Belgian French influences, due to colonization. People of different African mother tongues living in Kinshasa usually speak Lingala to communicate with each other in the street, but French is the language of businesses, administrations, schools, newspapers and televisions. French is also the predominant written language. Due to its widespread presence in Kinshasa, French has become a local language with its own pronunciation and some local words borrowed for the most part from Lingala. Depending on their social status, some people may mix French and Lingala, or code switch between the two depending on the context. Here are examples of words particular to Kinshasa French. As in Abidjan, there exist various registers and the most educated people may frown upon the use of slangish/Lingala terms. means broken, worn out, exhausted, or dead. It is a neologism on the standard French word whose meaning in standard French is "corpse". The word has now spread to other African countries due to the popularity of Congolese music in Africa. means strong, resistant. It is a loanword from Lingala. are sunglasses worn by partiers at night. It is a word coined locally and whose literal meaning in standard French is "anti-night". It is one of the many Kinshasa slang words related to nightlife and partying. A reveler is known locally as , from standard French which means atmosphere. , literally "to break the Bic", means to stop going to school. is colloquially used to refer to a ballpoint pen in Belgian French and Kinshasa French, but not in standard French. means "thank you very much". It comes from standard French ("thank you") and Lingala ("a lot"). is a bottle opener. It comes from the Lingala verb which means "to open something that is blocked up or bottled", to which was added the standard French suffix . is a rickety old taxi. In standard French means "tetanus". means "absolutely impossible". It comes from ("there's no way"), itself made up of standard French ("way") and Lingala ("not", "no"), to which was added standard French ("really"). means to have a mistress. doesn't mean "He has two offices", but "He has two mistresses". means "fend for yourself" or "find what you need by yourself". means "thank you" or "you are welcome". When it means "thank you", it can offend some French speakers who are not aware of its special meaning in Kinshasa. For example, if one offers a present