Discover Contemporary Shona Slang
A community-driven dictionary of modern Zimbabwean expressions
All Words(361 words)
Crossing one's country borders or leaving for another country.
"Rasta vakajamba border last year. Vakugara ku UK. "
"The guy left the country last year. He lives in the UK now. "
To panic or lose grip of a situation usually resulting in clumsiness or awkwardness after one gets anxious.
Jenjazi describes the type of panic that happens when someone is mostly anxious and not when they are in actual danger.
"Rasta ava vanorohwa ne jenjazi kana ndichitamba navo FIFA."
"This guy panics every time he faces against me in FIFA matches "
bicycle
Murikaz is short for murikiriki.
"Ndipo murikaz wako ndimbosvika kuma shops."
"Can you lend me your bicycle i need to go to the shops."
an extremely beautiful woman
A woman whose looks sit at the very top end of the scale,flawless 9 or perfect 10. Show-stopping beauty; absolute stunner.She turns heads instantly and usually comes with high-maintenance expectations
"Haaa paita zvembama apa!"
"Now that's what we call stunning!"
Being kept in a hush-hush, one-sided situationship where the other person refuses to make the relationship official.
"Ndinoona kunge ndirikudhyirwa musaga, haadi kumboti tionane muchaunga"
"I feel like I’m being kept hidden; he won’t acknowledge me in public."
Get a grip! Stop that! Cut it out! Get out of here! Knock it off! Quit it! Get lost!
Often shouted at one who’s clowning around, exaggerating, or crossing a small social line. Dismissive but not vulgar
"Miswa iwe! Apa wakudrawer nenyaya yako!"
"Come on, get outta here that story can’t be true!"
To go hard; to grind; to push relentlessly toward a goal or task.
"PaHarare ukasahadhira unorara nenzara asekuru"
"In Harare if you don't go hard you will go to bed on an empty stomach mate"
Get high
"Pakutoda kutopper bravery pakadai"
"That's when you need to get high"