Glossary

44 words you will hear in Nairobi and nobody will stop to explain: government acronyms, money and housing vocabulary, and the Swahili and Sheng that carry most ordinary conversations.

A

AsanteSwahili
"Thank you." "Asante sana" is "thank you very much".
AskariSwahili
A security guard, usually at a gate. Also used for police and county officers.

B

BedsitterKenyan English
A single room with a small kitchen area and its own bathroom. The cheapest self-contained rental.
Boda bodaSwahili
A motorcycle taxi. Quick through traffic, and involved in a large share of Kenya's road injuries.

C

CaretakerKenyan English
The person who looks after an apartment block for the landlord: shows vacant units, collects complaints, and sometimes rent.
ChamaSwahili
A group of friends or colleagues who pool money every month, lending it out, investing it or paying it to each member in turn.

D

DSQAcronym
A small separate room or unit for household staff. Listings often say "3 bed + DSQ".
DukaSwahili
A small neighbourhood shop selling everyday goods, often through a grille.

E

eCitizenKenyan English
The government's online portal for passports, driving licences, good conduct certificates, business names and most fees.
eTAAcronym
The online pre-approval most visitors need before flying to Kenya. It replaced visas in January 2024.

F

FulizaKenyan English
M-Pesa's overdraft. It lets a payment go through when your balance is short, and charges a fee every day until it is repaid.
FundiSwahili
Anyone skilled with their hands: a plumber, electrician, tailor or mechanic.

G

Good conduct certificateKenyan English
A police clearance certificate from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, applied for on eCitizen.

H

HarambeeSwahili
Kenya's motto, meaning "let us all pull together", and the name for a community fundraiser.
Housing LevyKenyan English
A 1.5% deduction from gross pay, matched by the employer, funding the government's affordable housing programme.
Huduma CentreKenyan English
One-stop offices where you can get many government services in person, including help with eCitizen.

I

iTaxKenyan English
KRA's website for registering a PIN, filing returns and paying tax.

J

Jua kaliSwahili
Literally "hot sun". The informal economy of artisans and small workshops, from metalwork to furniture.

K

KanjoSheng
Slang for Nairobi City County's inspectorate officers, who enforce parking, hawking and licensing rules.
Kitu kidogoSwahili
"Something small": a euphemism for a bribe. Asking for an official receipt is the polite way to decline.
KPLCAcronym
Kenya Power and Lighting Company, the electricity distributor. Most homes are on prepaid meters.
KRAAcronym
The Kenya Revenue Authority, which collects income tax, VAT and customs duty.
KRA PINAcronym
Your personal tax number. Employers, banks, landlords, car sellers and the land registry all ask for it.

M

M-PesaKenyan English
Safaricom's mobile money service, used for almost everything: rent, bills, shops, matatu fares and paying friends.
MabatiSwahili
Corrugated iron roofing sheets, and by extension the walls and fences made from them.
Maisha NambaKenyan English
Kenya's new personal identification number for citizens, issued with the Maisha Card that is replacing the old national ID card.
Mama mbogaSwahili
A woman who sells fresh vegetables from a stall or a roadside table, usually in your own estate.
MatatuSwahili
A privately run minibus or bus on a fixed route. The backbone of Nairobi's public transport.
MitumbaSwahili
Imported second-hand clothes and shoes, sold in bales and at markets such as Gikomba and Toi.
MzunguSwahili
A white person or foreigner. Usually descriptive rather than hostile, and you will hear it called out by children.

N

NSSFAcronym
The state pension fund. Employees and employers each pay 6% of pensionable pay, up to a ceiling.
NTSAAcronym
The agency behind driving licences, vehicle registration and logbooks, run through eCitizen.
Nyama chomaSwahili
Goat or beef roasted over charcoal and chopped at the table, usually with kachumbari and ugali.

P

PaybillKenyan English
An M-Pesa business number used for bills. You enter the paybill number and an account number, such as your meter or invoice number.
Pole poleSwahili
"Slowly, gently." On its own, "pole" means "sorry", as sympathy rather than apology.

S

SawaSwahili
"OK", "fine" or "agreed". Probably the word you will use most.
SHAAcronym
The Social Health Authority, which runs SHIF, the national health insurance fund that replaced NHIF in October 2024.
ShengKenyan English
Nairobi's slang, built from Swahili and English with borrowings from other Kenyan languages. It changes fast.
StageKenyan English
A matatu stop or terminus. "Which stage?" means where you get on.
Sukuma wikiSwahili
Kale or collard greens cooked with onion and tomato. The name means "push the week", because it is cheap.

T

Till numberKenyan English
An M-Pesa number for paying a shop or business directly, under Lipa na M-Pesa, Buy Goods and Services.
TokensKenyan English
Electricity for a prepaid meter, bought through M-Pesa and typed into the meter as a 20-digit code.

U

UgaliSwahili
A stiff maize-flour porridge, Kenya's staple food, eaten with the hands alongside stew or greens.
UpcountryKenyan English
The rural area a Nairobian's family comes from. Nairobi empties at Christmas as people go upcountry.
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