Kenya Slang Dictionary

Kenyan slang is dominated by Sheng - a vibrant street language born in Nairobi's Eastlands that fuses Swahili and English with words from Kikuyu, Luo, Kamba and Luhya. Spoken by the majority of Kenya's youth, Sheng evolves so fast that vocabulary can shift within months. It's the language of matatu culture, Kenyan hip-hop and daily life across the city. Words like sasa, poa, ganji and mse are just the start. Explore the community-built Sheng dictionary below, and add the words you know.

City council askari (enforcement officers).
Example

Kanjo wamekamata wamachinga.

Admin • 26 July 2026
A bottle of liquor.
Example

Tulinunua mzinga ya whiskey.

Admin • 26 July 2026
The rural home or countryside (upcountry).
Example

Sikukuu tunaenda ocha.

Admin • 26 July 2026

Aje

How; used in greetings like "uko aje?" (how are you?).
Example

Uko aje leo?

Admin • 26 July 2026
To lie or deceive.
Example

Usinidanganye, sema ukweli.

Admin • 26 July 2026
To be in good spirits or ready; also to show off.
Example

Niko form leo.

Admin • 26 July 2026
Friends, folks, or people (plural).
Example

Wasee twende kubamba.

Admin • 26 July 2026
Father, or an older man addressed casually.
Example

Buda amerudi kazi.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
Something bad, tough, or intense; can also mean cool depending on context.
Example

Hiyo story ni noma sana.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
Mother, or an older woman.
Example

Mathe anakuita.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
An exclamation like "man!" or "wow", expressing surprise.
Example

Maze, hiyo ni ngori!

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
Money.
Example

Sina ganji leo.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026

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