Browse African Slang

Gnawa music style

Ward councilor

Folo / Ten

Desenvolvimento (Development)

Desigualdade (Inequality)

Nickname for Dar es Salaam city (from “DSM”). Used by locals in a familiar way.

Dizzy (Head spinning)

Assistente religioso (Religious assistant)

Avy Antsiranana / Antakarana (From Diego / Antakarana)

Diɲɛ mɔgɔw ka kan, langue mondiale (World people's language, world language)

Dj (Disc jockey)

Dja (Already taken)

An exclamation in Bambara that roughly means 'already' or 'really' and adds emphasis (often placed at the end of a sente...

Jaca/Fruta-pão (Jackfruit)

Chicken

Literally “chicken,” slang for a naive person or someone easily scared.

Jakarta moto, moto chinois (Jakarta motorcycle, Chinese motorcycle)

Slang for a taxi (since taxis roam like sly cats).

Sauce de tomate épaisse (Thick tomato sauce)

A pretty girl, often used admiringly.

Paz em Fula (Peace in Fula)

Pays natal en Dioula (Homeland in Dioula)

Modern take on traditional celebration music

Traditional healer using modern methods

Bebida tradicional (Traditional drink)

Djamu (Family name - Dioula)

Djandjoba (Forced labor - historical)

Djandjou (Informal savings group)

Problème, souci (Problem, worry)

Djarabi (Love potion/charm)

Flirt / romance légère (Light flirting/romance)

Marché en Dioula (Market in Dioula)

Djatigui (Host/patron - Dioula)

Faux ami / hypocrite (Fake friend/hypocrite)

Means “affairs” or “business;” can also refer to one’s romantic dealings (flirt or girlfriend).

Djeli (Griot - Dioula)

Traditional robe

Mosque; Friday prayers

Djembé (Traditional drum)

Maître du djembé (Djembe master)

Percussion contemporaine (Modern djembe)

Joueur de djembé (Djembe player)

Paradise/heaven

Sauce tomate aux crevettes (Tomato sauce with shrimp)

Mali dugu kɔrɔ, misiri ba bɛ yen (Ancient Mali city, big mosque there)

Mobile operator

Short for Djibouti (French slang) - local nickname

Ceremonia djibolo (Djibolo ceremony)

Djibouti Beach (Transport) - beach destination

Long live Djibouti (mixed)