Shengwords

Mambo

Also written mambo vipi

MAH-mboh /ˈmɑ.ᵐbɔ/

"Mambo" is Sheng for what's up (also: how are things).

Meaning

  1. interjection what's up, how are things. Mambo is the universal Sheng hello. Literally 'things', it asks what is going on in your life rather than how you feel, so the expected reply is short and positive.

Examples

  • Mambo vipi, msee? What's up, man?
  • Mambo! Niko poa tu. Hey! I'm just fine.
  • Mambo vipi leo? How are things today?
See Mambo used in other entries
  • Mambo? — Nzuri sana.What's up? — Very good.From Nzuri
  • Mambo mzee, umekuwaje?Hey old man, how are you doing?From Mzee
  • Haelewi mambo ya mtaani.He doesn't understand street matters.From Elewa

Similar and opposite words

Phrases with Mambo

Where it comes from

Swahili 'mambo' (things/matters), turned into a greeting by Nairobi youth in the 1990s.

Questions about Mambo

What does Mambo mean in Sheng?

"Mambo" is Sheng for what's up (also: how are things). Mambo is the universal Sheng hello. Literally 'things', it asks what is going on in your life rather than how you feel, so the expected reply is short and positive.

How do you use Mambo in a sentence?

"Mambo vipi, msee?" means "What's up, man?"

How do you pronounce Mambo?

Say it MAH-mboh (/ˈmɑ.ᵐbɔ/). Sheng is spelled the way it sounds, with stress on the second-to-last syllable.

Where does the word Mambo come from?

Swahili 'mambo' (things/matters), turned into a greeting by Nairobi youth in the 1990s.

Share or improve this entry

Suggest a fix Record how you say it

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