South African slang, reflects many different linguistic traditions found in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

.

Afrikanerisms

This list of "Afrikanerisms" (referred to as "funagalore" - not to be confused with the created language (lingua franca) Fanagalo

Fanagalo

- External links :* * *...

 which was used in the mines of South Africa to ensure workers from various language backgrounds could communicate) comprises slang words and phrases influenced by Afrikaans

Afrikaans

Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...

 and other African languages. Typical users include people with Afrikaans as their first language but who speak English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 as a second language; and people living in areas where the population speaks both English and Afrikaans. Many of these terms also occur widely amongst South African Coloured

Coloured

In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...

s, these terms do not occur in formal South African English

South African English

The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...

.

• ag man - oh man; ag as the Afrikaans equivalent to "oh", man pronounced as in English
• antie - an older female authority figure. [Word used most often by Indians. Derived from the nonstandard Afrikaans word which is in term derived from the English "aunt".]
• anties - breasts, as in "check die lekker anties op daai girl!"
• aweh/awe - said in excitement, as in: Aweh; my boss said I can go home early today.. The word has many meanings or uses: "hello", "goodbye", "yes". Also associated with prison use. (Greeting) "Aweh, my bru" (Hello my friend). Compare: howzit, yooit, hoesit, yo.
• baas - boss
• babelaas babbelas - hangover (of Zulu origin)
• bakgat - cool; expression of appreciation for something very well accomplished
• bakkie - a utility truck
  Truck
  A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
  
  , pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English. Can also refer to a small bowl.
• bakvissie - a giggly teenage girl (from bakvis, a fish too small to be kept and thrown back into the water).
• bale - (tv) used to signify annoyance
• befok - really good, exciting, cool; as in "The rock-show was befok." [Do not confuse with gefok.] Can also mean "crazy" in a very strong sense, as in "Are you befok?" — derogatory(err:definitely not a polite enquiry). "Ek het daai ou befok" - meaning I cheated that guy in a transaction. Profanity - the base 'fok' meaning to have sex.
• bek - derogatory term for mouth (Afrikaans: an animal's mouth); hou jou bek - "shut up, shut your trap" (literally" "hold your [animal's] mouth"). This translates well into British English as "Shut your gob."
• bergie
  Bergie
  Bergie is a term used for a subsection of homeless people in Cape Town, South Africa. The word originates from the Afrikaans berg meaning "mountain" - the term originally referred to the homeless people who sheltered in the forests of the slopes of Table Mountain...
  
   - from berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain
  Table Mountain
  Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
  
  ; now a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants,or homeless persons, especially in Cape Town. When used as slang refers to anyone down-and-out
• bill - used to ask for the cheque; as in: "Can I have the bill, please?", identical to British English
• biltong
  Biltong
  Biltong is a kind of cured meat that originated in South Africa. Many different types of meat are used to produce it, ranging from beef through game meats to fillets of ostrich from commercial farms. It is typically made from raw fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or...
  
   - dried meat, similar to jerky (a mainstream word)
• blerrie/bladdy - damn
• bliksem - strike, hit, punch; also used as an expression of surprise/emphasis (rude). It derives from the Dutch word for "lightning", and often occurs in conjunction with donner. Used as a curse in Afrikaans: Jou bliksem!' (You bastard!)
• bioscope, bio - cinema, movie theatre ( dated), originally a international English word that became defunct elsewhere, it has survived longer in South Africa as a result of the influence of the Afrikaans cognate bioskoop. Also related to the Dutch word "bioscoop", which means "cinema" in Netherlands usage.
• blou - being sad as in the English language feeling blue
• bloutrein - literally "blue train", referring to methylated spirits, sometimes used for drinking (filtered through a loaf of white bread). Also refers to the Blue Train (two words), a luxury train that travels from Johannesburg to Cape Town.
• boer - literally "farmer" in Afrikaans. English-speaking people use the word to indicate an Afrikaans farmer, especially in a derogatory way, like "country bumpkin", "boorish"; but Afrikaners use it with much pride, indicating a person with a deep love of the soil of Africa, a provider of food.
• boerewors - spicy sausage (Afrikaans) farmer-sausage, used as a mainstream word in South African English
• boet - male friend (synonym for broer meaning brother, see also bru and bra below); compare American English
  American English
  American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
  
