Browse African Slang

Kutamenya (Not to know)

Faire les ablutions (Perform ablutions)

Kusokonekera / Kusowa nzeru (To be confused / lose sense)

Kukhala wokongola / Kukoma (To be beautiful / attractive)

Kupita / Kuchoka (To go / leave)

Kuthawa / Kuchoka mwachangu (To run away / leave quickly)

Pêcher (To fish)

Umtsimba wesiSwati (Swati wedding)

Literally 'to spit,' but in slang means to speak or rap.

Kutembea kwa miguu (To walk)

Se promener en ville (Walk in town)

Kusintha khalidwe / Kukhala wina (To change behavior / become different)

To buy

Making pickles

Making juice

To sell

Social exclusion

Kutuma ujumbe (To send a message)

Kukamba nkhani / Kufalitsa mphekesera (To spread stories / gossip)

Kupewa kuuzidwa / Kutchova (To avoid being caught / escape)

From English 'throw words,' means to diss or subtly insult.

Kuchita chinthu chovuta / Kupambana zovuta (To do something difficult / overcome challenges)

Completely silent; dead quiet (onomatopoeic)" (Chichewa idiom)

Kuweka (To put / to have)

Encourager (To encourage)

Treating diseases

Kutitaho (Not to care)

Swahili for 'to remove sweat,' meaning to work extremely hard (sweating) for money. Used to emphasize effort put into ea...

To unlock or reveal something, often secrets.

Exorcism

Giving charity

To be genuine or drop pretenses (like removing tinted glasses to see clearly).

Kufanya vizuri sana (To nail it / do excellently)

Venir d'Anjouan (Coming from Anjouan)

Kutenga / Kupeza (To get / obtain)

Esfriar (To cool down)

Kuwa maarufu mtandaoni (To trend online)

Petits trucs (Small things)

Kuwa mtulivu (To be calm)

Envoyer de l'argent (Send money)

Envoyer de l'argent (Send money)

Using time

Kutumvikana (Misunderstanding)

Prendre soin (To take care)

Keeping history

Keeping memories

Preserving customs

Kuimba wimbo (To release a song)

Kuu kiling ti (It's not one thing)

Demander (To ask)