100+ Albanian Slang Words and Expressions You Need to Know

Table of Contents

• Common Everyday Slang
• Youth & Modern Slang
• Expressions & Idioms
• Food & Drink Related
• Social & Friendly Terms
• Work & Money Related
• Informal Exclamations
• Regional Variations
• Vulgar Slang
• Love & Relationships

---

Understanding Albanian slang is essential for anyone wanting to connect authentically with Albanian speakers from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. While standard Albanian is taught in schools, everyday conversations are rich with colloquial expressions, regional variations, and modern slang that reflect the unique culture and contemporary life of Albanian-speaking communities. This comprehensive guide introduces you to 100+ essential Albanian slang words and expressions that will help you sound more natural and understand the nuances of Albanian culture.

Common Everyday Slang

• Vëlla: Brother, bro (very common address). Çfarë bën, vëlla? (What are you doing, bro?)
• Motër: Sister, sis (informal address). Hajde, motër, të shkojmë. (Come on, sis, let's go.)
• Shok/Shoqe: Friend, buddy/girlfriend. Shoku im më i mirë. (My best friend.)
• Tip/Tipe: Guy/girl, dude/chick. Tipi atje është i çuditshëm. (That guy over there is weird.)
• Çun/Çune: Boy/girl, young person. Çuni është shumë i zgjuar. (The boy is very smart.)
• Bukur: Beautiful, nice, cool. Shumë bukur! (Very nice/cool!)
• Mirë: Good, okay, fine. Mirë, hajde. (Okay, let's go.)
• Keq: Bad, not good. Është keq ky film. (This movie is bad.)
• Forte: Strong, awesome, cool. Forte kjo këngë! (This song is awesome!)
• Top: Top, excellent. Je top! (You're excellent!)
• Para: Money. S'kam para. (I don't have money.)
• Shtëpi: House, home. Vij në shtëpi. (I'm coming home.)
• Makinë: Car. Makina ime u prish. (My car broke down.)
• Punë: Work, job. Shkoj në punë. (I'm going to work.)
• Gjë: Thing, stuff. Çfarë gjëje është kjo? (What is this thing?)
• Familje: Family. Familja ime është e madhe. (My family is big.)
• Njerëz: People. Shumë njerëz këtu. (Many people here.)
• Gati: Ready, done. Jam gati! (I'm ready!)
• Hajde: Come on, let's go. Hajde shpejt! (Come on, quickly!)

Youth & Modern Slang

• Çka ka: What's up (Kosovo/North Macedonia). Çka ka, shok? (What's up, friend?)
• Si je: How are you (casual). Si je, vëlla? (How are you, bro?)
• Po mirë: I'm fine, okay. Po mirë, faleminderit. (I'm fine, thanks.)
• Cool: Cool (borrowed from English). Shumë cool! (Very cool!)
• Super: Super, great (borrowed from English). Super ide! (Great idea!)
• Wow: Wow (borrowed from English). Wow, sa bukur! (Wow, how beautiful!)
• Okay/OK: Okay (borrowed from English). Okay, le ta bëjmë. (Okay, let's do it.)
• Sorry: Sorry (borrowed from English). Sorry, u vonova. (Sorry, I was late.)
• Thanks: Thanks (borrowed from English). Thanks shumë! (Thanks a lot!)
• Selfie: Selfie (borrowed from English). Le të bëjmë një selfie. (Let's take a selfie.)
• Facebook: Facebook. E pashë në Facebook. (I saw it on Facebook.)
• Instagram: Instagram. Posto në Instagram. (Post it on Instagram.)
• WhatsApp: WhatsApp. Më shkruaj në WhatsApp. (Text me on WhatsApp.)
• Like: Like (social media). Më jep një like. (Give me a like.)
• Share: Share (social media). Share këtë video. (Share this video.)

