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Palava

🇳🇬 Nigeria Slang
Added Jul 17, 2025 · 6 definitions
TOP DEFINITION

Palava definition 1

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

by KASINARY Admin Elder · Jul 17, 2025
DEFINITION 2

Palava definition 2

Trouble or problem (similar to wahala).

"No bring palava here. (Don't bring trouble here.)"
by Khulekani Dladla Elder · Aug 03, 2025
DEFINITION 3

Palava definition 3

Means problem or hassle (from old English 'palaver'). Common in West African English

"My car don get palava, e no wan start this morning. (My car has a problem, it didn't want to start this morning.)"
by Khulekani Dladla Elder · Aug 03, 2025
DEFINITION 4

Palava definition 4

Palava (Problem/trouble)

"No bring palava for here (Don't bring trouble here)"
by Khulekani Dladla Elder · Aug 07, 2025
DEFINITION 5

Palava definition 5

Problem/Trouble (Issue)

"Big palava coming! (Big trouble is coming!)"
by Khulekani Dladla Elder · Aug 10, 2025
DEFINITION 6

Palava definition 6

Serious trouble or issue (Major problem)

"Palava don gas (Serious trouble has erupted)"
by Khulekani Dladla Elder · Apr 06, 2026

Word Details

Country
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Definitions
6 community definitions
Added
July 2025

↻ Similar Words

Palava 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

Trouble (Trouble/issue)

"Avoid palava. (Avoid trouble.)"
Palava 🇱🇷 Liberia

Trouble or problem (similar to wahala).

"No bring palava here. (Don't bring trouble here.)"

🇳🇬 About Nigeria Slang

Nigeria has one of Africa's richest street-language traditions, blending Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Pidgin English into a constantly evolving slang vocabulary used by over 220 million people.

KASINARY has 1854 Nigeria slang words collected from native speakers.

Browse all Nigeria slang (1854 words)

🌍 "Palava" Across Africa

This word is also used in 3 other countries, sometimes with a different meaning.

Palava 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

Trouble (Trouble/issue)
Palava 🇱🇷 Liberia

Trouble or problem (similar to wahala).
Palava 🇨🇲 Cameroon

Palava (Problem/trouble)

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View all 1854 Nigeria slang words

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