : tropical fruit of the myrtaceae family
– lipinga : group, body bringing together a group of people
– lipwepwe : kiss
– lisala : bird feather
– lisalisi : help, assistance
– lisanga : unity, group
– lisano : game
– lisapo : tale, fable
– lisasi (masasi) : cartridge, bullet from a firearm
– liseke (maseke) : horn
– liseki : joke, humour
– lisembe : back part, backside, the behind, buttocks
– lisengeli : duty, obligation
– lisiko : freedom
– lisikulu : speech
– lisitwale : history
– lisolo (masolo) : conversation, talk
– lisuma (masuma) : curse, bad luck
– lisungi : help, assistance, support
– lisusa (masusa) : pleat, fold
– litanga (matanga) : drop
– litatoli : explanation, justification
– liteya (mateya) : advice, teaching
– litomba : reward, pay, benefit, value, result
– litondi : gratitude, thankfulness, thanks, satiety, fullness
– litonge (matonge) : a kind of tropical fruit with pods to suck
– litshio (litshioli) : mockery, person object of the laughingstock
– litshombe : premature baby
– litutu : bump or bruise due to a punch or with a blunt object
– liwa : death, decease
– liyangani : renunciation, disengagement, surrender
– liyangani : meeting, conference, gathering, church service
– liyanzi : jigger, tick
– liyebisi (mayebisi) : statement, announcement
– liyonge : gang
– liyoto : child’s game simulating cooking in a simulated family home
– liziba : pond, water source, water point
– lizita (mazita) : knot
– lobi : tomorrow, future
– lobiko : life, existence
– lofundu : vanity, pride, arrogance, boastfulness
– lokaliti : location
– lokalo : train, locomotive
– lokasa : leaf, sheet
– lokesu : cough
– lokito : sound, vibration, crackling
– lokole : hollow tree trunk on which you hit to report an event
– lokoso : cupidity, selfishness, miserliness, greediness, avidity
– lokota : language, dialect
– lokumu : glory, honour, respect, dignity
– lokuta : lie
– lolaka : voice
– lolanda : blindness, visual disability
– lolango : love
– lolendo : vanity, pride, refusal of obedience
– lolenge : type, way
– loleso : gastronomy, food
– lolombo : beggary, soliciting a reward
– loma : trickery, constraint
– lomande : fine, penalty
– lombango : urgency, speed, haste
– lomeya : remuneration, fees, pay, salary
– lomingo : Sunday
– londende : fog, drizzle, stormy weather
– longonia : congratulations
– lopangu (mapangu) : residential parcel, fence
– lopele : tail
– lopete : ring, wedding ring
– lopitalo : hospital
– loposo : skin
– lopoto : European language, European lifestyle
– losako : hi, hello
– loseba : alarm, warning buzzer
– lotiliki : electricity
– lotomo : vocation, objective, purpose, duty, obligation
– loyembo : song
– loyenge : fun, toughtlessness, carefreeness, festivities, atmosphère, ambiance
– loyi : holiday, vacation, free time, spare time
– lozaza : slap
– lumba-lumba : a kind of medicinal plant that is also used as a condiment in cooking
– lupemba : blessing, luck
– luyalu : political power
– luzitu : respect, deference
