Sheng dictionary

Aibu shame, embarrassment
Aki honestly, please
Alele miraa, khat
Alele mtoto chant from the song 'Kitemeo'
Aluta feeling good, euphoric (often after getting high)
Ameiva hot, heated (could be fever, anger, or something trending)
Anguka nayo to expose, call out wrongdoing (a rallying call to shame corruption)
Anko uncle
Arif friend, buddy
Aroo hey, I'm here
Asante thank you, thanks a lot
Ashu ksh 10 (ten shillings)
Askari police officer, guard, soldier
Asubuhi morning
Ati what?, they say that
Au or
Baadaye later, afterwards
Baba nickname for Raila Odinga
Babi rich kid, posh person
Bae boyfriend or girlfriend; a sweetheart
Bag ni ya nini what's the bag for?
Banja to speak, talk, chat
Bao goal
Barabara road, street
Bash party
Baze base, hangout spot, home turf
Bazenga father or a respected, well-liked man
Beba to carry, to bring along
Bei price
Ben 10 younger man dating an older woman
Beste best friend, close friend
Bia beer
Biashara business, trade
Bidii diligence, hard work, effort
Bleki to pass out, fall asleep from exhaustion or drinks
Blue 20 shillings
Bob shilling, shillings
Boda motorcycle taxi
Bodi body, build
Bomba awesome, excellent, top quality
Brathe brother
Buda father, or a respected older man; also used as 'bro'
Bundles mobile data
Bure useless, worthless
Burungo cargo, stuff, luggage
Buu bus
Buzi simp
Bwana sir, mister, boss, husband
Campo university, campus
Chachisha to have fun, do things out of the ordinary
Chai tea, milky spiced tea
Chakula food
Chali dude, guy, bro
Chang'aa strong home-made spiritmature
Chap chap quickly, fast
Chapa Kazi work hard, get to it
Chapaa money, cash
Chapati chapati — oily flatbread
Chapo chapati (flatbread)
Cheza to play, to hang around, to mess about
Cheza chini to ignore, let it slide, play it cool
Cheza kiroro to do something like a pro
Chini ya maji chilling, staying low-key (literally 'under water')
Chipo chips, fries
Chips mwitu street chips
Chipsi french fries, chips
Chizi crazy person
Chobo nutmeg
Choche secret hideout or hidden place
Chokora street kid; roughneck, hustler
Chuani ksh 50 (fifty shillings)
Chuma money; to earn, to get hold of
Chuo college, university
Chuom alley, dingy or hidden place
Chweting tracksuit jacket
Clande secret lover, side partner
Coasto the Coast, Mombasa
Comrade university student
Credo airtime
Cuzo cousin
Dangulo home, digs
Darasa classroom, class
Debe music, music track
Dem girl or young woman
Demu girl, young woman
Denga fever, illness
Deni debt, something owed
Dere driver
Dereva driver
Digs house, home
Dimba football, the pitch
Dinga car
Dishi food, meal
Doh money (from 'dough')
Donga boss, ceo, or rich person
Doo money, dough
Duka shop, store
Eastlando Eastlands, Nairobi
Elewa to understand
Enyewe actually, honestly
Faida profit, benefit, use
Fala fool, idiot
Faranga money, funds
Fathe father, dad
Fegi cigarettemature
Finje ksh 50 (fifty shillings)
Fisi man who chases women
Fiti fine, good
Foleni traffic jam, queue
Form plan, or 'what's up?'
Fresha first-year student
Freshi fresh, cool, smart-looking
Fuliza to borrow from M-Pesa, to go into overdraft
Furaha happiness, joy
Furiosah being angry, furious
Gafe coffee
Ganji marijuana, weedmature
Gari car
Gava the government
Gengetone Nairobi music style
Gengi gang, crew
Genje problem, trouble
Giza darkness, blackout; shady business
Godha to steal, take something
Gotha to hit, beat someone
Guka grandfather
Gwara to fail
Gwaya to fear, be afraid
Habari news; hello (habari yako?)
