Shengwords

Hatari

hah-TAH-ree /hɑ.ˈtɑ.ɾi/

"Hatari" is Sheng for dangerous — or dangerously good.

Meaning

  1. adjective dangerous — or dangerously good. Danger, and by extension something so good it is risky. 'Msee hatari' can be a warning or admiration depending on who is speaking.

Examples

  • Skills zako ni hatari. Your skills are dangerously good.
  • Barabara ile ni hatari usiku. That road is dangerous at night.
See Hatari used in other entries
  • Chang'aa ni hatari kwa afya.Chang'aa is bad for your health.From Chang'aa

Similar and opposite words

Where it comes from

Arabic 'khatar' via Swahili 'hatari'.

How it was made: Swahili base.

Questions about Hatari

What does Hatari mean in Sheng?

"Hatari" is Sheng for dangerous — or dangerously good. Danger, and by extension something so good it is risky. 'Msee hatari' can be a warning or admiration depending on who is speaking.

How do you use Hatari in a sentence?

"Skills zako ni hatari." means "Your skills are dangerously good."

How do you pronounce Hatari?

Say it hah-TAH-ree (/hɑ.ˈtɑ.ɾi/). Sheng is spelled the way it sounds, with stress on the second-to-last syllable.

Where does the word Hatari come from?

Arabic 'khatar' via Swahili 'hatari'.

Share or improve this entry

Suggest a fix Record how you say it

To quote this page: “Hatari.” Shengwords Sheng Dictionary, updated 2026-11-10. https://shengwords.co.ke/word/hatari (accessed 2026-11-10).