Expressions & Idioms

• Më vjen keq: I'm sorry, I feel bad. Më vjen keq për atë që ndodhi. (I'm sorry for what happened.)
• S'ka gjë: It's nothing, no problem. S'ka gjë, mos u shqetëso. (It's nothing, don't worry.)
• Çfarë të bëj: What can I do. Çfarë të bëj, kështu është jeta. (What can I do, that's life.)
• Me vjen mirë: I'm glad, I'm happy. Më vjen mirë që erdhe. (I'm glad you came.)
• Nuk më intereson: I don't care. Nuk më intereson çfarë thonë. (I don't care what they say.)
• Më duket: It seems to me. Më duket se do të bjerë shi. (It seems to me it's going to rain.)
• Nuk e di: I don't know. Nuk e di çfarë të them. (I don't know what to say.)
• Sigurisht: Of course, certainly. Sigurisht që do të vij. (Of course I'll come.)
• Ndoshta: Maybe, perhaps. Ndoshta nesër. (Maybe tomorrow.)
• Aspak: Not at all. Aspak nuk më pëlqen. (I don't like it at all.)
• Fare: At all, completely. Fare nuk e kuptoj. (I don't understand it at all.)
• Tamam: Exactly, perfect (from Turkish). Tamam kështu! (Exactly like that!)
• Hajt: Come on, hurry up. Hajt, se na ikën autobusi. (Come on, we'll miss the bus.)

Food & Drink Related

• Ushqim: Food. Ushqimi këtu është i shijshëm. (The food here is delicious.)
• Bukë: Bread. Blej bukë nga furra. (I'm buying bread from the bakery.)
• Kafe: Coffee. Do një kafe, ju lutem. (I want a coffee, please.)
• Çaj: Tea. Çaj me sheqer. (Tea with sugar.)
• Birra: Beer. Le të pimë një birra. (Let's drink a beer.)
• Verë: Wine. Vera e kuqe është e mirë. (Red wine is good.)
• Rakí: Traditional Albanian brandy. Rakia e babait është e fortë. (Dad's rakia is strong.)
• Byrek: Traditional Albanian pie. Byreku me djathë është i preferuari im. (Cheese byrek is my favorite.)
• Qebapa: Grilled meat (from Turkish). Qebapatë janë të shijshme. (The qebapa are delicious.)
• Tavë kosi: Traditional Albanian dish. Tavë kosi për drekë. (Tavë kosi for lunch.)
• Baklava: Sweet pastry (from Turkish). Bakllava është e ëmbël. (Baklava is sweet.)
• Fërgesë: Traditional Albanian dish. Fërgesë me speca. (Fërgesë with peppers.)

Social & Friendly Terms

• Mik/Mike: Friend. Është miku im më i mirë. (He's my best friend.)
• Shokë: Friends (plural). Shokët e mi nga shkolla. (My friends from school.)
• Fqinj: Neighbor. Fqinji është shumë i sjellshëm. (The neighbor is very kind.)
• Familjar: Family member, relative. Familjarët e mi jetojnë në Amerikë. (My relatives live in America.)
• Vëllezër: Brothers. Jemi si vëllezër. (We're like brothers.)
• Motra: Sisters. Motrat e mia janë të mëdha. (My sisters are older.)
• Kushërinj: Cousins. Kushërinjtë e mi vijnë për vizitë. (My cousins are coming to visit.)
• Gjyshër: Grandparents. Gjyshërit jetojnë në fshat. (The grandparents live in the village.)
• Grup: Group. Grupi ynë i miqve. (Our group of friends.)
• Ekip: Team. Ekipi ynë është i mirë. (Our team is good.)

Work & Money Related

• Punë: Work, job. Kam punë të re. (I have a new job.)
• Zyrë: Office. Punoj në zyrë. (I work in an office.)
• Shef: Boss. Shefi është i rreptë. (The boss is strict.)
• Koleg: Colleague. Kolegët e mi janë të sjellshëm. (My colleagues are nice.)
• Paga: Salary, wage. Paga ime nuk është e lartë. (My salary is not high.)
• Para: Money. Kam nevojë për para. (I need money.)
• Euro: Euro. Kushton 20 euro. (It costs 20 euros.)
• Lek: Albanian currency. Kam 1000 lekë. (I have 1000 lek.)
• Kompani: Company. Punoj në një kompani të madhe. (I work at a big company.)
• Biznes: Business. Kam biznes të vogël. (I have a small business.)
• Orari: Schedule. Orari im është fleksibël. (My schedule is flexible.)
• Pushime: Vacation. Jam në pushime. (I'm on vacation.)

