Tell us what you think...

Do you speak an African language? If so, please tell us about a particular word or phrase in your language which has a special meaning for you. If there is an expression for which English just doesn't have the words to match? Share your your favourite African words here.

Keep watching this website for reviews, interviews and images from our Word from Africa festival, celebrating Africa's many languages and cultures. And do leave your comments on any other subject relating to Africa Beyond here too.

Your name: required

Your Email:

Your location:

Your comment: required

• Kiran

  Bangalore

  'Hakuaga' in Swahili means 'leaving without saying goodbye'.

  Came across this word while I was in a museum in Zanzibar, It was used in context of one of their princess 'Sayyida Salme' who fled to Europe with her lover.

  Wonderful word, got stuck in my mind because of the sheer depth of emotion it captures.

• Ismail

  Sokoto, Nigeria

  I love all d article they should keep it up.

• Sally

  Nottingham

  I would like to know if there is a Xhosa translation of the phrase 'life story' or 'memory of life' or something similar? The closest I have come to this is 'isibongo' meaning 'praise poetry?'

  Love and deep respect

  from Sally

• Mike Mwale

  Essex

  The word "tunthama" in Chichewa language of Malawi has no clear English word for it.(I think) Would it mean falling half asleep or a deep slumber after exhaustion? Would it mean a siesta or the custom night sleep?

• Lakunle Jaiyesimi

  Nigeria

  HADAWAMAYAWA

  This is a more or less compund word that describes the ordered creation of the people with the blood ties never to be severe, even when the distance is long. the word seems to give praise to a creator at the same time. It could also be seen as an acronym, which isn't the case originally - just my side to it, HA - Hourly Activities; DA - Daily Activities; WA - Weekly Activities; MA - Monthly Activities; YA - Yearly Activities; WA - Work Accomplished. It is a word that is fast going beyond the roots of common usage to a household position - a corporate image. To the Yoruba people of Nigeria, it is a pregnant word

• Tessa (Africa Beyond)

  London

  Hi Chika - that's a very good point. We will see if there's any way we can get the lecture (or some part of it) onto the website. Meanwhile we're glad you enjoyed Ngugi's appearance at the British Museum.

  Thanks to everyone so far who has contributed African words and phrases below. 'Sasa?' 'Fiti'. Great expression. Will it work on the streets of south London I wonder?

• Chika

  London

  What I want to know is, why was the keynote lecture delivered by Ngugi wa Thiong'o on African Languages at the British Museum on Saturday, 2 June not on this site? People are missing out on a wonderful and indepth lecture which every African, in my opinion should be exposed to.

• Kadija George Sesay

  UK

  "Korite" - it marks the end of Ramadan (Eid Al-Fitr) - Mandingo language

  I just love the vibe of being in West Africa at this time. It reminds me of what Christmas used to feel like when I was a kid - people out and about - sharing - lots of giving, and lots of fun.Maybe Christmas is still like this in some places - where?

• Shiku

  London

  Word from Africa favourite word is in "sheng" which is slang juxstaposition of Swahili and English which has its origins in the inner city parts of Nairobi in Kenya started with young people in the poorer parts of the city in the early 80s but has now spread across the country. My favourite phrase is "Sasa ?" which is used in greeting and is similar to "What's up?" the response is usually "Fiti" - derived from the English word "fit" meaning - OK, an alternative response is "poa" - swahili meaning "cool".

• Prossy

  Uganda

  My favorite African phrases are:

  1. “Nsonyiwa!”

  2. “Nga kitalo!”

  3. “Ng’olabye!”

  I think English has no words to match the above phrases. In most cases English uses “sorry” or “I am sorry” or “it’s a pity” which I find a bit light, or may I say meaningless when used in English but with special meanings to me when used in my language.

• Emeka Okafor

  New York

  You might be interested in the TED Global event taking place in Arusha Tanzania June 4-7, 2007

  Please go to http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/49 and www.ted.com for details.

• Matt

  Impressive list but i miss Omar, UK's soul icon. anyway loving the AB site, keep up the goodgood work!

• Leysha

  when is the next show - i mean this years 2007

• Janet Browne

  Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), London

  Excellent site - full of impact and very engaging!

