Skip to content Sheng guides
- Sheng Words for Police and Street LifeLearn the Sheng street vocabulary — Karau (police), Ndondo (jail), Mbwenya (court) and more — to understand Nairobi's urban culture.
- Sheng Words for Love and DatingFrom Msupa to Bae and Mpango wa Kando, learn the Sheng vocabulary of romance, dating and relationships.
- Sheng Words for BeginnersNew to Kenyan Sheng? Learn the 30 most common Sheng words for beginners with simple English meanings and example sentences.
- What is Sheng? The History and Meaning of Kenya's Urban LanguageDiscover what Sheng is, where it came from, and why it is one of the most dynamic and creative languages in Africa.
- Sheng Words for FoodThe Nairobi food vocabulary in Sheng — ugali, chapati, chipsi, smokie, nyama choma, kibanda — plus the verbs for eating, drinking and being full.
- How to Learn Sheng in 30 DaysA week-by-week plan to learn Sheng: the 40 words that unlock conversation, how to practise greetings, and how to avoid the register mistakes beginners make.
- Sheng vs Swahili vs EnglishHow Sheng differs from Swahili and English, how it forms verbs and plurals, why it changes so fast, and what a dictionary can and cannot capture.
- Sheng Words for PartiesSherehe, baze, kuchil, kudaka, mzinga — the Sheng vocabulary of Nairobi nightlife, from the first bassline to the last boda home.
- Sheng Words for FriendsHow to talk about people in Sheng — msee, chali, demu, mbogi, mjanja, rafiki — with the register, warmth and cautions each word carries.
- Matatu Slang ExplainedNganya, makanga, stage, nauli, foleni — the matatu vocabulary that shaped Sheng, with translations, example sentences and how to survive the ride.
- How to Greet Someone in ShengMambo, vipi, niaje, sasa, rada — every Sheng greeting, when to use it, and the correct one-word answers (poa, safi, fiti) with examples.
- Sheng Words for MoneyChuma, mbao, doo, faranga — the Sheng words for money, what each one implies, and the hustle vocabulary around them, with example sentences and translations.