Haggar buttocksmature
Haina noma no problem
Hakuna Wasiwasi no worries, don't be anxious
Hamna was no problem, it's all good
Handshake political truce
Hao house, home
Hasira anger, rage
Hatari dangerous — or dangerously good
Hessy police officer
Hii imeenda it's a done deal
Hofu fear, worry
Hosi hospital
Hustler someone who works hard to get by
Imbo fake, not original, counterfeit
Imeweza it's dope, it works, it's lit
Inauma but itabidi uzoee it hurts but you'll have to get used to it
Jaba khat, miraa (a stimulant leaf)
Jamaa the guy; relatives, folks
Jamo one
Jamoko rich person
Jana yesterday
Jav matatu
Jela jail, prison
Jioni evening
Jobo job, work
Jongo ksh 100 (a hundred bob)
Jua to know
Juu because
Juu ya mawe idle sitting, doing nothing (literally 'on the stones')
Kaa to sit, to stay, to live
Kabambe simple button phone
Kabisa completely, absolutely, at all
Kae sex (slang)mature
Kali fierce, intense, seriously good
Kanairo Nairobi
Kanjo city council enforcement officers
Kanywaji drink, alcohol
Karau police officer
Karibu welcome, you're welcome, close by
Kasheshe drama, trouble, chaos
Kasongo nickname for President William Ruto
Kauzi thief
Kazi work, job, task
Kazi ni kazi work is work
KDF hard, heavy mandazi
Keg cheap draught beer
Keja house, home, pad
Kelele noise, commotion
Keroma food
Kesho tomorrow
Kiasi bit, little
Kibanda food kiosk, small roadside stall
Kibao lot, plenty
Kibarua casual job, gig, day labour
Kibenje handbag (usually a lady's)
Kibin home, crib
Kichwa head (also slang for a headache or being stubborn)
Kidi gun, dangerous weaponmature
Kidogo little, slightly, just a bit
Kiherehere being too eager, nosiness
Kijana young man, youth
Kimbelembele busybody, know-it-all
Kinde ksh 10 (ten bob)
Kisanga scene, strange incident
Kitabu book
Kitambi pot belly
Kitambo long ago
Kitu kidogo bribe
Kiwaru jealousy
Klabu club, nightclub
Kobole ksh 5 (a five-shilling coin)
Konkodi bus conductor
KOT Kenyans on Twitter
Kubamba to please, to excite
Kubant to lose, to get stuck
Kubaya bad, not good
Kubeba to carry; also slang for being drunk
Kubet to bet
Kuboeka to be bored, to be fed up
Kubonda to beat up
Kubonga to talk, chat
Kubuy to buy
Kuchakachaka to laugh, be lively
Kuchapa to slap, hit; also to do something hard
Kuchapa lapa to walk, to go on foot
Kucheki to look, to check, to see
Kuchemka to get angry
Kuchil to chill, to relax
Kuchizi to go crazy, act wild
Kuchoka to be tired, very tired
Kuchoma to bunk, to skip; to burn
Kuchomoka to dash off
Kudai to claim, to insist, to demand
Kudaka to dance
Kudandia to hop onto, to hang on
Kudanganya to lie, to deceive
Kudata to fall hard for someone
Kudedi to die
Kudimbuka to eat (slang)
Kudoz to sleep
Kudunda to fail, flop
Kuela buttocksmature
Kufaulu to pass, to succeed
Kufeliwa to fail, to be let down, to fall through
Kufinish kumalo to finish completely
Kuflash to beep, to give a missed call
Kuflex to show off, to flex
Kuhang to hang out
Kuhepa to escape, to dodge, to sneak away
Kuiba to steal
Kuingia box to say yes, to fall for someone
Kuishia to leave, to go away
Kuishiwa to run out (of money, of options)
Kuja to come
Kujaa gas to get angry, upset
Kujam to be angry, annoyed
Kujibamba to enjoy yourself
Kujikata to leave, excuse yourself
Kujipanga to sort yourself out, to get organised
Kujituma to push yourself, to hustle hard
Kukam to come
Kukamatwa to be caught, to be arrested
Kukata maji to drink alcohol (literally 'to cut water')
Kukatia to chat someone up, to hit on
Kukemba to observe, figure out, understand
Kukopa to borrow; to copy
Kukuru hair highlights (bleached streaks)
Kukwama to get stuck, to be stranded
Kula to eat
Kula fare to take fare money and not show up
Kulenga to ignore
Kulipa to pay
Kulola to see, watch, look
Kulombotove to love someone deeply (shembeteng style)
Kumada to finish
Kumi na nne supuu top quality, the best
Kuna Gani what's happening, what's the issue
Kunauwo to know, understand
Kunguta to beat someone up
Kunywa to drink
Kuomoka to become rich, upgrade your financial status
Kuoshwa to be conned, to be played
Kupanda to board, to get on, to rise
Kuparara to fail, mess up
Kuringa to show off, to act proud
Kuro call girl, sex workermature
Kusaka to look for, to hunt for
Kushangaa to be amazed, astonished
Kushiba to be full, to be satisfied after eating
