Browse African Slang

Slang for a special girl or one’s girlfriend (used in urban youth slang; sometimes also “koso”).

In Shona, literally “to stab,” but slang-wise used to mean *to leave/escape*.

To pay

To be robbed

To change money

To be expensive

To be broke

A Shona slang term meaning improvising or hustling in desperate times. It's about making do with whatever resources avai...

To borrow

To lend

Means to con or swindle; a guma guma is a hustler who scams people.

To be poor

Shona: to freeload or capitalize without contributing. If you attend a braai empty-handed to just eat, wanga onorera.

To finish money

Literally “to go crazy with happiness,” meaning to have a blast.

To be rich

To organize money

To use money

To lack money

Slang derived from Shona, meaning to be broke or penniless (literally “to be dry”).

A Shona verb meaning to hustle through multiple small jobs or activities. It's like 'scrambling around.' If someone is k...

To buy

To sell

A Shona phrase meaning “to open big,” used to mean doing something *extra risky or breaking a big taboo*.

A Shona word meaning “to be open,” used in slang to describe someone who *can’t keep a secret* or who *blabs*.

Ndebele slang for showing off excessively (almost like “flexing”).