African Slang Words Starting With "K"

Kubuza (To drum)

Grand (Big) - Swahili

Abuja satellite town (Abuja satellite town)

Kubwa (Big)

To come

To return

Kunyoza / Kuchita manyazi (To embarrass / humiliate)

Kubwira (To tell)

Imbyino (Dancing)

Kubyina (To dance)

Kubyuka (To wake up)

Kulewa (To get drunk)

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

Sheng for 'to beat/do intensely'. Amechapa can mean someone is worn out or someone failed (esp. in looks: dame amechapa ...

Kufanya mtihani (To do an exam)

Kufanya mambo kwa siri (To do things secretly)

To work hard for money

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).

Kupfimba (To propose/court)

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

Kuchelewa/wakati wa mwisho (Late/end time)

Kufika baada ya muda (To arrive after time)

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

To be clever/smart

Kucheza (To play / dance)

Kucheza mchezo wa kompyuta (To play computer games)

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

Kucheza kama mshambuliaji (To play as striker)

To be broke

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

From English 'chill,' means to hang out and relax. Used widely, sometimes conjugated in Swahili (na-chill, tu-chill).

To change money

To the hospital

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)

To be scared

Kukonza zochitika / Kukonzekera (To arrange activities / prepare)

Kupempha nawo / Kukopa (To beg / ask persistently)

Kuyesetsa / Kulimbana (To try hard / struggle)

Kuwa mjanja (To be clever / street smart)

To hype up or provoke someone.

Kushindwa (To be tired / give up)

Kuchoka mwanzeru / Mochenjerera (To leave cleverly / carefully)

Literally 'to burn,' but in slang means to party hard or have a great time.

Kupata pesa (To make money)