Browse African Slang

Popular music and dance style (Origin: Mozambican Portuguese/Local)

Celebração da música tradicional (Traditional music celebration)

To study intensely or cram, especially for exams

Estudar intensamente (To study intensively)

Distrito de Marrupa (Marrupa district)

Movimento das águas (Tide)

Estilo musical da Beira (Beira musical style)

Barragem de Massingir (Massingir Dam)

Pessoa difícil, chata (Difficult, annoying person)

Eliminatórias (Playoffs)

Breakfast (literally “to kill the bug” meaning to kill the morning hunger).

Jogo tradicional de perseguição (Traditional chase game)

Traditional dish with cassava leaves (Origin: Mozambican Portuguese/Local)

Beber álcool de manhã (To drink alcohol in the morning)

Folhas de abóbora (Pumpkin leaves)

Referência a vida suburbana (Reference to suburban life)

A clueless or slow-witted person. Implies lack of street-smarts

Matraquilhos, pebolim (Table football)

Arte tradicional de fazer cestas de palma (Traditional art of making palm baskets)

Preguiçoso (Lazy person)

Distrito remoto (Remote district)

Cidade de Maxixe (Maxixe city)

Zebra (Zebra)

A term with multiple uses: thieves use mbolha for stolen loot, minibus conductors use it for passengers, and some use it...

To end up disappointed or let down

Operadora móvel nacional (National mobile operator)

Distrito de Mecula (Mecula district)

Prato especial diário (Daily special dish)

Principal mercado da cidade (Main city market)

Produtos da marca (Brand products)

Stand de produtos (Product stand)

Rio Messica (Messica River)

Vila à beira do lago (Lakeside village)

Causar inveja (To cause envy)

Usado como gíria para dinheiro em geral (Used as slang for money in general)

Literally 'my,' but used as a casual address like 'dude' or 'man' among friends

Milho miúdo (Small corn)

Remédio caseiro (Home remedy)

Assunto em changana (Matter in Changana)

Cerimónia de espíritos (Spirit ceremony)

Vento (Wind)

Espírito médium (Spirit medium)

Neblina (Mist)

Escritor moçambicano famoso (Famous Mozambican writer)

Espíritos ancestrais (Ancestral spirits)

Distrito de Milange (Milange district)

Muito dinheiro (Millions)

Contas coloridas (Colored beads)

Alternar entre idiomas (To switch between languages)

Ossos de adivinhação (Divination bones)