Browse African Slang

Discussion traditionnelle (Traditional discussion)

Médiation contemporaine (Modern palaver)

Palabre organisée (Palaver organized)

Discussion traditionnelle (Palaver under the tree)

Arbre à palabres (Meeting tree)

Palabrer (To discuss at length)

Discussion/dispute (Discussion/argument)

Palabreur (Talker)

Palace (Royal house)

Résidence du roi (King's residence)

Funny opposites both meaning “house” (palais ironically for a shack, ghetto as casual term for home).

Palamente (Parliament)

Palapye (Town)

Palava (Problem/trouble)

Trouble or problem (similar to wahala).

Problem or hassle (from old Pidgin and ultimately Portuguese *palavra*).

Meeting place/Court (Traditional court)

Trouble, fuss, or complicated situation. Also used to mean an argument or prolonged discussion.

Palavra dita (Spoken word)

Palavra complicada (Complicated word)

Word power

Flower (nickname).

Brincadeira, coisa ridícula (Clowning, ridiculous thing)

Casa tradicional de palha (Traditional straw house)

No problem; it’s nothing (Origin: Chichewa)

Traditional soup/Stew (Palm nut soup)

واحات النخيل (Palm groves)

Palm oil (Palm oil)

Palm wine (Palm wine)

Cóctel de vino de palma (Palm wine cocktail)

Musique du vin de palme (Palm wine music)

Palm wine tapper - Traditional wine collector

Distrito de gás natural (Natural gas district)

Arbre à huile (Oil palm)

Cœur qui bat (Heart beating)

Paludisme (Malaria)

Paludisme/Malaria

Palu (Malaria)

Paludisme (Malaria)

Paludisme récurrent (Recurring malaria)

Paludisme de saison (Seasonal malaria)

Pame (To understand)

Fixe/Legal (Cool/Nice)

Juntos, unidos (Together, united)

Tushinde pamoja (Together we win)

Pampan (Sweetheart)

Diapers/Nappies (Diapers)

Together we can (Unity power)

بان افريكان (Pan-African)

Dawa waja'a (Pain medicine)