Sheng has baffled many outsiders due to its dynamic nature. Every generation comes up with new words and phrases that render those of yesterday irrelevant. If you move out of Eastlands, Nairobi, say for 2 years or so, believe you me when you come back the language will have changed to an extent you’ll have a hard time keeping up with conversations.
Earlier linguistic scholars predicted a premature death for the tongue, but it has defied the test of time. Growing to become the unofficial lingo of Kenyan ghettoes. Scholars have written numerous papers about it, yet, they haven’t been able to state with finality whether it is vernacular, pidgin, creole, standard, classical, or lingua franca.
Conversions in Facebook pages where cops, going by the monikers Hessy wa Kayole, Hessy wa Dandora etc, have taken the war against crime (precipitated by the likes of Gaza and Mauki crime families) in Eastlando have many bewildered. And that is the basis of sheng, to keep those who don’t understand the language out of the convos in Kayole Crime Free, Dandora Crime Free, Dandora Love People, Eastlando Crime Free, Kayole My Kingdom: Together We Can Make It A Safe Place. Here are latest sheng words you are likely to encounter in the groups and their definitions.
Arif – friend
Banka – Crib/House
Bitson – Beating
Bronchez/breathe – brother
Chuom – Alley
Father/fathela – father
Gafe – Cigarette
Gendi – Matatu
Gwangi/Stepa/Dingo – Gangster
Hasapa – Here
Jaba – Khat
Kushandwa – To get shot
Lamba lolo – Lick lollipop, have oral sex
Mambang’a/Mavedi – Cops
Mathe/mukuru/mokoro – mother
Maunenge/Kinenge – Hunger pangs
Mauru – Bad boy/girl
Maweng – Money
Mbekse – Two
Mble/Mbleina/Fafude – Fool
Mbogi – Group/Crew
Mbulu – T.V.
Mitiech – Hoods
Mjulubeng – Manhood
Moshatha – Upcountry
Ndeng’a/Chrome/Itoka – Gun
Nganya – Matatu
Ngiavati – Chapati
Ngono – Cart
Nguna – chic/girl
Ngwai – Weed/marijuana
Nyai/Pona – Steal
Nyuria – Die
Palito – radio
Pinchi – Pick pocket
Pori – Wallet/Pocket
Rada – Understand/be alert
Riba – story
Ridhe – Bullet
Rombosa – Dance
Shandwa – Get shot
Sistare/mtasis – sister
Tenje – Phone/radio
Tonje – Laptop
Tutu – Coward
Read more new sheng words and their meanings
P.S: Note that sheng differs slightly from hood to hood.
Feel free to add more that I haven’t included or offer correction where wrong.
Vivian
June 1, 2017 at 6:26 pm
am so poor in sheng, I can hardly sustain a conversation in that damn language. thank you for the insight. at least if I hear people talking of “ridhe” or “shandwa” I have an idea how to behave.
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eduzmi
June 2, 2017 at 12:57 pm
You’re welcome. No one can say they’re perfect in sheng because of it’s dynamism. The only people who can boast of proficiency are those in the heart of Eastlando to whom it’s a primary language.
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kim
September 19, 2017 at 10:32 pm
where is the heart of eastlando
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eduzmi
September 20, 2017 at 2:16 am
Hard to say, Dandora maybe?
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Snoozie
October 14, 2017 at 12:54 am
What does Lamba Lolo mean?
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eduzmi
October 14, 2017 at 7:30 am
It literally translates to lick lollipop. The implied meaning is vulgar; giving head
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Julius Rollince
March 23, 2021 at 6:36 pm
I don’t think I can talk that language.👊👊… congrats mbogi genje
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Roy Oliver
October 23, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Impressive sheng lugha ya baba na mama..
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Brendar
December 12, 2017 at 6:21 am
Yo lolo inamaanisha?
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eduzmi
December 12, 2017 at 6:58 am
Literal meaning ni lollipop. Hidden meaning ni nyap ama mjulubeng
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Julius Rollince
March 23, 2021 at 6:36 pm
I don’t think I can talk that language.👊👊… congrats mbogi genje
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Nandez
February 12, 2018 at 2:58 am
Mi ndio mode ingieni daro n wafunze
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eduzmi
February 12, 2018 at 5:28 am
Hello Nandez, feel free to add any that are not on the list. Will appreciate that. Thanks
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Peter
March 6, 2018 at 7:28 pm
Tea is not ‘Ngwai’. Ngwai means weed or in other terms ‘vela’. Tea is known as ‘Ngia’
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eduzmi
March 6, 2018 at 7:50 pm
Noted, thanks for your input
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kapirate
March 10, 2018 at 9:50 pm
Spelling ni:
mban’ga (one cop)
mamban’ga (many)
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eduzmi
March 10, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Thanks for your input kapirate
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sammy ongoro
March 16, 2018 at 1:37 pm
the spelling is pinji and not pinchii..
alfu bado kuna koto meaning breaking into someone´s. house.
