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.

A girl or young woman.
Example

Yule manzi ni msee poa.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026

Mse

A guy, dude, or person. From "mse" for a fellow.
Example

Yule mse ni poa.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
A term of respect for a friend, peer, or someone you respect.
Example

Sasa boss, uko aje?

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
A rich person or a boss.
Example

Yule mse ni sonko.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
Fit, fine, cool, or in good shape.
Example

Everything iko fiti.

Africtionary AI • 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
A car.
Example

Amepark ndai nje.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026
Money; cash.
Example

Kazi ni kutafuta chapaa.

Africtionary AI • 26 July 2026

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