Browse African Slang

ሜሞ/ሜሞ (Memo)

ትዝታ/ትዝታ (Tizita) - memory

Means “show-off” or “dramatic” (memria literally means acting). Usage: She made a whole memria when she lost her pen – c...

መንገድ/መንገድ (Road)

“Traveling the road,” slang for being out of town or unreachable. Usage: I haven’t seen Dawit lately – yihonal menged se...

ሜኑ እባክህ/ሜኑ እባክህ (Menu ebakeh) - menu please

ነጋዴ/ነጋዴ (Negade) - merchant

መርካቶ/ትልቁ ገበያ (Big market)

መርካቶ ሀስል/የመርካቶ ስራ (Merkato hustle)

መስ/መስ (Mes) - honey wine

መሳኪያ/መሳኪያ (Mesakeria) - saw

መሣሣት/መሣሣት (Mesasat) - to wash

መስጊድ/መስጊድ (Mesgid) - mosque

መሸጥ/መሸጥ (Meshet) - to sell

መስቀል/መስቀል (Meskel) - Finding of True Cross

መስቀል አደባባይ/መስቀል አደባባይ (Meskel adebabay) - Meskel Square

መስከረም/መስከረም (Meskerem) - September

መሶብ/መሶብ (Mesob) - woven basket table

መስሪያ/መስሪያ (Mesria) - ruler

መጣት/መጣት (Metat) - to come

መታጠብያ/መታጠብያ (Metatebia) - bathroom

መጠጣት/መጠጣት (Metetat) - to drink

መጥረቢያ/መጥረቢያ (Metrebia) - axe

መጸዳት/መጸዳት (Metsedat) - to clean

ሜክሲኮ/ሜክሲኮ አደባባይ (Mexico square)

መዝሙር/መዝሙር (Mezmur) - spiritual song

ማይክሮዌቭ/ማይክሮዌቭ (Microwave) - microwave

ምቅኔት/ምቅኔት (Miknyat) - jealousy

Slang for “expensive” or “pricey” (from English “make you (broke)”). Usage: That import beer is miky – let’s just get St...

Sarcastic “what did you break?” used when someone looks guilty or something falls.

ምን ልትባል/ምን ልትባል (What will you say)

“What do you know,” a sassy retort similar to “you have no idea.”. Usage: You think learning Japanese is easy? Min tawk ...

Means “what does he know?” used when doubting someone’s expertise. Usage: That DJ is 16 – min yawratal about classic 90s...

ምን ይሻላል/ምን ይሻላል (What's better)

ምንድን ነው/ምንድን ነው (What is it)

ሚኒባስ ታክሲ/ሚኒባስ ታክሲ (Minibus taxi)

መስታወት/መስታወት (Mestawet) - mirror

ምሽት/ሙሽራ (Groom)

ምስር ወጥ/ምስር ወጥ (Lentil stew)

From Arabic “miskeen,” meaning “poor thing.” Used to show pity or sympathy in a slightly joking way.

ሚጥሚጣ/ሚጥሚጣ (Mitmita) - spicy powder

መቀላቀል/መቀላቀል (Mekelakel) - mixing

ሞዴሊንግ ኤጀንሲ/ሞዴሊንግ ኤጀንሲ (Modeling agency) - modeling agency

ሰኞ/ሰኞ (Segno) - Monday

ገንዘብ ማግኘት/ገንዘብ ማግኘት (Monetize)

ገንዘብ ማስተላለፍ/ገንዘብ ማስተላለፍ (Genzeb mastelalf) - money transfer

መነኩሴ/መነኩሴ (Menekuse) - monk

ሞፕ/ሞፕ (Mop) - mop

ተጨማሪ እንጀራ/ተጨማሪ እንጀራ (Techemari injera) - more injera

የጠዋት ቡና/የጠዋት ቡና (Yetewat buna) - morning coffee