Browse African Slang

Kubungabunga (To conserve/maintain)

Kubungabunga ibiryo (To preserve food)

Kubura aho bigwa hasi (To lack where to fall - to be desperate)

Kuburana (To sue/take to court)

Kurekodi muziki (To record music)

Kubuza (To drum)

Grand (Big) - Swahili

Kunyoza / Kuchita manyazi (To embarrass / humiliate)

Kubwira (To tell)

Kubyina (To dance)

Kulewa (To get drunk)

Kugwira ntchito molimbika / Kuyesetsa (To work hard / try)

Kufanya mtihani (To do an exam)

Kufanya mambo kwa siri (To do things secretly)

To work hard for money

Travailler dur (Work hard)

Kupiga penalti (To take a penalty)

To chat or tell stories at length. Young people use 'tulichapa story' to mean we spent time talking/gossiping.

Literally 'beat electricity,' meaning to run very fast (like lightning).

Kukhala osauka / Kusowa zinthu (To be poor / lack things)

Kuchelewa/wakati wa mwisho (Late/end time)

Kuchemsha/kupika kwa maji (Boiling/cooking with water)

Kucheza (To play / dance)

Kucheza mchezo wa kompyuta (To play computer games)

Jouer au bao (Play bao game)

“Play low,” meaning to be discreet or humble.

Danser (To dance)

Kucheza kama mshambuliaji (To play as striker)

Adapted from English “chill,” it means to relax/hang out.

Adapted from English “chill,” it means to relax/hang out.

To change money

Kukhala wotanganidwa / Kugwira ntchito (To be busy / work)

Kupeza ndalama / Kupanga ndalama (To make money / earn cash)

Kuchita mwachangu / Kufulumira (To do quickly / hurry)

Kuchita nsanje / Kusilira (To be jealous / envious)

Kunamizira / Kubisala (To pretend / act fake)

Kukonza zochitika / Kukonzekera (To arrange activities / prepare)

Kupempha nawo / Kukopa (To beg / ask persistently)

Kuyesetsa / Kulimbana (To try hard / struggle)

Kukasirika sana (To get very angry)

To hype up or provoke someone.

Kushindwa (To be tired / give up)

Kuchoka mwanzeru / Mochenjerera (To leave cleverly / carefully)

Kufurahia kabisa (To burn it up / party hard)

Kupata pesa (To make money)

Dessiner (To draw)

Kusiya ntchito / Kusiya udindo (To quit job / leave position)

Kutafuta (To search / look for)

(Sheng) Literally 'to skin,' but slang for a woman extracting money from a man using her charm (essentially gold-digging...

In slang usage, to ask for or claim – especially in context of money or hookups