  : "dude"
• bokkie - (diminutive of bok, literally meaning "goat" or "doe") a popular term of endearment, comparable to "sweetheart", "honey", etc.
• boom - Literal translation is "tree" but is commonly used to refer to marijuana
• bosberaad - strategy meeting held outdoors, for example in a game reserve
• bossies, or bosbefok - crazy, whacko, mad. Also a term to describe one who has shell shock
  Shell Shock
  Shell Shock, also known as 82nd Marines Attack was a 1964 film by B-movie director John Hayes. The film takes place in Italy during World War II, and tells the story of a sergeant with his group of soldiers....
  
  . Refers to the time of the South African Border War
  South African Border War
  The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
  
   where soldiers spent time in the bush ("bos/bosse") and would return home suffering battle flash-backs (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
• brak - mongrel dog, can also refer to brackish water.
• broekie - panties or ladies underwear. From Afrikaans
  Afrikaans
  Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
  
  : broek, meaning "trousers". Common usage: "Don't get your broekies in a knot" = "Calm down".
• broekie lace - ornate ironwork found on Victorian buildings (lit. 'pantie lace')
• bra - male friend compare American English
  American English
  American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
  
  : "dude"
• bru - A term of affection see also "bra" and "boet", shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother". An example would be "Hey, my bru, howzit?"
• button - mandrax tablet (Slang Only)
• braai
  Braai
  The word braaivleis is Afrikaans for "grilled meat."The word braai is Afrikaans for "barbecue" or "grill" and is a social custom in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The term originated with the Afrikaner people, but has since been adopted by South Africans of many...
  
   - a barbecue
  Barbecue
  Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
  
  , to barbecue (from braaivleis grilled meat), used as a mainstream word in South African English
• cheekyprawn - a term of foul abuse
• cherry - "meddie", see tjerrie
• china/chine - a friend; as in the greeting howzit china (likely origin: Cockney rhyming slang "China plate" (meaning "my mate"); from early British immigrants.
• chan - a derogatory term used to describe an overweight, metrosexual south african. (likely origin: derived from the slang term china/chine). Also used as a variation to bru and bra.
• chommie/chomma - a friend (compare English "chum"); also refers to the perineum area between vagina and anus. Also spelled tjommie
• choty goty - beautiful girl
• chrisco - a party/disco where Christian music mainly features. A combination of the words 'Christian' and 'Disco'
• Chwee chweereekeys- getting high
• cuiter - a word used to describe somebody if one has a strong dislike for that person. It has a similar meaning to the word cunt in the English language e.g. daai cuiter pronk toe nog so lekker toe donner ek hom
• cullis - young girl who is extremely lead.
• dagga - most common word for marijuana.
• dikbek - grumpy, in a huff (literally: "thick mouth" (pout), with an image of puffed-out cheeks like a bullfrog)
• dinges - thingamabob, a wotzit or a whatchamacallit
• doos - literally the Afrikaans translation for " box " but the slang / derogatory version means " dumb cunt "
• domkop - idiot (lit. Dumbhead), same as German
  German language
  German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
  
   "dummkopf"
• donner - to beat up. Used together with "bliksem". Derived from "donder" (thunder, related to Thor
  Thor
  In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
  
  ). Amounts to an ancient curse.
• dof - stupid or slow to understand.
• dop - alcohol, to drink alcohol, to fail. For example: "Come and drink a dop (a drink) with me" or "I'm gonna dop that test." Originally refers to a tot (measure).
• dorpie - small town
• doss, dossing - Sleep or nap.
• Droëwors - (Afrikaans) 'dry sausage', similar to biltong
• dronkie - drunkard
• druk - to embrace or squeeze, hug (noun) "Gee my 'n drukkie," "Give me a hug." (not necessary sexually)
• eina! - ouch! used as a mainstream word in South African English
• ek sê - I say!
• entjie - Cigarette. For example, "Awe ou. Steek 'n ent!"
• flaterwater - correction fluid (e.g.: Tipp-Ex
  Tipp-Ex
  Tipp-Ex is a brand of correction fluid and other related products that is popular throughout Europe. It was also the name of the German company that produced the products in the Tipp-Ex line. Tipp-Ex is a trademark for correction products...
  
