Congolese French→English

Translate Congolese French to English the way locals mean it.

In Congolese French, a greeting can stay in Lingala, an exhausted person can call themselves cadavéré, and on est ensemble can promise support rather than describe where people are.

Going the other way? English to Congolese French

474 local dialects

AIRTranslate on iPhone choosing between French varieties

What locals actually say

Mbote, tu vas bien ?

Hi, how are you?

Mbote is a Lingala greeting commonly retained in casual Congolese French, so it functions like “hi” rather than needing a literal French translation.

Je suis cadavéré là.

I’m completely exhausted.

Cadavéré is an informal Congolese French word for being worn out, not a statement that someone is dead.

On est ensemble, t’inquiète.

I’ve got your back, don’t worry.

On est ensemble signals solidarity and reassurance in casual speech, not that the speakers are physically in the same place.

Envoie-moi les unités, je te rembourse après.

Send me some phone credit, and I’ll pay you back later.

Unités commonly means prepaid mobile credit in Kinshasa, linking phone top-ups with everyday money transfers.

Le rendez-vous est au niveau de la Rawbank.

The meeting point is by the Rawbank branch.

Au niveau de is used as a local location marker in Congolese French, meaning by or near rather than at the level of.

On commande les liboke ce soir.

Let’s order fish steamed in banana leaves tonight.

Liboke is a Lingala loanword for food steamed in banana leaves, signaling a Congolese dish and culinary context.

Mon vieux a appelé ce matin.

My dad called this morning.

Mon vieux is a familiar Kinshasa term for one’s father, not a literal reference to an old man.

Aujourd’hui, je preste de nuit.

I’m working the night shift today.

Prester is used in Congolese French to mean work or serve a shift, especially in professional settings.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

How Congolese French differs

Congolese French (Kinshasa). Standard base; Lingala loanwords in casual speech (mbote as greeting stays Lingala); cadavéré informal for exhausted; courteous register in formal text.

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Localization Notes explaining why locals say it that way