African Slang Words Starting With "A"

أول - First

اول النهار (Early morning)

أول إمبارح - Day before yesterday

Day before yesterday.

أول ما - As soon as

Awesome (Awesome)

Belonging to us | Behoort aan ons

Nyumba kwa Kiturkana (Home in Turkana)

Boy (Afar)

Akhi (My brother)

Maladroit, gênant (Awkward)

Zenan, mal alaz (Awkward, uncomfortable)

Atfaal sughar (Small children)

Awladi (My children)

Awo awo (Right there - to stop taxi)

Awo wenkomye (That's where I stop)

Mai kuɗi, mai arziki (Rich person, wealthy)

A free gift or windfall – 'awoof' is something gotten easily without effort. The full saying is 'awoof dey run belle' me...

Grandfather (Somali)

Belle femme ronde (Beautiful curvy woman)

አውራጃ/አውራጃ (Awraja) - storm

Mort (Death)

Nez (Nose)

Awurade kasa (God speaks) - Divine intervention

Awwal (First)

Awwal ams (Day before yesterday)

أوي - Very

Plat de haricots et maïs (Beans and corn dish)

Sunday (Somali/Arabic)

Hochet musical (Musical rattle)

Àxí (Marché/Market)

አክሱም/አክሱም (Axum) - ancient city

House in Berber

Ɛr ova yay → Hair over eye

Hey friend/Excuse me (Hey man)

Big wata → Big water

Come on/let's go

Hapana! kwa Kimaasai (No! in Maasai)

Queen; respected woman

“I don’t have it” or “I can’t.” Youth use it to dramatically say they’re unable to deal. Usage: 7am class? Ayalehu, I li...

أيام - Days/Times

አያት/አያት (Grandparent)

Expression douleur (Expression of pain)

Ekspresyon douleur (Expression of pain)

Means “shameful” or “inappropriate.” Used to call someone out for bad behavior. Usage: Hey, don’t curse in front of kids...

Another way to say thank you, often in response to a compliment (meaning “may you live long”).

Pikin gem → Children's game

“Isn’t it?” rhetorical tag question to seek agreement (short for “aydelehum?”).

Hay-hay / Aye-aye

Grandmother (Somali)