Sheng

Question 1

Niaje (knee-ah- jay)

Answer 1

What’s up?
Poa- Cool
Fiti- fit/cool

Question 2

Sasa

Answer 2

What’s up?
Poa- Cool
Fiti- fit/cool

Question 3

Mambo.(ma-m-bow)

Mambo vipi

Answer 3

What’s up?
Poa- Cool
Fiti- fit/cool

Question 4

Howayu

Answer 4

How are you

Question 5

Mathee (ma-they), Mum, matha

Answer 5

mother. sometimes disrespectful

Question 6

Buda (pronounced as it is),

Answer 6

Father

Question 7

mbuyu (m-bu-you),

Answer 7

Father

Question 8

mzae (m-za-ay)

Answer 8

Father

Question 9

mtasis(m-ta-sis)

Answer 9

Sister

Question 10

broda (brow-da),

Answer 10

brother

Question 11

Shosh (show-sh), mnyanye (m-nya-nye).

Answer 11

Grandmother

Question 12

Cuzo

Answer 12

Cousin

Question 13

wife

Answer 13

wife

Question 14

Huzzy (Her-zi)

Answer 14

Husband

Question 15

Mpango wa kando (m-pango wa ka-ndo),

Answer 15

Mistress/man you are having an affair with- Mpango wa kando (m-pango wa ka-ndo), in
Kiswahili it literally translates to a side arrangement.

Question 16

Clande (clan-day)

Answer 16

Mistress/man you are having an affair with- Mpango wa kando (m-pango wa ka-ndo), in
Kiswahili it literally translates to a side arrangement.

Question 17

Dem (dame)

Answer 17

girl

Question 18

mrembo (m-rem-bore)

Answer 18

beautiful girl

Question 19

mresh

Answer 19

girl

Question 20

Chile (chil-ay)

Answer 20

girl

Question 21

mami

Answer 21

girl

Question 22

Chali (Cha-lee)

Answer 22

boy

Question 23

Kijana (Key-jah-na)

Answer 23

boy

Question 24

‘Nganya’ (nga-nya)

mat

Answer 24

his is the 14 seater or 32 seater mini-van that is used as public transport in all parts of the country.

Question 25

Pints

Answer 25

Beer/ Alchohol

Question 26

keroro (kay-row-row),

Answer 26

Beer/ Alchohol

Question 27

Gej (gauge)

Answer 27

Beer/ Alchohol

Question 28

Twende (tu-ende)

Answer 28

Leave

Question 29

ganji (gah-n-gee)

Answer 29

Money

Question 30

Pesa

Answer 30

Money

Question 31

doh (dough),

Answer 31

Money

Question 32

mapeni (ma-pay-knee)

Answer 32

Money

Question 33

mkwanja (m-kwa-njah)

Answer 33

Money

Question 34

You guy

Answer 34

dude

Question 35

Sawa (sa-wa

Answer 35

ok/cool if you someone says something you agree with you respond by saying ‘sawa’.

Question 36

Beba beba

Answer 36

This is a phrase used by matatu conductors when they are trying to woo in passengers into the vehicle, it roughly translates to ‘get into the vehicle’ or ‘board the vehicle’ but in Kiswahili it literally means ‘carry carry’.

Question 37

Haiya (her-ee-ya)

Answer 37

Its a word used to express surprise, whether good or bad e.g. ‘Haiya! You bought a new car?’

Question 38

Nini

Answer 38

Very widely used by Kenyans. It acts as a filler in conversations. Normally it refers to a thing, and means ‘thing’ . It is used to refer to something whose name you do not know or cannot immediately remember. e.g. I saw Mary wearing that nini on her head that looks like a bow.

Question 39

Nani

Answer 39

Just like the above word, nani is a filler in conversations as well. It refers to a person whose name you cannot remember at that moment or do not know. e.g. I went to nani’s place, Tom’s friend, to get my phone charger.

Question 40

Mzungu (M-zu-ngu).

Answer 40

White person, simply anyone who is white regardless of where they come from.

Question 41

Ching Chong

Answer 41

Because one day a Kenyan was listening to Chinese and thought that Chinese had a lot of ‘ching chong

Question 42

Maze (ma-zay)

Answer 42

this is a tough one! It roughly translates ‘man’ when used in conversation. The way Americans use it, like when they say ‘Man! this burger tastes like cardboard!’. That is exactly how we use it, so if it was a Kenyan speaking it would be, ‘Maze! this burger tastes like cardboard!’

Question 43

Eish! (ay-ish

Answer 43

ts a word used to express surprise, most likely a pleasant surprise. For example; ‘Eish! You have a nice dress!’.

Question 44

Ati (ah-tee)

Answer 44

This word can mean many things but the most common meanings are ‘what’ and ‘that’. For example; ‘Ati?’ meaning ‘what?’. Commonly used when someone says something that you didn’t hear or understand. ‘Ati Hannah is pregnant?’- Means, ‘That Hannah is pregnant?’. This statement shows that you are shocked that Hannah is pregnant.

Question 45

Omo (oh-mow).

Answer 45

detergent

Question 46

colgate

Answer 46

toothpaste