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eduzmi
March 16, 2018 at 10:56 pm
Noted
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mc colosa
March 19, 2018 at 10:08 pm
banju– dance
nga’nda— enda
ndai gari
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eduzmi
March 31, 2018 at 9:15 am
Noted, thanks.
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Zecky
March 23, 2018 at 6:10 am
Waaah, nayo nganya ni nini?
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eduzmi
March 31, 2018 at 9:15 am
Matatu
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John Sila Mc
June 21, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Na salasa ni nini
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Edwin Nyakang'i
June 21, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Thirty bob
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jay killer
August 25, 2018 at 11:59 pm
mwere-fala jarizo-fala mbothe-news
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Rob Otoyo
March 28, 2018 at 1:54 pm
Video and Chat in Sheng
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Kevin
April 6, 2018 at 6:50 am
Hey
Thought tenje was radio. E. G naskiza tenje
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eduzmi
April 6, 2018 at 7:10 am
Hello Kevin,
Tenje sure means radio in old school sheng. It now means mobile phone
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Mike Lang
April 7, 2018 at 3:31 pm
palito also means radio…
bronchez/brathe-brother
sistare/mtasis-sister
fathe/fathela-father
mathe/mukuru-mother
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eduzmi
April 7, 2018 at 5:19 pm
Thanks for your submissions Mike
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Clement
May 11, 2018 at 9:47 pm
izo n Kali yangu sheng no tobela lolo
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mwas dudu mbaya
May 18, 2018 at 4:24 pm
ahh manze hizo zinaokolea…mbulu##t.v
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Edwin Nyakang'i
May 18, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Wazi mwas 👊
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jay killer
July 23, 2018 at 4:21 pm
kreki -kuwa mud
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jay killer
July 23, 2018 at 4:41 pm
shen’ni lugha fiti bro! kaa unajuwa kubanja iyo lugha give thank 2 jah mwenye amekublase na lugha wogwan
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Edwin Nyakang'i
July 23, 2018 at 5:00 pm
Ital Jay, ital.
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jay killer
July 23, 2018 at 4:48 pm
mtaa yetu mah! bwois bado ni waga den bado waje eva kwa kubanja shen’ ata ubonge aje washii kaa nishi mita mi nita do aje jameni
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jay killer
July 23, 2018 at 5:00 pm
punguza uga den manze, read dis fuckin’ shen’ acha kubonga lugha ya mathaa na pups, pussy,kuma,big booty,matako kubwa,mulla,douh
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jay killer
July 23, 2018 at 8:32 pm
2040 shen’ndo itakuwa lugha ya taifa so e’ nafa who g’ funze kubonga shen’
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Cutie
August 18, 2018 at 11:35 am
Iyo sheng’ ngori… kuna sanse inamaanisha police
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jay killer
August 29, 2018 at 7:49 pm
stepa -mwizi
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jay killer
August 29, 2018 at 8:01 pm
gendi -mata2-dzuo-shule
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jay killer
September 7, 2018 at 1:24 pm
mesty-shule
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Heduciba
June 13, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Sheng My third language
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MARTIN
September 24, 2019 at 11:37 pm
What is Ng’ang’o?
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Edwin Nyakang'i
January 12, 2022 at 4:48 pm
Chang’aa
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jaykiller cocu
February 5, 2020 at 12:24 am
gode-bangi
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BRIAN SANTOS
February 19, 2020 at 1:56 pm
Oyah majamaa 2achane na madem mauru wazeya
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jaykiller cocu
April 6, 2020 at 11:26 pm
sulukru-dem
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jaykiller cocu
April 6, 2020 at 11:33 pm
msanyanyi-mwizi
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Elvis
May 7, 2020 at 3:18 pm
sheng n lugha tamu sana
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Griffo skunker
August 6, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Fende ni mwanafunzi,mlecho ni lunch,simmba ni simu
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Facebook....capet ya jikoni
September 6, 2020 at 5:29 pm
Dudu means to be high….or zko zimeshika….Machingri ni tei classic na thiangaa ni tei za mtaa
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Peter Mwyiandi
November 18, 2020 at 8:38 am
mawezere
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Alex
January 11, 2021 at 11:52 am
Kiindie-deep dive
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Kevin
March 24, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Nice sheng word
Now i know more than one sheng word
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Rajem mochez
May 21, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Kuna group y the sheng masters?
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kollomakollo
July 29, 2021 at 4:02 pm
wapi jo tunawateka wotewote adi hao mamauru
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marhew
December 13, 2021 at 6:46 pm
kigwela huwa ni?
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DprezzoA9
May 3, 2022 at 12:19 am
yoh ingine ndo hii:
mbosho – mfuko
kombato – chapati
inigri – ingine
inbox me for more……0757305219😎
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Tutu Maingi
February 1, 2023 at 7:24 pm
Tutu- Coward.
I Dont Buy That,No
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Edwin Nyakang'i
October 1, 2023 at 2:47 pm
You refuse completely 😅
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Jaykiller Cocu
July 25, 2023 at 9:17 pm
Goshodo-dem
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