Browse African Slang

People Lozi (Humans)

Dança tradicional (Traditional dance)

Percussão tradicional (Traditional percussion)

Très bavard (Chatty as a magpie)

Parler pour rien (Chatter)

بواب - Doorman

Go out/leave (Somali)

Accent Baya (Baya accent)

بياع - Seller

بايت (Stale / old)

Street hawker

Refers to the Baye Fall, a sub-group of the Mouride brotherhood known for their dreadlocks and patchwork clothes. In sla...

بين - Between

Pai em Papel (Father in Papel)

They're hitting

Boena le boausi / Bakreste (Brothers and sisters / Christians)

To leave or go away quickly, equivalent to 'bounce.' This common youth slang comes from the word bazaar, implying headin...

To leave or go away quickly, equivalent to 'bounce.' This common youth slang comes from the word bazaar, implying headin...

Means a quick exit/disappearance (short leave). Usage: Dei um bazar curto da reunião pra atender uma chamada. (I ducked ...

To go with the vibe, relax, or go with the flow.

Désordre (Chaos)

Arquipélago de Bazaruto (Bazaruto Archipelago)

Tsena lehibe / Grand marché (Big market / Main market)

Neighborhood hangout or home area.

Shorthand for the shiny, stiff bazin fabric that's popular in Mali for traditional clothes. By extension, 'mettre le baz...

بازان لامع (Shiny bazin fabric)

Tissu traditionnel de luxe (Luxury traditional fabric)

Also used to mean a huge party or awesome event (like “it was a bazooka”).

From “bazooka,” meaning something powerful or mind-blowing.

“A lot” or “very.” Borrowed from Amazigh, common in Algerian Darija.

Baía de Maputo (Maputo Bay)

Zona turística (Tourist area)

Sudanese slang for something or someone boring, dull or bland

Bcbg (Bon chic bon genre - preppy)

Start/begin

Means doing something “on the side slyly” (chiqqa = side). Often implies doing shady or flirty things discreetly.

Ser diferente (Be different)

بي هابي - كن سعيدا (be happy)

Show goodness (Be kind)

Kaa salama (Be safe)

Be herim-po / Tia vehivavy (Player / Womanizer)

“Let it be so” – acceptance of a situation; also “Is that so?”

Be strong (Have strength)

بسرعة (Quickly)

Used as a scolding phrase meaning 'keep doing that and see what happens'.

Self-employed (Independent)

Beach (Beach)

Beach (Beach)

Domingo de playa (Beach Sunday)

Bautizo en la playa (Beach baptism)