Toubab definition 1
West African slang (used in Mali as tubabu) for a white person or foreigner. It's not derogatory per se; originally from Bambara and Wolof, kids might shout 'Toubab!' when they see foreigners.
"Toubab be nyɛ ko tera! (The foreigner is buying water over there!)"
Toubab definition 2
Like in Mali and Senegal, Mauritanians use toubab to mean a white person or Westerner. In Hassaniya Arabic they might say nāsārā too, but 'toubab' is understood from Wolof/Bambara influence. Kids in Nouakchott's streets might yell it when spotting tourists.
"Yow, toubab! Bonzour! (Hey foreigner, bonjour!) – a playful greeting to a foreigner."
Toubab definition 3
A foreigner or white person (descriptive) (Origin: Wolof/Senegalese)
"Le nouveau prof est un toubab de France"
Toubab definition 4
Foreigner or white person (from Wolof; descriptive term for a Westerner).
"Le nouveau prof est un toubab de France (The new teacher is a white person from France)."
Toubab definition 5
Foreigner or white person (from Wolof; descriptive term for a Westerner). It's not derogatory in intent
"Le nouveau prof est un toubab de France (The new teacher is a white person from France)."
Word Details
- Country
- 🇸🇳 Senegal
- Definitions
- 5 community definitions
- Added
- July 2025
↻ Similar Words
West African slang (used in Mali as tubabu) for a white person or foreigner. It's not derogatory per se; originally from Bambara and Wolof, kids might shout 'Toubab!' when they see foreigners.
"Toubab be nyɛ ko tera! (The foreigner is buying water over there!)"
Like in Mali and Senegal, Mauritanians use toubab to mean a white person or Westerner. In Hassaniya Arabic they might say nāsārā too, but 'toubab' is understood from Wolof/Bambara influence. Kids in N…
"Yow, toubab! Bonzour! (Hey foreigner, bonjour!) – a playful greeting to a foreigner."
🇸🇳 About Senegal Slang
Senegalese slang is built on Wolof, the lingua franca spoken by 80% of the population, blended with French to create a rich urban vocabulary in Dakar.
KASINARY has 141 Senegal slang words collected from native speakers.
Browse all Senegal slang (141 words)🌍 "Toubab" Across Africa
This word is also used in 3 other countries, sometimes with a different meaning.
West African slang (used in Mali as tubabu) for a white person or foreigner. It's not derogatory per se; originally from Bambara and Wolof, kids might…
Like in Mali and Senegal, Mauritanians use toubab to mean a white person or Westerner. In Hassaniya Arabic they might say nāsārā too, but 'toubab' is …
Européen (European)
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