Kushow to tell
Kushtuka to be startled, shocked, alarmed
Kushuka to get off, to alight
Kusirika to be angry
Kusoma to study, to read
Kusota to be broke
Kuteveva to be scared, nervous
Kutoa doh to pay, spend money
Kutoroka to run away, to escape
Kutu dry spell (no sex for a long time) or being brokemature
Kutupa mistari to drop pickup lines
Kuvibe to chill, enjoy the moment
Kuwaza to think, to wonder
Kwa at, in, to, for, with
Kwani so?, why, is it that
Kwani ni kesho why wait, live for today
Kwenda to go
Lakini but, however
Leo today
Luku look, outfit, style
Luku Ni Moto your outfit is fire, you look amazing
Maandamano street protests
Mabeshte friends, squad
Maboyz the boys, male friends
Madharau disrespect, looking down on people
Madondo beans
Mafurumbanya curvy woman
Majegi breastsmature
Maji water
Majuu abroad, overseas
Makanga matatu conductor, touts
Mambaru detectives (especially the dci)
Mambo what's up, how are things
Mambo ni matatu there are only three options
Mamu girl, young woman
Manambling haters, people who talk behind your back
Manga to eat
Manyanga flashy matatu
Manze expression of surprise, emphasis, or agreement
Manzi girl; often a girlfriend or good-looking woman
Maparo parents
Mapema ndio best early is best
Masa mother, mum
Mashinani upcountry, in the rural home area
Matatu minibus taxi
Mathe mother, mum
Mathree matatu (minibus taxi)
Mbakafu stupid, dumbmature
Mbao money, cash
Mbaya bad — but as an intensifier, insanely good
Mbesha money
Mbleina dumb, clueless personmature
Mboch house help, domestic worker
Mbogi crew, gang, one's people
Mboi counterfeit, fake goods
Mbulu television, tv
Mbuus girlfriend
Mbuyu mother, mum
Mbwakni annoying, restless, fake
Mbwenya court (of law)
Mchele rice (also slang for a bribe)
Mchongo deal, way to make money
Mdosi rich or influential person; a boss
Mechi match, game
Mgondi thug, robber
Mheshimiwa honorable, respected person, often a politician
Mistari pickup lines
Mita one million shillings
Mitumba second-hand clothes, thrift goods
Mjanja sharp, streetwise person; clever one
Mjengo tenement, hostel, rough building
Mjinga fool, naive person
Mjini in town, in the city centre
Mjuaji know-it-all
Mkeka betting slip
Mkuu boss, chief
Mkwanja money
Mless son or daughter; a child
Mnady cool, awesome
Mneti the internet
Mnoma someone very good at something
Mnyaka mother
Mob lot, many
Monchoka to come over (sometimes meaning to drink)
Morio male friend
Mos mos slowly, gently
Moti car
Moto fire, hot, amazing
Mozo cigarettemature
Mpango wa kando side partner, secret lover
Mrazi snitch, traitor, enemy
Mrembo beautiful woman; gorgeous one
Mrenga car
Mresh beautiful, good-looking girl (short for 'fresh')
Msanii artist, creative
Msee guy, person, dude, mate
Mshahara salary, wages
Mshamba villager, someone not street-smart
Mshikaji close friend, partner
Msoto broke, poor personmature
Msupa beautiful girl or woman
Msupa wa ndai 'car girl'mature
Mtaa the hood, neighbourhood, street
Mtafute go find them, come for you (a challenge or warning)
Mtiaji snitch or a jerk (context matters)
Mtihani exam, test
Mtoi child, kid
Mtoto child, kid
Mubaba sugar daddy, rich older man
Mucene gossip
Mugithi Kikuyu guitar music night
Mulika mwizi cheap phone with a torch
Mumama sugar mummy, rich older woman
Munde money
Muok come, come over
Mushatha upcountry, the village
Musu bullet
Mutura grilled meat sausage
Muziki music
Mvivu lazy person
Mwakenya cheat sheet
Mwalimu teacher
Mwanafunzi student
Mwere fool, stupid personmature
Mwizi thief
Mzae father, old man
Mzee old man; respectful term for a grown man
Mzinga large bottle of spirits; a cannon
Mzuri good, nice, beautiful
Na and, with
Nai Nairobi
Nairobi ni shamba la mawe Nairobi is a hard place to make a living
Nakuhate i hate you (playful or serious)
Nakulove i love you (sheng, english blend)
Nauli fare
Ndai car
Ndenge girl (literally 'bird')
Ndom weed, cannabismature
Ndondo jail, prison
Ndovu 1, 000 shillings
Nduki to run fast, flee
Ndula pair of shoes
Nduthi motorcycle (boda boda)
Nganya heavily modified, loud matatu
Ngata oil, fuel (also used for 'lubricating' a situation)
Ngepa cap, hat
Ngeta mugging by choking from behind
Ngiri 1, 000 shillings
Ngoma song
Ngori trouble, problem
Ngwaka cigarette
Ni Form Gani what's the plan, what's the move
