Shengwords

Yo

yoh /jɔ/
  • interjection
  • In use
  • Common
  • Praise
  • #exclamation
  • #english-loan

"Yo" is Sheng for yo! hey! (exclamation).

Meaning

  1. interjection yo! hey! (exclamation). Borrowed from hip-hop, yo opens a sentence, expresses surprise or simply greets. It is the most English-flavoured interjection in everyday Sheng.

Examples

  • Yo msee, umekuwaje? Yo man, how are you?
  • Yo! Hiyo ilikuwa nzuri. Yo! That was good.

Similar and opposite words

Where it comes from

African-American English 'yo', spread through 1990s hip-hop.

Questions about Yo

What does Yo mean in Sheng?

"Yo" is Sheng for yo! hey! (exclamation). Borrowed from hip-hop, yo opens a sentence, expresses surprise or simply greets. It is the most English-flavoured interjection in everyday Sheng.

How do you use Yo in a sentence?

"Yo msee, umekuwaje?" means "Yo man, how are you?"

How do you pronounce Yo?

Say it yoh (/jɔ/). Sheng is spelled the way it sounds, with stress on the second-to-last syllable.

Where does the word Yo come from?

African-American English 'yo', spread through 1990s hip-hop.

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