slang

means "je ne sais quoi", charisma, X-factor, or a special intangible attribute that makes a person extremely likable without either trying so hard or breaking a sweat. On the contrary, some people may be extremely talented and very good at what they do, but because of their personalities, this...

kubatwa means to be under the influence of some drug; however, this word is sometimes used by some Zimbos in reference to being inebriated (with either wine, spirits, or beer) instead of being high from drugs although that's not what it really means. Note: Generally if a person is self-aware...

dotcom or alternatively in the Shonglish form "dhotikomu," both terms refer to the latest trending gossip. In addition, other closely related synonyms include mafaira or makuhwa in chiShona language. Example usage:

miin fi seh sopm iin ditiel bout wetin yuh dey talmbout. Fi hegzampl, "expagorate" e dey yuus fi aks smadi fi clarify fi dem poin, espeshali wehn dem staat fi taak for tekniikal jargon langwij, ah wehn dem seh illogical conflicting stietmentdem i.e., aalsuh nuon for chiShona langwij az...

ngoma means lean or a central nervous system depressant cough syrup that contains codeine (an opiate) and in this context, it's consumed for recreational purposes instead of medical use. Etymology Ngoma pronunciation is slightly similar to a formal chiShona word spelled the same as ngoma...

mbama in Zim slang means an extremely beautiful woman and that is to say, on a scale of 10, she is either a flawless 9 or a perfect 10. She is so beautiful beyond words and chances are she's high maintenance too. You better be loaded mate, if you want her. However, if you are smart enough y'all...

kedha this is a shortened social construct of saying mukaradhi or mukedha which means you are either biracial, multiracial, or a mixed person. However, in the Republic of Zimbabwe, being biracial doesn't mean you are black because there isn't the one-drop rule you'd find in countries such as...

kunoza is a way of speaking with a posh accent often as a means to try and portray yourself as though you are classy, sophisticated, and all that pseudo-intellectual jazz. In addition, a person who is into that stuff is called munozi or musaradhi. Note: Kunoza is derived from the way by which...

chapomba (or shapomba) means any legal liquor that is in the range of 80 proof (40% ABV) but not more than that, whereas musombodhiya or otherwise known as mbatutu generally means anything starting from at least a minimum of 100 proof (50% ABV) to about 160 proof (80% ABV). musombodhiya...

The definition of "polony" in the context of Zim slang means 'polonium-210.' Therefore again in the context of slang (i.e. the informal usage), this should not be confused with the normal 'bologna sausage' or what some may call 'baloney.' Perhaps you have already noticed the double entendre...

1: an individual who comes from a wealthy background; however, such a person isn't always familiar with Zimbabwe's traditional customs (or Chivanhu) thanks to their boojee, luxurious upbringing. So people may tolerate certain things about them if they deviate from the norm because you know...

mangoma means local Zimdaansaal myuuzik produced in the Republic of Zimbabwe; however, this may sometimes also be used as a general umbrella term for foreign Dancehall, Soca, Dub, and of course, Reggae music. Etymology Ngoma in chiShona (or Chivanhu) means "drum," whilst mangoma is a plural...

boyz retonazi means male hustlers ("scammers"), drug dealers, or corrupt tenderpreneurs who by and large don't have full-time employment. But albeit having a poor academic background, make no mistake about it, they've got strong business acumen to make more money than some learned college...

ngito this is a synonym of ngochani — both these words id est ngito, or ngochani describe sexual orientations of either being gay, bisexual (dhidhiologist), or lesbian only. Note: In the ChiShona language, there aren't formal descriptive words that directly translate to other sexualities such...

1: jealousy 2: sadza (i.e., a staple food in the Republic of Zimbabwe that is made from maize mealie meal called hupfu. Sometimes it's made from finger millet or zviyo in chiShona language). Example for 1 Example for 2 Synonyms for jembi (i.e., as they relate to sadza) Chidhaka...

The phrase "voice rema sese" in Zim slang refers to a harsh-sounding voice that is often induced by drinking too much sorghum beer on a regular basis. Note: 'masese' is a ChiShona word for sorghum beer. And the most popular sorghum beer in Zimbabwe is called 'Chibuku' which is shunned by most...

The phrase "Kupera Strong" in Zim slang means you are lost for words so much that you end up saying absolutely nothing because of being overwhelmed by what you have just witnessed. You can also think of 'kupera strong' as being synonymous with SMH (i.e. shake my head) when you encounter...

this Shonglish term refers to microblogging platforms, social networks, or social media. Similar terms Other alternative Shonglish variants for the aforementioned slang term include the following: Variants Soshari midhiya (or soshari midhia) Sosho midhiya (or sosho midhia) Suoshari...

mafaira or V11 means either evidence (uchapupu or umboo) about a rival entity or another person's skeletons in the closet that they wish to keep secret from the prying eyes of the public. V11 is pronounced as vē-əˈlevən and the plural form is either written as ma V11or V11s. Note: Often...

This post contains a list of widely used interjections in chiShona language you may come across either in the written form on social media or in spoken form i.e., in audiovisual media. Yuhwi, Wuriii this is used for expressing surprise or shock after hearing/reading juicy gossip or witnessing...