Informal Exclamations

• Zot: God (exclamation). Zot, sa i madh! (God, how big!)
• Moj: Oh (address particle). Moj vëlla, çfarë bën? (Oh brother, what are you doing?)
• Ore: Hey, dude (from Greek). Ore, hajde këtu! (Hey, come here!)
• Aman: Please, come on (from Turkish). Aman, mos u nervozo. (Come on, don't get angry.)
• Vallahi: I swear (from Turkish). Vallahi nuk e di. (I swear I don't know.)
• Mashallah: What God wills (from Arabic). Mashallah, sa i bukur! (Mashallah, how beautiful!)
• Of: Ugh, sigh. Of, sa i lodhur jam! (Ugh, how tired I am!)
• Ah: Ah, oh. Ah, tani e kuptoj. (Ah, now I understand.)
• Eh: Eh, well. Eh, çfarë të bëj. (Eh, what can I do.)
• Uh: Uh, um. Uh, nuk e di. (Uh, I don't know.)

Regional Variations

Kosovo

• Çka: What (instead of "çfarë"). Çka po bën? (What are you doing?)
• Kur: When (used differently). Kur po vjen? (When are you coming?)
• Qysh: How (instead of "si"). Qysh je? (How are you?)
• Kojshia: Neighbor (regional). Kojshia ime është e mirë. (My neighbor is good.)

North Macedonia (Tetovo region)

• Çka ka: What's up. Çka ka, shoku? (What's up, friend?)
• Mirë jam: I'm fine. Mirë jam, faleminderit. (I'm fine, thanks.)

Montenegro (Ulcinj region)

• Kako si: How are you (Slavic influence). Kako si, vëlla? (How are you, brother?)
• Dobro: Good (Slavic influence). Dobro, hvala. (Good, thanks.)

Albania (Tirana)

• Si jemi: How are we (plural). Si jemi sot? (How are we today?)
• Çup: Young person (Tirana slang). Çupi është i zgjuar. (The young person is smart.)

Vulgar Slang

• Mut: Shit. Ky është mut. (This is shit.)
• Kar: Dick (very vulgar). Kar me të. (F*ck him.)
• Pidh: Cunt (very vulgar). Çfarë pidhi! (What a c*nt!)
• Qifsha: Fck (very vulgar). Qifsha robt. (Fck everything.)
• Dreq: Devil, damn. Dreq ta hajë! (Damn it!)
• Hajvan: Animal, idiot (from Turkish). Mos u bëj hajvan. (Don't be an idiot.)
• Budalla: Stupid, fool. Je budalla. (You're stupid.)
• Magarë: Donkey, idiot. Mos u sill si magarë. (Don't act like an idiot.)
• Qen: Dog (insult). Je qen. (You're a dog.)
• Rrugaçe: Street woman, whore. Rrugaçe e vërtetë. (Real whore.)

Love & Relationships

• Dashuri: Love. Je dashuria ime. (You're my love.)
• I dashur/E dashur: Beloved, dear. I dashur im. (My dear.)
• Të dua: I love you. Të dua shumë. (I love you very much.)
• Zemër: Heart (term of endearment). Zemra ime. (My heart.)
• Shpirt: Soul (term of endearment). Shpirti im. (My soul.)
• Jetë: Life (term of endearment). Jeta ime. (My life.)
• I/E bukur: Beautiful. Je shumë e bukur. (You're very beautiful.)
• I/E ëmbël: Sweet. Je i ëmbël. (You're sweet.)
• Puth: Kiss. Më jep një puth. (Give me a kiss.)
• Përqafim: Hug. Më jep një përqafim. (Give me a hug.)
• Martuar: Married. Jam martuar. (I'm married.)
• Fejuar: Engaged. Jemi fejuar. (We're engaged.)
• Beqar: Single. Jam beqar. (I'm single.)

