Browse African Slang

Faire du bruit (Make noise)

Kutembea (To walk around)

Literally “to hit water,” meaning to get drunk (on alcohol).

Diving

Kujivunia (To boast)

Photographier (To photograph)

Prendre des photos (Take photos)

Divination traditionnelle (Traditional divination)

Kutembea bila mwelekeo (To wander aimlessly)

(Swahili, 'to throw a party') Slang for partying and living it up. In relationship contexts, if someone is always kupiga...

Appeler (To call)

Kuongea (To talk / chat)

Kuibiwa (To be robbed)

Kupika/kutengeneza chakula (Cooking/preparing food)

Charcoal cooking

Means “to be hot” in Shona – slang usage can mean *to be trending/popular OR to be dangerous (like hot to touch)*.

Kupita ndege / Malo (To go plane / place)

Kuona masewera / Malo (To see games / place)

Kusunga ndalama / Kubwereka (To save money / borrow)

Kukhala gombe / Lokongola (To be shore / beautiful)

Kumwa panja / Malo (To drink outside / place)

Kudutsa mlatho / Njira (To cross bridge / path)

Kukwera basi / Malo (To board bus / place)

Kupita tchalitchi / Kupemphera (To go church / pray)

Kukhala nyumba / Zambiri (To be houses / many)

Kukhala nyumba / Yozungulira (To be house / round)

Kuona ziwonetsero / Malo (To see shows / place)

Kugula alimi / Malo (To buy farmers / place)

Kupita nkhalango / Mitengo (To go forest / trees)

Kugula zipatso / Malo (To buy fruits / place)

Kupita kudera / Losauka (To go area / poor)

Kuchita masewera olimbitsa thupi / Kukonda thupi (To exercise / work out)

Kupita msika / Kugula (To go market / buy)

Kugula oyenda / Malo (To buy moving / place)

Kukhala malo / Ogona (To be place / sleep)

Kupita kumadzi / Kusangalala (To go water / enjoy)

Kupeza zonse / Malo (To find all / place)

Kukhala mitengo / Ya zipatso (To be trees / fruits)

Kugula otsika / Malo (To buy cheap / place)

Kugula mankhwala / Malo (To buy medicine / place)

Kuweta nkhumba / Malo (To keep pigs / place)

Kumwa mowa / Malo (To drink beer / place)

Kukhala nyumba / Zamatabwa (To be houses / planks)

Kupita bwalo / Masewera (To go ground / games)

Kusambira dziwe / Madzi (To swim pool / water)

Kumwa tiyi / Malo (To drink tea / place)

Kugula sukulu / Malo (To buy school / place)

Kuona nyama / Zazing'ono (To see animals / small)

Cerimônia fúnebre tradicional (Traditional funeral ceremony)

Kuyenda / Kupita (To go / walk)