Shengwords

Mjengo

m-JEH-ngoh /m.ˈdʒɛ.ŋɡɔ/

"Mjengo" is Sheng for tenement (also: hostel, rough building).

Meaning

  1. noun tenement, hostel, rough building. A cheap high-density building or hostel. Mjengo also gives its name to a whole vocabulary of inner-city Sheng.

Examples

  • Anakaa mjengo karibu na soko. He lives in a tenement near the market.
  • Mjengo huu una chumba kumi. This building has ten rooms.
See Mjengo used in other entries
  • Wera ya mjengo ni ngumu.Construction work is hard.From Wera
  • Wasee wa mjengo wanapenda keg.Construction workers like keg beer.From Keg

Similar and opposite words

Where it comes from

Swahili 'mjengo' (building/construction).

How it was made: Swahili base.

Questions about Mjengo

What does Mjengo mean in Sheng?

"Mjengo" is Sheng for tenement (also: hostel, rough building). A cheap high-density building or hostel. Mjengo also gives its name to a whole vocabulary of inner-city Sheng.

How do you use Mjengo in a sentence?

"Anakaa mjengo karibu na soko." means "He lives in a tenement near the market."

How do you pronounce Mjengo?

Say it m-JEH-ngoh (/m.ˈdʒɛ.ŋɡɔ/). Sheng is spelled the way it sounds, with stress on the second-to-last syllable.

Where does the word Mjengo come from?

Swahili 'mjengo' (building/construction).

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