The work aims to improve the lubricating and anti-wear ability of water-based lubricant to titanium alloys. The frictional properties of three kinds of traditional cutting fluids and four kinds of water-soluble organic phosphate esters for titanium alloy/tungsten carbide tribo-pair were investigated by a ball-on-disc sliding frictional apparatus. Furthermore, the wear surface morphology and internal and external energy spectrum of wear marks were detected by three-dimensional white light interference topography and scanning electron microscope, the wear mechanism and lubrication performance were analyzed, and the water-soluble additives with high efficiency lubrication for titanium alloy were explored. The pH of solution was adjusted by organic alkali, and the lubrication system suitable for titanium alloy was compounded. Cutting oil with good lubrication effect on aluminum alloy, had poor effect on titanium alloy, while the selected water-based lubricant had better lubrication effect. The four kinds of water-soluble phosphate solutions could produce better lubrication effect on titanium alloy when the mass concentration was 2%. Fatty alcohol ether phosphate (MOA-3P) had the most outstanding lubrication effect, the lowest friction coefficient (0.15), the good stability and the least adhesive wear. The pH of phosphate solution was adjusted to alkalinity by diethylene glycol amine and triethanolamine, and the friction coefficient of all solutions except the branched alkylated phosphate solution (CP-NF-3) increased and the fluctuation was large. However, when the alkaline solution of CP-NF-3 phosphate was used for lubrication, the friction coefficient changed little and stabilized at about 0.2. The lubricant compounded with water- soluble phosphate ester and appropriate organic alkali can realize good lubrication of titanium alloy, and can be used in the research and development of titanium alloy water-based cutting fluid system.