Communiversity

Kiswahili Slang Dictionary
('Kamusi ya Kiswahili cha Mtaani')

           [th]Word[/th]         [th]Meaning[/th]         [th]Literal         Meaning[/th]         [th]Other         'street' synonym[/th]         [th]Use         instead[/th]         [th]Widely         known[/th]         [th]Example         Sentence[/th]    

Bongo	Tanzania,         Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam	brain	Bongoland	Tanzania,         Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam	TRUE	Ili         uweze kuishi Bongoland, lazima uwe na miradi.
changudoa	young         prostitute	a         specie of fish	CD	kahaba	TRUE	Machangudoa         wanakabiliwa na hatari ya UKIMWI.
chuna	extort         money	skin         (someone)	chanja	toza	TRUE	Wanachojua         watoto wa mjini ni kuwachuna wote wanaozubaa.
Dizim	Dar         es Salaam	DSM	Bongo	Dar	TRUE	Kila         mtu anatamani japo kufika tu Dizim.
kitimoto	pork	hot         seat	mkuu         wa meza	nyama         ya nguruwe	TRUE	Siku         hiyo kila mtu alipika kitimoto.
kitu         kidogo	bribe	something         little	chauchau,         chai	rushwa,         hongo	TRUE	Kitu         kidogo kinasababisha huduma duni za jamii.
lupango	prison		selo	jela	TRUE	Kwenda         Lupango ni sawa na kuhukumiwa kifo.
majuu	'up'	abroad	mamtoni,         kwa mama	ng'ambo	TRUE	Tangu         achaguliwe anaenda majuu kama Kariakoo.
matanuzi	extravagance	'extension'		matumizi	TRUE	matanuzi         yana gharama kubwa.
mguu         wa kuku	pistol	a         hen's leg	chuma	bastola	TRUE	Mtu         mwenye pesa sasa anaweza kujipatia 'mguu wa kuku' dukani.
mwanga         (pl. wanga)	witch	light	gagula	mchawi,         mshirikina	TRUE	Alipomkuta         kaburini usiku, alimhisi kuwa ni mwanga.
ngurumbili	human         being			mtu,         binadamu	FALSE	Huwezi         kumdhibiti ngurumbili
njagu         (pl. manjagu)	police         officer		mwela,         njago	polisi,         askari	TRUE	Kinachotukera         ni mtindo wa yule njago kukamata watu ovyo.
sirikali	government	'hot         secret'		Serikali	TRUE	Sirikali         nyingi za Kmt hazizingatii haki za binadamu.
ukapa	economic         depression, lack of money, lack of purchasing power		kuwamba,         kuwaka, kuchalala	Ukata	TRUE	Ukapa mwaka huu utatuua! Hata dawa za homa tu hatumudu kununua!
ulabu	any         local brew		udirinki,         mataputapu, 'taps'	Pombe         ya kienyeji	TRUE	Baada         ya kupata ulabu, alianza kufanya mambo ya ajizi.
ung'eng'e	English         language		Kimombo	Kiingereza	TRUE	Anayeongea         ung'eng'e huonwa msomi.
ngangari	stable,         unswerving		ngunguri	thabiti,         imara	TRUE	Baada         ya wao kuwa ngangari, manjagu wakawa ngunguri.
kasheshe	mayhem,         furore		kosovo,         zohali, sheshe	vurumai,         vurugu	TRUE	Maandamo         yalileta kasheshe kubwa!
kideo	1.         Video         2. gazing-stock	One         Video		1.         Video         2. Kituko	TRUE	hakujua         alikuwa anaonekana kideo.
Bushi	Rural         area	Bush	Usweken	Kijijini         / Vijijini	TRUE	Alivyo         utafikiri katoka Bushi jana!
Gogo	Passenger         train	a         tribe in central Tanzania		garimoshi,         treni	TRUE	Enzi         zetu tulikuwa tunapanda gogo bure
mnoko	Someone         'too' strict		mkuda,         mnaa, kinaa	mwadilifu	TRUE	Amekuwa         mwalimu wa nidhamu kutokana na kuwa mnoko.
noma	embarassment, scandal		skendo	Kadhia, Kashfa	TRUE	Ikawa noma kweli alipokamatwa
Maimuna	S/he who cannot speak or understand a         language or a specific knowledge	A female name		Hafahamu, maamuma	TRUE	Walimwita 'Maimuna' kwa vile tu eti         alishindwa kuongea Kiingereza!
Kihiyo (pl. Vihiyo)	A person who is supposed to be an expert,         but actually is not trully qualified.	A male name		Asiye na sifa	TRUE	Vihiyo Bongoland wako kila mahali.
Dala (n)	Five	Dollar	Gwala	Tano	TRUE	Mchezaji         wao namba Dala aliwasaidia sana wasifungwe.
=bomu (v)	To beg from some one,         especially money.	bomb	-piga mzinga	-omba	TRUE	Walevi wa madawa ya         kulevya hawaoni haya kumbomu kila mtu
Mzungu wa Unga (n)	Drug dealer	"A white person with         flour"	Zungu la Unga	Muuza madawa ya kulevya	TRUE	Wanaokamatwa mara nyingi ni watumiaji wadogo, na         si wazungu wa unga.