Browse African Slang

Aujourd'hui (Today)

እግር/እግር (Leg/foot)

Ego (Yes)

Self-importance

Ego sa! (Oh really!) - Gitega dialect

Egoísta (Selfish)

Egún (Revenant/Returning spirit)

A Yoruba term that has become generic slang for a bribe or illicit payment. Egunje refers to money given to influence so...

Egusi (Melon seed)

እግዚአብሔር/አምላክ (God)

እግዚአብሔር ይመስገን/እግዚአብሔር ይመስገን (Egziabher yimesgen) - thank God

Mascarade (Masquerade)

Expression de surprise musulmane (Muslim expression of surprise)

What's this? Expression of surprise.

How are things?

Ndiyo! (Yes!)

Happiness (Joy)

Traditional comb (Hair tool)

Growth (Development)

Jealousy (Envy)

Richesse (Wealth)

Death (Passing)

Rire moqueur (Mocking laugh)

أهل، قبيلة (Tribe, people)

An exclamation meaning “I see/aha/and so?” or to indicate realization.

Ehen (Yes/I see)

Mon Dieu! (My God!)

Kweli! (True!)

እህል/እህል (Ehil) - grain

እህቴ/እህቴ (Ehite) - my sister/sis

Expression Baoulé de surprise (Baoulé expression of surprise)

Tag question added to statements, meaning 'right?' or 'isn't it?'. Ubiquitous in Liberian English.

Ethnie du Sud-Est (Southeast ethnic group)

Oui en Baoulé (Yes in Baoulé)

A common exclamation of surprise, disbelief, or emphasis.

Expression of disbelief (“wow, there’s wonder”).

Eid/sikukuu ya Kiislamu (Islamic holiday)

Islamic celebration

عيد سيليبريشن (Eid celebration)

تسوق العيد (Eid shopping)

عيد فايبز - أجواء العيد (Eid atmosphere)

إيه ده - ما هذا (What's this)

Literally “what’s the system?,” used to ask “what’s the plan/how does it work?”.

إيه؟ - What?

Ouch! An exclamation for pain (from Afrikaans).

Combines Afrikaans 'eina' (ouch) with a Yiddish/English 'oy' (oh no) as a dramatic comical exclamation

District in Djibouti

Describes someone as bold or shameless. (Origin: Sudanese Arabic, lit. "his eye is strong")

Eish/kumbe (Eish/surprise)

Expression of frustration/surprise.