Ni God manze it's all thanks to God
Ni Mbaya it's insanely good (or genuinely terrible)
Niaje what's up, how are you
Niambie tell me, what's up
Niko wire i'm broke, i have no money
Nimeishiwa I'm broke, I've run out
Njege the police
Njumu shoes
Noma serious, intense, wild (can be positive or negative)
Nunua to buy
Nyama Choma grilled/roasted meat
Nyandua to get intimate, have sexmature
Nyang'au cunning, dishonest person
Nyumbani at home
Nzuri good, fine, beautiful
Oboho gunmature
Ocha upcountry, the village, rural home
Odi ordinary, average person (not famous)
Odijo teacher
Ofisi office
Okoa to borrow airtime
Ondi yes
Pata to get, to find
Pesa money
Petco ring (jewellery)
Pia also, too, as well
Piga debe to vote (literally 'beat the tin')
Piga Luku to dress sharply, to make an impression
Piga Simu to make a phone call
Piga Stori to chat, to gossip, to shoot the breeze
Plot block of rental houses
Poa cool, fine, all good
Poa Kabisa totally fine, all good, no problem
Pole sorry (sympathy), condolences
Pombe alcohol, booze
Pori pocket
Porojo idle talk, nonsense
Pudhu to run, run away fast
Punch 500 shillings
Raba sneakers, rubber shoes
Rada the situation, the plan, what's going on
Rafiki friend
Rau to wake up
Riba story, gossip, news
Rieng plan, organized strategy
Ringis handcuffs
Ringita to steal from (someone)
Ronga Ongata Rongai
Rotejo your place, area, stage (where you stay)
Route 11 walking
Rwabe ksh 200 (two hundred shillings)
Saa hour, clock, time
Saba Saba 7 July, day of protest
Safi clean, good, well done
Sai now, right now
Saidia to help
Saigon police officer (street slang)
Salo salary, pay
Samahani excuse me, forgive me, sorry (apology)
Sana very, lot
Sanse police officer
Sarakasi drama, circus
Sare free ride, to let something go
Sasa hey, what now, hi
Sasa Hivi right now, immediately
Saseni hello everyone
Sato Saturday
Sawa okay, alright, agreed
Sema to say, to speak
Sembe ugali (maize meal staple)
Sepecha go, leave
Shada weed, cannabismature
Shamba farm, rural plot
Shashola marijuana, weedmature
Shava good, nice
Sheng Nairobi's street language
Sherehe party, celebration, festivity
Shika hold, catch, understand (grasp something)
Shosh grandmother
Shule school
Shwari peaceful, all good, calm
Si uchawi ni maombi it's not witchcraft, it's prayer
Sijiskii I don't feel like it
Sio it is not, no
Sipangwingwi nobody tells me what to do
Siri secret
Siz sister, woman friend
Skiza listen, pay attention
Skuli school
Smokie smoked sausage snack
Sogi watchman, security guard
Soja security guard, soldier
Soko market
Sonko rich or flashy person; a boss
Soo ksh 100 (a hundred shillings)
Sponsor sugar daddy
Stage matatu stop, boarding point
Stima electricity, power
Stori za jaba wild, made-up stories
Subiri to wait, patience
Supuu pretty girl, something very good
Tafadhali please
Tafuta to look for, to search
Tao town, the city centre
Team mafisi men who chase women
Tei alcohol, booze (from 'tea')
Tenje phone, mobile phone
Thao ksh 1, 000 (a thousand shillings)
Tingua to open, unlock
Tonje laptop, computer
Tuchekiane see you later, let's keep in touch
Tuko Fiti we're solid, we're good, no problems
Tuko Pamoja we're together, I'm with you, solidarity
Tutam two terms
Twende kazi let's go, let's get to work
Udaku gossip
Ugali ugali — stiff maize-meal porridge
Uko aje how are you
Ukweli truth, honesty
Uliza to ask
Uongo lies, falsehood
Upendo love
Ushago upcountry, the village
Usiku night, at night
Usiniingie don't start with me, don't get in my face
Usoro nosiness, being too curious about others
Uwaganis nonsense, rubbish talk
Uwanja field, pitch, stadium, yard
Uza to sell
Vako lie, bluff
Venye how, the way
Veve miraa, khat
Vipi what's up, how about it
Vutia wire to call someone on the phone
Wacha Hilo drop it, leave that, never mind
Wacha mchezo stop joking, be serious
Walai I swear
Wanjiku the ordinary citizen
Wantam one term
Warena fire, also slang for a gun or heat
Wasa okay
Wasee guys, people, folks
Wash wash fake money scam, money laundering
Wasiwasi anxiety, unease, doubt
Wazi cool, great, clear
Wera work, job
Wiki week
Wueh wow, ugh — exclamation of shock
Yo yo! hey! (exclamation)
Zabe spot, place to hang out and chill
Zakayo nickname for President William Ruto
Zii no
Zoza to start trouble, drama