Learnt how to say "Money" in 23 African languages

Money. We all love it abi? :-) Is that also not why wherever we find ourselves, we need it? Is that not why it is the root of all evil? Is that also not why people sing about it all the time? Next time, you see money raining in an African music video, think about some of these word$ that mean $$$. With some help from my African friends, we have a list of 23 to work with. Choose your pick!
  1. Akan: Sika. My mother tongue. Quite easy. My mother has many memorable quotes on money. But here's a great song about money by one of my favorite musicians. Sika by Okyeame Kwame.
  2. Ga: Shika. We know how Ga and Twi have similar words. So I should have seen this coming. Thanks to +Seyram Freddy Ahiabor for 'reminding' me. 
  3. Ewe: ɛga. Another one taught to me by Seyram
  4. Dagbani: Lahri. Yeap, +Jemila Abdulai taught me this one. Once. :-)
  5. Hausa: Kudi. Now isn't this just obvious? I've been hearing "kawukudi" so many times. Kudi has to be one of my new favorite ways to say money. Na gode +Ali Bukari Maiga.
  6. Swahili: Pesa. Pesa nyingi sana. If I had a shilling for every time one of my Swahili speaking friends taught me or mentioned this, I'd organize more trips to Afrika Mashariki.
  7. Xhosa: Mali. I can hear Lira singing "We Mali" right now but she didn't teach me this. +Phelele Fakudze did. 
  8. Sesotho: Chelete. Another one courtesy of +Phelele Fakudze. She speaks about as many languages as people needed in a soccer team. 
  9. Siswati: Mali. Before you tell me this is quite similar to what it is in Xhosa, please note that it is a different language. And this is spoken by the people who produced +Phelele Fakudze, which by the way, is not South Africa, but the kingdom of Swaziland. :-)
  10. Yoruba: Owo. I learnt this from my friend Mimi. Next time, you see some money raining at a Nigerian wedding, sing to yourself, "owo owo owo".
  11. Igbo: Ego. Learnt this from my friend +Chioma Ileagu. That means, my friend +Ego Obi, she's so money! Or that singer Ego Ogbaro, she sings and money comes :-)
  12. Luganda: Ssente. One of those double S words, aren't they so cool? +Terry Karungi thought me this one.
  13. Kinyarwanda: Amafaranga. Thanks to +Matilda Mutanguha who taught me this one. A little long of a name for money though, but hey, you see the language in letters length?
  14. Amharic: Genzeb. I learnt this recently from +beza tesfaye who I met when I was in Addis Ababa. 
  15. Wolof: Khaliss, or Koparr. I'd go with koparr, it has more swag. Thanks to +Oumoul Khaïry Sow for teaching me this one. 
  16. Bambara: Wari. I learnt this from my fellow Global Shaper, Aminata, who's also based in Bamako. Those Global Shapers stay winning. 
  17. Bemba: Impiya. It's imperative to have a lot of Kwacha while in Zambia. See what I just did there? :-)
  18. Nyanja : Ndarama. Thanks to +Chisenga Muyoya who taught me this one. But Kwacha does sound very cool too ;-)
  19. Beti: Moani. I learnt this from my Camerounian friend who I met in Kumasi. Beti is the most popular language in Cameroun.
  20. Moore: Ligdi. I already had a Burkinabe day this year. I want the Stallions to qualify Burkina Faso to the World Cup. A lot of Ligdi their way if this happens. Thanks to +Tatiana Pandare for teaching me this.
  21. San: Wara. I almost went to Burkina Faso twice this year. If I had more wara, I would have really gone, amongst a couple of factors. I love the country a lot though I've never been. It's only right that I can say money in the San language. Merci Tatiana encore. 
  22. Myene: Ifoura. I learnt this from this hot Gabonese chic I know. She is money (
  23. Fang: Mian'g. She also thought me how to say this too. She took the liberty to also teach me how to say "I have no money" = "miè zélé n'ifoura" cand give me money in Fang is "koro me mian'g". I dunno if she is trying to send me a coded message :-) 
This follows the "Thank You", "Let's Go"And "I Love You" posts in this series. Also learn how to say How are You and I'm Fine. Share how to say "Money" in other African languages via the comments. I could have said a few more in other languages, but we had to stop at 23. I don't need to tell you why. And if you think it's because Michael Jordan wore the jersey number 23, you lose your way for the wholewideworld inside. Michael Jordan is money too, right? $$$$.

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