Word of the Day [21 Jan 2026]

amatile-tile

Xhosa plural for stratagems. It is actually just amatile. Singular is itile. The ti is pronounced like English tea and le as in French. From the Sanskrit kutila which appear in Xhosa as ukutila.


My car broke down on the way, I had to make amatile-tile to get here.

Shela

A Zulu word for asking a girl/guy out.


Ladies must also shela now. #WomenHaveToShela

Vrr phaa

Is a Volkswagen Golf car. It was named this because of the explosive noise it makes (vrrrrrr phaaaa).


He came in with a vrr phaa and all the girls went crazy.


Rutendo

Rutendo a female given name in Zimbabwe.
It translate to giving praise


We give God Rutendo

Gombo

The indigenous name for the City of East London meaning the new farming area or new development. The name was given by the precolonial Xhosas to the City following its establishment after the Sixth Frontier War. Today it is mistakenly pronounced Gompo
owing to the Christianization of the Xhosa language by early African converts writers who owing to growing up in mission station could not comprehend Xhosa properly and had a habit of changing the spelling of Xhosa words they did not understand.


Going to East London?
I’m going to Gombo


Swi

Swi is a Zimbabwean slang term for Alright/Fine.


The poem you wrote ibinguswi

Lamza

Is a kasi term for a kiss.


You can't even get a lamza from a random chick in the club anymore because of this covid.


Jumpas

Jumpas means later on.


I will see you jumpas.

Ngimnandi

Refers to being good, okay or doing well/fine.


- How are you? Are you okay?
- Ngimnandi


1818

The lethal vodka that is produced by Sminnorf.


She was downing 1818, that's why she's this drunk.

Boda Boda

Boda bodas are bikes used as public transport in East Africa.


I got a boda boda to Ntinda




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