Browse African Slang

ያቺ/ያቺ (That girl/her)

ያንተ/ያንተ (Yours)

የልጅ ጨዋታ/የልጅ ጨዋታ (Ye lij chewata) - children's games

የአበሻ ምግብ/የአበሻ ምግብ (Ethiopian food)

Means “he’s full of himself” (like swelled). Usage: Now that he has 10k Insta followers, ke honu yebesse, doesn’t even t...

የፍቅር ጌታ/ፍቅረኛ (Love master/boyfriend)

“Child of love,” joking term for someone who’s always in love or has many crushes. Usage: Selam is yefker lij – every we...

የኛ/የኛ (Ours)

የሐበሻ ልጅ/የኢትዮጵያ ልጅ (Ethiopian child)

Literally “country boy,” used to call someone naive or old-fashioned. Usage: He still asks permission for everything – y...

የቐንየለይ/አመሰግናለሁ (Thank you - Tigrinya)

Means “that’s life” or “it happens,” said with a shrug (literally “what can you do”). Usage: Missed your flight? Yemasle...

Means “whatever” or “who cares.” Used when you’re indifferent.

የኔ/የኔ (Mine/my)

የኔ ቆንጆ/የኔ ቆንጆ (My beautiful)

የኔ ነገር/የኔ ሰው (My thing/my person)

የራስ ጉልጉል/የራስ ጉልጉል (Yeras gulgul) - pillow

የሴት ልጅ/የሴት ልጅ (Yeset lij) - niece

የወንድ ልጅ/የወንድ ልጅ (Yewend lij) - nephew

ይላል/ይላል (They say)

ይሉንታ/ይሉንታ (What people say)

ዮድ አቢሲኒያ/ዮድ አቢሲኒያ (Yod Abyssinia)