Browse African Slang

Daktari/mtu wa tiba (Doctor/medical person)

Docteur absent (Doctor absent)

Chief doctor

Good doctor

Emergency doctor

Slang for a small lie or fib, often used humorously. (Origin: Sudanese Arabic)

A conversational filler meaning “so” or “then.” Inserted in speech as a transition (origin: Wolof).

From Zulu meaning 'to create/do.' In youth slang 'dala' came to mean 'do it/make it happen'

Do / make / handle.

Basi la umma (Public bus)

Include me / do it with me.

A bus or van apprentice (the helper who hangs off the side of minibuses).

“Do what you must” – a defiant phrase meaning *do whatever you’re gonna do* (trending from a viral interview).

Transport en commun (Public transport)

دلع (Spoiled / pampered)

Basi la abiria (Passenger bus)

Wari, nafa (Money, profit)

Signe de pluie (Sign of rain)

Ishara ya mvua ni mawingu (The sign of rain is clouds)

Land signs

Origin indicators

Rain signs

Auctioneer

Quartier chaud, zone dangereuse (Hot neighborhood, dangerous area)

To show off at a party, dress flashy (Origin: Wolof/Senegalese)

دلوعة (Cutie / sweetie)

Référence humoristique à Daloa (Humorous reference to Daloa)

Tourism/travel (Somali)

دم (Blood / kinship)

Literally 'lady,' it's used to refer informally to a girl or girlfriend. Similar to 'chick' in English

Checkers

Namorada / garota (Girlfriend / girl)

Artista feminina influente (Influential female artist)

I'm not feeling well

Slang verb for “to eat” (comes from French *dame* in checkers meaning “to take”). Youth say “faire damage” to mean chow ...

Limitation des dégâts (Damage control)

Damages (Pregnancy compensation)

ደማከሴ/ደማከሴ (Traditional herb)

ደማከሴ/ደማከሴ (Damakesse) - medicinal plant

Petit mammifère (Small mammal)

Traditional dance style (Damara dance)

Good Damara (Nice people)

Damba (Marijuana)

“Conscience,” used when joking that someone has no shame. Usage: You ate my fries too? No dameer!

Impressionner, dominer (To impress, to dominate)

Dames (Checkers)

Fuɲɛ fɔlɔ, commencer (First beginning, to start)

دمه خفيف - Light-blooded (funny)

دمه تقيل - Heavy-blooded (boring)

Stupid/Foolish (Dumb/Silly)