  , Wite-Out
  Wite-Out
  Wite-Out is a trademark for a line of correction fluid, originally created for use with photocopies, and manufactured by the BIC Corporation.-History:...
  
  ) [comes from flater (mistake) and water (water)]
• flou - an unfunny (weak) joke (from the Afrikaans word for weak), can also refer to weak coffee or tea or weak alkoholic drink. A person that is weak. (Die man is te flou "The man is too weak").
• fok - Afrikaans for "fuck", can be used in most ways it is used in English. Fokken = fucking, gefok = fucked.
• gatvol - fed up, had enough. (Afrikaans - asshole-full).
• gees - Literal translation it means spirit, for something to have spirit. ( daai bra het nou groot gees gevang)
• gesuip - very drunk, intoxicated, plastered. Original Afrikaans meaning for an animal drinking (water) - of course.
• goffel - Ugly girl/woman. For example,"What a G!". Also a degrading term for a person or coloured origin.
• gomgat - bumpkin, redneck. (in the US sense, not to be confused with rooinek, the literal translation of redneck.)
• goof, ghoef - swim, take a dip
• gooi - throw, chuck or to "tune" (see below) someone.
• goose - also chick, cherry : a young woman or girlfriend (used mainly during the 50s, now dated)
• houding - character or style
• "heita" - heita, meaning "hello" or "hi".
• hoesit, hoezit, howzit - derived from "How is it going? - contracted to how's it?_In English SA context, howzit is more a greeting of "hello" rather than "how are you?", similar to SA black slang's "eta" or "ola"
• in sy moer - badly damaged, destroyed (rude, often considered profanity due to 'moer' to beat up)
• ja - yeah (literally "yes" in Afrikaans)
• jags - Meaning "horny". For example, "Jinne meisie, jy maak my nou sommer lekker jags."
• ja-nee - Literal translation : Yes No. Example : Dis warm vandag. (It's hot today) : Ja-Nee. Agreement, but not enthusiastically so.
• jislaaik! - expression of surprise, can be positive or negative. Often used when you get a fright, but equally often during particularly exciting parts of a rugby game.
• jo - an expression of surprise e.g., "Jo, that was rude" "Jo, you gave me a fright!" pron. yo as in yonder)
• jol - to have fun, to party, can also refer to a disco or party, to commit adultery or even dating or courting
• kak - Literal translation : shit. crap, rubbish, nonsense (vulgar), of very wide usage. Also used as a way of further expressing one's feeling in language, for example, instead of "that girl is pretty" one can say emphatically "that girl is kak pretty!"
• katkop - half a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with chips (i.e. French fries, not crisps) (Literal translation from Afrikaans = cat head or cat's head). In South Africa french fries refers to thinly cut fried potato chips, whereas slap tjips (lit. limp chips) refers to the thicker British-style chip. Crispy potato chips are known as potato crisps.
• khaki - [from the colour worn by British troops] derogatory term for an English person
• kêrels - police (original Afrikaans meaning: guys, chaps). "The kêrels are coming, watch out!" (Dated). More commonly referring to boyfriend or literal translation : Guy or young man.
• kiff, kif, kief - (adjective) poisonous, wicked, cool, neat, great, wonderful. The word derives from the Afrikaans word for poison: gif. Coastal pot-smokers used the term to describe Durban Poison: "Gifs" [locally-grown marijuana]. The word evolved into kiff, an adjective for "cool", amongst English-speaking people on the east coast.
• klankie - unpleasant smell. Also said as just "Klank". Pronounced as in "Clunk"
• klap - to smack. (From Afrikaans). "He got klapped in the bar". Like a "bitch-slap".
• koffie-moffie - a camp male waiter or air steward. See "moffie".
• kont - same as 'Cunt' in English (profanity)
• krimpie - old person
• kwaai - cool, excellent (Afrikaans: "angry". Compare the US slang word phat.)
• lag - to laugh. For example: They lag at the joke.
• laaitie, lighty - a younger person, esp. a younger male such as a younger brother or son (or daughter )
• lank - lots/a lot
• laanie, larny - (n) boss, used in a deferent tone. (adj) fancy
• las - 1. an act that is undesirable to commit, a burden. 2. To tell someone or suggest to stop doing an act. (origin. something that is slowing you or an object down e.g. 'n Las in die pad. (An object as in a stone in the road.)
• lus - desire, appetite, craving. "I'm really lus for a smoke now". See smaak
• lekker - nice, good, great (lit. tasty)
• loskind - a really slutty girl, usually wears revealing clothes and is easy to get with (For example: "Nicola is 'n fokken loskind!")
• maafoedi - motherfucker, as in " Jou maaifoedi "
• maat - friend (OED), also your partner (wife, girlfriend)
• mal - mad, crazy, insane
• mallie - mother
• mamparra - stupid, silly person
• mmchakawally - cigarettes
• mielie - millet corn (AmE
  American English
  American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
  
