Browse African Slang

Rendre, retourner (To return, to give back)

Naming ceremony

Recevoir, obtenir (To receive, get)

Avoir des enfants (Have children)

Trouver l'amour (To find love) - Lingala

Have hope

Avoir de la chance (To be lucky)

Avoir un problème (To have a problem) - Lingala

S'endetter (To get into debt)

Recevoir le cœur (To receive the heart) - Lingala

Obtenir une maison (To get a house)

Zero or nothing.

Fat or plump.

Portefeuille (Wallet)

Exactly/Perfectly (Exactly)

Sauce au piment noir (Black pepper sauce)

Beignet de haricot (Bean fritter)

Immédiatement (Immediately)

From the phrase 'kpakpakpa movement,' it's a slang that went viral in Ghana meaning fast, get-it-done hustling. It impli...

Strong liquor/Gin (Local alcohol)

Confusion/Disorder (Chaos)

Kpakpato (Quickly)

Maïs grillé (Roasted corn)

Canard (Duck)

Rapidement (Quickly)

Homemade pepper sauce brand.

Panier (Basket)

Fort, puissant (Strong, powerful)

Quelqu'un de bien habillé (Well-dressed person)

Galettes de maïs (Corn patties)

Chaussure (Shoe)

Messy or screwed up situation.

Ruse des jeunes (Youth cunning)

Contrefait (Counterfeit)

Faux/contrefait (Fake/counterfeit)

Chaise (Chair)

Assistance (Assistance)

A Nigerian slang for the female genitals. It's a somewhat vulgar term akin to 'pussy,' used in very informal contexts.

Ethnic group/Language (Kpelle people)

Escargots (Snails)

Maçon (Mason)

Court/petit (Short/small)

Vérité absolue (Absolute truth)

Sagesse des ancêtres (Ancestral wisdom)

Huile rouge épaisse (Thick red oil)

Sauce aux graines de palme (Palm nut sauce)

Banane verte bouillie (Boiled green banana)

Champ en Guéré (Field in Guéré)

Louche (Ladle)

Beaucoup, trop (A lot, too much)