African Slang Words Starting With "L"

Status/standard

Kiwango/daraja (Level/grade)

ليفل (Level)

Nivo, kalite (Level, quality)

First year student (Freshman)

Final year student (Senior)

Stage passed

مستوى مكتمل (Level complete)

Situation has improved or changed (often financially).

Fair conditions (Equal chance)

ليفل أنلوك - فتح مستوى (level unlock)

Ukukhuphuka / Ukuya phezulu (Going up / Rising)

Time to level up (Time to improve)

Passer au niveau supérieur (To reach next level)

Improve status (Advance)

Irtifa'a daraja (Rise level)

Improve/Advance (Level up)

Ho nyolohela hodimo / Ntlafatso (To go higher / Improvement)

ليفل اب (Level up)

Kuzamuka mu rwego (To rise in level)

ارتقي للمستوى التالي (Level up)

Advance (Level up)

Monter niveau (Level up)

Monte nivo (Level up)

Level up (Improve status)

Improve status.

Time for improvement

Status/class (Levels/status)

Mataki, daraja (Levels, status)

Different tiers of success.

Different standards (Class differences)

Se lever tôt (Wake up early)

Leverage opportunities (Use opportunities)

ليڤريج - Leverage

Literally 'to carry,' but youth use levá to mean to steal or snatch. If something got lifted, they'll say levaram

End of mourning

Lewatle (Sea/Large water body)

ለውጥ/ለውጥ (Change)

Gossip or rumor (also spelled *lewtou*).

Cours (Lesson)

Leçon apprise (Lesson learned)

Leçon enseignée (Lesson taught)

Leçon de vie (Life lesson)

Meat

There

اللي فات مات - ما مضى قد مات (what passed is dead)

Literally 'he sold his pig,' a colloquial expression meaning 'he broke into his savings (piggy bank)'. Used when someone...

Manger, consommer (To eat, consume)

Slang referring to a Congolese of Brazzaville (across river). Used in jokes about accents or rivalry. Usage: Alobi “mbot...

لايبيليتي (Liability / debt)