  ) / maize (BrE), staple diet
• muggie - bug, especially a little flying gnat
• moegoe - stupid person, coward, or weakling
• moffie - male homosexual (derogatory). Can be compared to "fairy
  Fairy
  A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
  
  ".
• moer-toe - stuffed up or destroyed (my car is moer-toe)
• mompie - retard. ("Liesl, you are such a mompie!")
• morne - boring, sterile, unexciting. ("This is more morne than watching Saracens play!")
• mos - Afrikaans, implies that what has been said is well known or self-evident (a formal part of grammar, the closest English equivalent would be "duh!"). "Ek drink mos tee." ("I drink tea, duh!"). Used at the end of a sentence, as in "...Jy weet mos." ("...You know then.")
• naartjie (Afrikaans)- tangerine, mandarin, satsuma - any pealable orange-coloured citrus fruit with neat segments; used as a mainstream word in South African English, and a dietary staple. Often thrown at T.V. when frustrated with referee decisions.
• N.A.A.F.I. - acronym for: "No Ambition and Fuck-all Interest"; (originated from the (still existing) British military "Navy, Army and Air Force Institute") used to describe a lazy person. Used extensively during the days of National Service
  National service
  National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
  
  .
• nè? - do you know what I mean/agree?, oh really?, is it not so?, e.g. "Jy hou van tee, nè?" ("You like tea, don't you?") (informal)
• nogal - of all things. Term expressing a measure of surprise
• nooit - never, no way, unbelievable!
• oom - an older man of authority, commonly in reference to an older Afrikaans man (Afrikaans for uncle)
• ou (plural ouens) man, guy, bloke (also oke) (literally "old")
• ouballie - old man, dad; as in: "shaft me, ouballie" "My ouballie (father, dad) will be home soon".
• ousie - Term used to refer to a maid, usually a black female; Also used by black females to call/refer to each other
• pap - traditional maize porridge similar to grits
  Grits
  Grits are a food of American Indian origin common in the Southern United States and mainly eaten at breakfast. They consist of coarsely ground corn, or sometimes alkali-treated corn . They are also sometimes called sofkee or sofkey from the Muskogee language word...
  
  ; can also mean "deflated".
• paraat - disciplined. Somebody who is paraat, generally has "houding"i.e style / character
• plaas - lit. : farm. Also to describe when someone fell down : Plaas gekoop.
• platteland - rural area, country (as in living in the country, as opposed to living in the city)
• pommie, pom - derogatory term for an English person (borrowed from Australia)
• rooinek - ("red neck") Afrikaner derogatory term for English person or English-speaking South African. Derived in 19th century due to native British not being used to the hot African sun and getting sunburnt, especially on the neck. Almost the exact opposite to the American usage of "redneck".
• sat - tired, dead - "Ek is siek en sat van sy nonsens" I'm sick ans tires of his nonsense", see 'vrek' below
• sies, "sis" - expression of disgust, disappointment, annoyance, as in: Ag, sies, man.
• scrompie - slang for "hobo" or bergie. (Liesl told her 7-year-old son, Karl, to walk away from the scrompie walking towards them.)
• skaapie - someone who might be referred to as a "pussy"
• skeef - crooked, gay, as in: hy het 'n bietjie skeef voorgekom (he seemed a bit gay)
• skief - to glare at someone (root: Afrikaans 'skeef', skew)
• skop, skiet en boom klim - literally "kicking, shooting and climbing trees". A colloquial description of an action film, usually of the lighter, more humorous kind. (Think Jackie Chan
  Jackie Chan
  Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
  