Gaming & Internet Culture

• Lojë: Game. Kjo lojë është e mirë. (This game is good.)
• Gamer: Gamer (borrowed from English). Jam gamer. (I'm a gamer.)
• Level: Level (borrowed from English). Çfarë leveli ke? (What level are you?)
• Boss: Boss (game boss). Bosi final është i vështirë. (The final boss is hard.)
• Lag: Lag (connection issues). Kam lag të keq. (I have bad lag.)
• Ping: Ping (internet latency). Pingu është i lartë. (The ping is high.)
• Noob: Noob, newbie. Je noob në këtë lojë. (You're a noob at this game.)
• Pro: Pro, professional player. Është pro në CS. (He's pro at CS.)
• Skill: Skill, ability. Ka skill të mirë. (He has good skill.)
• Team: Team. Ekipi ynë është i fortë. (Our team is strong.)
• Chat: Chat. Shkruaj në chat. (Write in chat.)
• Stream: Stream. Po bëj stream. (I'm streaming.)

Traditional & Cultural Terms

• Besa: Word of honor, trust (important Albanian concept). Dhashë besën. (I gave my word.)
• Kanun: Traditional Albanian law. Sipas Kanunit. (According to the Kanun.)
• Gjama: Blood feud (traditional concept). Gjama e vjetër. (Old blood feud.)
• Kulla: Traditional Albanian tower house. Kulla e familjes. (The family tower.)
• Ora e maleve: Mountain time (relaxed time concept). Jemi në orën e maleve. (We're on mountain time.)
• Xhiro: Evening walk/stroll. Shkojmë për xhiro. (Let's go for a stroll.)
• Kafe turke: Turkish coffee. Kafja turke është e fortë. (Turkish coffee is strong.)
• Saze: Traditional Albanian music ensemble. Sazeja po këndon. (The saze is singing.)

---

Learn Other Languages from Albanian with PolyChat

Are you an Albanian speaker looking to learn other languages? PolyChat is the perfect app for you! As an Albanian speaker, you have unique advantages when learning certain languages, and PolyChat leverages these connections to accelerate your language learning journey.

Why Albanian Speakers Excel at Learning These Languages:

🇮🇹 Italian - Historical connection! Many Italian loanwords in Albanian, plus shared Mediterranean culture.

🇹🇷 Turkish - Centuries of Ottoman influence mean hundreds of shared words and cultural concepts.

🇬🇷 Greek - Geographic neighbor with significant linguistic borrowing and cultural exchange.

🇷🇸 Serbian/Croatian - Balkan neighbors with shared Slavic loanwords and cultural understanding.

🇩🇪 German - Large Albanian diaspora in Germany, plus Germanic work-related vocabulary.

PolyChat's Advantage for Albanian Speakers:

✅ Mediterranean Bridge - Use Italian and Greek connections to master Romance and Hellenic languages ✅ Turkish Gateway - Leverage Ottoman vocabulary to learn Turkish more effectively ✅ Balkan Network - Connect with Serbian, Croatian, and other Balkan languages ✅ Diaspora Languages - Master German, English for diaspora communities worldwide

Ready to connect with the world? Download PolyChat today and discover how your Albanian language skills can unlock a world of new languages!

PolyChat - The best app to learn languages from Albanian 🇦🇱→🌍

---

This comprehensive guide provides essential Albanian slang that spans everyday conversations, regional variations, and modern internet culture. Albanian slang is particularly interesting because it reflects the language's position at the crossroads of different cultures - with influences from Turkish, Greek, Italian, and Slavic languages, as well as modern English borrowings. The best way to master these expressions is through practice with native speakers and consuming Albanian media like music, movies, and social media content.