Street life in Sheng Mtaa
Everyday life in the hood: gossip, drama and street sense.
- Sheng Nairobi's street language
- Mtaa the hood, neighbourhood, street
- Piga Stori to chat, to gossip, to shoot the breeze
- Skiza listen, pay attention
- Mucene gossip
- Kuchoma to bunk, to skip; to burn
- Ngori trouble, problem
- Udaku gossip
- Kisanga scene, strange incident
- Giza darkness, blackout; shady business
- Kubant to lose, to get stuck
- Sarakasi drama, circus
- Chini ya maji chilling, staying low-key (literally 'under water')
- Form plan, or 'what's up?'
- Genje problem, trouble
- Juu ya mawe idle sitting, doing nothing (literally 'on the stones')
- Kasheshe drama, trouble, chaos
- Kujam to be angry, annoyed
- Kuwaza to think, to wonder
- Mambaru detectives (especially the dci)
- Manambling haters, people who talk behind your back
- Mbleina dumb, clueless personmature
- Mbwenya court (of law)
- Mrazi snitch, traitor, enemy
- Msoto broke, poor personmature
- Mtafute go find them, come for you (a challenge or warning)
- Mtiaji snitch or a jerk (context matters)
- Nakuhate i hate you (playful or serious)
- Nakulove i love you (sheng, english blend)
- Nyang'au cunning, dishonest person
- Porojo idle talk, nonsense
- Rieng plan, organized strategy
- Sogi watchman, security guard
- Uwaganis nonsense, rubbish talk
- Vako lie, bluff
- Vutia wire to call someone on the phone
- Kelele noise, commotion
- Uongo lies, falsehood
- Ukweli truth, honesty
- Kudanganya to lie, to deceive
- Stima electricity, power
- Siri secret
- Kutoroka to run away, to escape
What does mtaa mean?
The most common are Sheng (Nairobi's street language), Mtaa (the hood), Piga Stori (to chat), Skiza (listen), Mucene (gossip). Everyday life in the hood: gossip, drama and street sense.