  .)
• skop, skiet en donner - literally "kicking, shooting and beating people up". A colloquial description of an action movie of the more violent kind. (Think Jean-Claude Van Damme
  Jean-Claude Van Damme
  Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
  
  .)
• skelm - crook, or mistress, secret lover
• skinner, skinder - gossip
• skop - kick
• skort - watch out, be careful or something is wrong here.
• skraal - very hungry. (Durban region, from Afrikaans for "thin" or "emaciated".)
• skrik - fright
• skyf - cigarette, a puff, and also less commonly marijuana or dagga.
• slap gat - English translation "lazy arse"
• slap tjips - similar to thic-cut British chip, usually soft, oily and soaked in vinegar, usually bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp". Frennnch fries refers to thinly cut chips.Crispy potao chips are referred to as 'crisps'.
• smaak - to like another person or thing
• smaak stukkend - to like very much or to love to pieces (literal meaning of stukkend). "I smaak you stukkend" = "I love you madly".
• smeerlaken - Afrikaans lit. "spread" + "sheet" i.e. an Excel or Lotus worksheet
• sneeudier - old person
• soek - to look for trouble with someone/to antagonise/to stir up trouble = "you soeking with me?" - Afrikaans: "to seek or look for".
• sommer - for no particular reason, just because
• sosatie - a kebab
  Kebab
  Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
  
   on a skewer, used as mainstream word in South African English
• soutpiel/soutie - derogatory term for English person, literally salty penis. Someone with one foot in England, the other in South Africa and their penis hanging in the Atlantic Ocean
• steek - stab, poke (with knife). "He/she steeked her/him" = "He/she poked her/him".
• stukkie, stekkie - a woman (from the Afrikaans meaning "a piece") - mostly used when referring to a woman that you have/have casual encounters with
• stoep - porch, verandah, like American English stoop, but pronounced with a shorter vowel
• stompie - a cigarette butt, a short person or impolite term to refer to the remaining arm/leg/finger after an amputation.
• stukkend - (Afrikaans) broken, a lot
• swak - broke. Original Afrikaans: weak. "I'm swak, ek sê". Also used to suggest that someone's behaviour was harsh (with varying degrees of seriousness,depending on tone and context), for example: "It's swak that I failed the test"
• tekkies - sneakers. (The Anglicised pronunciation tackies has become mainstream in South African English.)
• tiet - English equivalent Boob or Breast (from 'teat')
• tet - breast or boob
• toppie ou toppie - father - see ouballie
• trek - to move or pull. (The word has become international with the meaning of "making a pioneering journey"; the slang usage more closely resembles the standard Afrikaans meaning.)
• tuinbooi - Term used to refer to a gardener, usually a black gardener
• TVP (tiener velprobleem)- Acne problems
• vaalie - mildly derogative term used by people on the coast to describe a tourist from inland (Root: Old Transvaal
  Transvaal Province
  Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
  
   province)
• vellies - veldskoen
  Veldskoen
  Veldskoens are South African shoes made from untanned leather or soft rawhide uppers attached to a soft sole without tacks or nails....
  
