African Slang Words Starting With "N"

Ntang (White person)

Persona blanca, extranjero (White person, foreigner)

Temps, moment (Time, moment)

Five (Hand)

Ntate (Father/Sir)

Grandfather / Elder (Grandfather)

Rraagwe mogolo (Grandfather)

Ntatemogolo (Grandfather)

Ntate moholo (Grandfather)

Slang for a driver or chauffeur. Usage: Mopila na biso akomi kaka – Our driver just arrived, let’s go.

Pays, terre en myènè (Country, land in Myene)

Mfalme wa Kisukuma (Sukuma king)

Tempo / clima (Weather / climate)

Ritual de iniciação feminina (Female initiation ritual)

Processo de curtir peles de animais (Process of tanning animal hides)

Weather/time

“Thingy” or whatchamacallit (casual way to refer to an object).

Personne, homme en fang (Person, man in Fang)

Nti (That)

Nti sɛn? (So what?) - Expression of indifference

Ntidde (I'm scared)

Literally 'dog,' it's used like 'dawg' in English – to refer to a friend in a playful, macho way

Marijuana/Weed (Cannabis)

Poitrine (Chest)

Ntomo (Youth society)

Entãu (Então) (So/then)

Matin (Morning)

Matin (Morning)

Matin (Morning) - Lingala

Ntoya (Small)

Ku tsaka, ntsako (Joy, happiness)

Ntshe (Ostrich)

Slang for school or class (like “chik” as in chalk maybe).

Ntswarele (Forgive me)

Ntsu (Eagle)

Ntswa e fisa seatleng (Louse burns in palm)

Ntuuse (I've arrived)

Ntwa (War/Fight)

Ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo (The biggest war is of the mouth)

Ntwana (Guy/Dude)

Literally “youngster,” but in slang used to mean *girlfriend* (urban usage). (Origin: Tsotsitaal, Zulu origin)

A casual township slang term meaning "my boy" or "my buddy." From Nguni languages (like Zulu/Xhosa) "ntwana" means child...

Jogo tradicional africano (Traditional African game)

Ntša (Dog - loyal friend)

Bouche (Mouth)

Mouth; thing

Nu (Five - Mooré)

Various slang for marijuana/weed (each a creative term among youth). Usage: Ba guys oyo bazalaki ko nua lopipi na se ya ...

Rahona / Cloud

Nuage espéré (Hoped cloud)