• Reliance Emunefe

  Camden, London

  Hello Dear,

  I love your site and it is a great idea. I am a poet, I recently joined-in with another poet to compile over 100 of our poems into a book entitled: DELECTATION. We are both from West Africa and 50% of our poems are dealing with lives in Africa, Africans in London and general living! It has already been reviewed by a famous British writer:Colin McNaughton

  He sugested we visit the BBC on our book since it is focusing on Africa. We would appreciate it if you can arrange a meeting with us to see ways you can promote African poets in the UK just as you are now doing with black singers and artists.

• Addey

  London

  Hello. I have just returned from a trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, mainly to attend the Timket (Epiphany) Festival. I ended up taking hundreds of shots capturing the streetlife as well as the festival in Addis Ababa. Please feel free to browse through the images at your own convenience. www.bluelada.com

• Segun Akinyode

  Abeokuta, Nigeria

  There is no serious doubt that the African continent needs a lot to do to meet other continents in major areas of development.My question is whether Africa Beyond is doing anything in the area of publishing African manuscripts.This effort will go a long way in modifying the wrong impressions being peddled abou our continent by the misinformed parts of the world.Thank you

• Marie C Hamelle

  London

  looking for promoters or venues hosting events with an African theme, either on Ghana or Senegal as we have a visiting singer and dancer from Senegal, ABDOU DIOP, from Kolda in the UK from late May to late July - as well as BESSA HENRY, singer, pianist, composer, arranger for all the top names in Ghanaian music and his band THE BESSA BAND, also visiting this summer and looking for bookings - he plays modern highlife, tinged with jazz and soul.

  If you know of anyone who is organising an event this summer, I would be grateful for their e-mail and telephone number.

  Many thanks

  Marie Christine at Musiques Sans Frontieres

• Tinashe Mushakavanhu

  Wales

  Thank you for introducing this wonderful virtual initiative for the African community living in the Diaspora.

  I was wondering if you would be interested in a piece on the participation of several African writers at this year's Hay on Wye Literary Festival in Wales.

  I am the African Literature Programme Coordinator for the festival.

  Tinashe

• Hajar

  London

  Can u please send me when najat aatabou will be in london performing and any other moroccan singers and the dates they will be in london.

  thanks hajar

• Terezinha Juraci Machado da Silva

  Porto Alegre, RS-Brasil

  Thanks a lot for this page,really wonderfull.Im a black brazilian teacher, Master degree in African Literature from Portuguese Countries and I discovered your site from a friend from Atlanta that usually send me Afro news. Is amazing the map about the WORD FROM AFRICA, would you PLEASE send me this Map in separate, in order to show it to my students - I teach African Literature from Portuguese Countries and Afro-brazilian Culture at an University in Argentina.

  Congratulatons

  Terezinha Juraci

• Mitchel Strumpf

  University of Dar es Salaam

  Thank you for this very good-looking a informative web site. I taught Music at Legon 1968-1972 and have been teaching in African universities since that time.

  While in Ghana, I worked with Saka Aquaye at the Arts Council in Accra and worked with people like Obo Addy. One of the fine musicians I worked with was Mario Diakuro from Nandom, a wonderful gillye (xylophone) player. I lost track of Mario but was told a few years ago that he was in London and working on a degree at Goldsmith College. If you have any contact address for him, I would greatly appreciate it.

  Many thanks,

  Prof. Mitchel Strumpf

• Mizani

  Mombasa, Kenya

  First i thank you for the good work your doing.mine is more of a question than a comment,i would like to know if you interview underground hiphopers and if so then i think you should visit this part of the world where youll meet reel mcs who are yet to be recognized.

• Louis

  Douala, Cameroon

  Happy to see this inovation for us bloggers of the former My Africa programme to continue expressing ourselves in a BBC platform. What are the modalities to sent our view especially using pictures? Again! For now I wish the BBC team good luck for the programme.

• Nottingham

  This a powerful Website, am in love with it. My tutor Frank Abbott, Nottingham Trent University Uk, told me about this website.

  Please let me know about any forthcoming events like art exhibitions. I am currently studying for a MA Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and the theme of my work is about Cultural relationship, about myself in England, experiencing new culture. I'm looking for an opportunity to exhibit my works here in England.