  s, traditional Afrikaans outdoors shoes made from hide
• verkramp - politically conservative or pessimistic, the opposite of verlig, or enlightened
• voertsek - get lost, buzz off, go away, run, scram, stuff off, bugger off (it can be considered rude, depending on the context)- usually used when referring to an animal.
• vrek - Afrikaans meaning for an animal dying.
• vrot - bad, rotten, putrid, sometimes drunk
• vrotbek - someone who swears a lot or is swearing a lot at the moment.
• vry - to make out or courting (equivalent to American "necking", British "snogging" or Australian "pashing")
• Vrystaat vineyard - Shifting spanner
• woes - wild, untidy, unkempt or irreverent. A general term pertaining to either a person, behaviour or situation
• yoh - an expression of surprise e.g., "Yoh, that was rude" "Yoh, you gave me a fright!", (Police-chief talking about the poor physique of his policemen) "They should look at our men and say "yoh!".
• zef - from Ford Zephyr car, cheap to tune-up; cool, rough guy; common person; ultimate South African style; kitsch.
• zol - a homemade cigarette rolled with old newspaper or rizlas (likely marijuana-filled) joint
  Joint (cannabis)
  Joint is a slang term for a cigarette rolled using cannabis. Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium among industrialized countries, however brown paper, cigarettes with the tobacco removed, and newspaper are commonly used in developing countries. Modern papers are now made from a wide...
  
   (equivalent to American "doobie")
• zamalak - Black Label, a typically USA lager, locally brewed under licence

Words from KhoeSan languages

• aitsa - is usually used when exclaiming agreement like you would when saying "sweet!", "nice!", "lekker!", and "got it!" .
• dagga - marijuana (has become a mainstream word in South African English)(from Khoe daxa-b for Leonotis plant)
• gogga - bug (from Khoe xo-xo, creeping things, here the g is pronounced like ch in Scottish loch)

Words from Xhosa, Zulu and the other Nguni Languages

The following lists slang borrowings from the Nguni

Nguni people

-History:The ancient history of the Nguni people is wrapped up in their oral history. According to legend they were a people who migrated from Egypt to the Great Lakes region of sub-equatorial Central/East Africa...

 Bantu languages

Bantu languages

The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...

 (which include Zulu

Zulu language

Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...

 and Xhosa

Xhosa language

Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...

). They typically occur in use in South Africa's township

Township (South Africa)

In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...

s, but some have become increasingly popular amongst white youth. Unless otherwise noted these words do not occur in formal South African English

South African English

The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...

.

• chana - my mate (from Zulu, 'my nephew'); umshana
• chaile - time to go home
• cocopan - small tip truck on rails used in mines (from Nguni nqukumbana, Scotch cart)
• donga
  Donga (ditch)
  In Afrikaans and Zulu, a Donga is a ditch formed by the erosion of soil. The word means "bank, side of a gully" in Zulu.They were extensively used by both sides during the Boer Wars as serendipitous defensive positions. Though present during this period, Dongas have become increasingly prevalent...
  
   - ditch of the type found in South African topography. (From Zulu, "wall"; this has become a mainstream word for such a feature.)
• eish! - an interjection expressing resignation
• fundi - expert (from Nguni
  Nguni people
  -History:The ancient history of the Nguni people is wrapped up in their oral history. According to legend they were a people who migrated from Egypt to the Great Lakes region of sub-equatorial Central/East Africa...
  
   'umfundisi' meaning teacher or preacher) - used in mainstream South African English
• gogo - grandmother, elderly woman (from Zulu, ugogo)
• haw! - expression of disbelief
• hhayibo! - wow! (from Zulu, 'definitely not')
• indaba - conference (from Zulu, 'a matter for discussion'); has become a mainstream word in South African English
• inyanga - traditional herbalist and healer (compare with sangoma)
• jova - injection, to inject (from Zulu)
• laduma! - a popular cheer at soccer matches, "he scores!" (literally: "it thunders", in Zulu
  Zulu language
  Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
  
  )
• muti
  Muti
  Muti is a term for traditional medicine in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika. The word muti is derived from the Zulu word for tree, of which the root is -thi...
  
   - medicine (from Zulu umuthi) - typically traditional African
• Mzansi - South Africa (uMzantsi in Xhosa means "south")
• sangoma
  Sangoma
  A sangoma is a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Nguni societies of Southern Africa .The philosophy is based on a belief in ancestral spirits...
  
