ebale

Bangi

Noun

ebale

  1. river

Lingala

FWOTD – 11 October 2025

Etymology

Derived from -bala (to approach; to join).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /e˩.ba˩.le˩/

Noun

ebale class 7 (plural bibale class 8)

  1. river
    • 1963, James E. Redden, Frederic Bongo, Ernest Masakala, Emil Zola, Lingala: Basic Course, Foreign Service Institute, page 191:
      Nakangákí mbísi míngi na ebale.
      I caught a lot of fish in the river.
    • 1981, Eyamba G. Bokamba, Ekolongonelo Ya Lingala: An Introductory Textbook and Grammar, Department of Linguistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, page 117:
      Mobembo o Ebale Zaire
      A Trip on the Zaire River
    • 1989, John A. Holm, quoting S. Mufwene, Pidgins and Creoles: Volume II, Reference Survey, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 560:
      Akeí na ebale mpó ásokola nzóto mpé ámela mwámái.
      He went to the river to wash himself and drink some water.

References

  1. ^ Duma di Bula, Gampoko, editor (2019), Dictionnaire étymologique lingala-français français-lingala: Yikaloba (in French and Lingala), Paris: L'Harmattan, →ISBN, page 72