   - traditional healer or diviner
• shongololo (also spelt shongalolo) - millipede
  Millipede
  Millipedes are arthropods that have two pairs of legs per segment . Each segment that has two pairs of legs is a result of two single segments fused together as one...
  
   (from Zulu and Xhosa, ukushonga, 'to roll up')
• spaza - an informal trading-post/convenience store found in townships and remote areas
• toyi-toyi - protest-dancing; used in mainstream South African English
• tsotsi
  Tsotsi
  Tsotsi is a 2005 film written and directed by Gavin Hood. The film is an adaptation of the novel Tsotsi, by Athol Fugard. The soundtrack features Kwaito music performed by popular South African artist Zola as well as a score by Mark Kilian and Paul Hepker featuring the voice of South African...
  
   - gangster, layabout, no gooder
• ubuntu - compassion or kindness, humanity
• yebo - Zulu meaning yes
• wena - Zulu meaning "you". Commonly used in a sentence "Haw wena!"

Words from SeSotho and SeTswana Languages

• lekgotla or kgotla - planning session, or strategy (used mostly in official government papers, but even in papers written in English) (from Sesotho (le)kgotla - courtyard)

Original South African English coinages

• as well - means "me too" when pronounced with over-emphasis on the "as"
• boitjie - meaning a young white male who is cool in the high-school stereotype kind of way. Sporty and tanned, uses a lot of slang. From English "boy" and the Afrikaans "-tjie" meaning little.
• baff - Fart
• bonehead - derogatory term for an Afrikaner
• bra - male friend (shortening of brother, see also bru above)
• canyon crab - see bonehead
• cherps or chips - "Watch out" or "Move out the way", as in "Chips chips everyone, here comes the teacher!" (distinct from the food or snack
  Potato chip
  Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
  
  ). Also often used when something gets thrown, or to ask someone to step out the way. Compare "heads up!".
• chop - idiot, doos
• chot - a very offensive term for a sexually active female
• clutchplate - see bonehead
• connection - a friend, mate, chommie
• cozzie - a swimsuit, short for swimming costume
• crunchie - see bonehead, rockspider
• doff - stupid. "Are you doff?"
• dop - Drink or to drink, primarily when talking about alcohol
• give rocks, to - to be indifferent. For example: I give rocks about your concerns! (I couldn't care about your concerns!) Can also be abbreviated to "Give rocks.", and the negative version "I don't give rocks" means exactly the same thing.
• giyn - a homosexual male
• graze - a term used in reference to food. "I'm starving, let's go get some graze."
• higher grade - a bit too complicated (from the South African matric
  Matriculation
  Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
  
   division of exams into standard grade and higher grade. The system of dividing subjects into higher and standard grade will become non-existent as of 2008.)
• hundreds - good, fine. (As in 100 percent; for example: John: "Boet, How are you doing?" Dominic: "I am Hundreds boet.")
• jukka - a lazy person or a loser
• just now, sometime in the near future, not necessarily immediately. Expresses an intention to act soon, but not necessarily immediately. (as in 20–90 minutes time)
• now now - an immediate but not literal declaration of impending action, may be past or future tense. From the Afrikaans expression "nou nou". (as in 5–60 minutes)
• Dutchman - derogatory term for a white Afrikaner.
• isit - the words "is" and "it" put together. Short term for "Is that so?" (For example: John: "Bra, I just found out I have a million dollars!" Charles: "Isit?"; or: John: "Bru, you would not believe how amazing it felt to footskate in front of all those people." Charles: "Isit?") Also, it can mean "really?"
• lift - elevator
• location - a Bantu township
• packet - a plastic bag
  Plastic bag
  A plastic bag, polybag, or pouch is a type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, comic books, chemicals and waste.Most plastic bags are...
  
  
• plankton - see bonehead
• robot - traffic-light
• rockspider - see bonehead
• rope - derogatory term for an Afrikaner - as in thick, hairy and twisted
• rop - nice, radical. (e.g. "That was such a rop wave.") Also used as a verb meaning 'to steal'. (e.g. "I will rop you of that kief watch.")
• scheme - to think that (e.g. "I scheme we should go home now"; usage evolved from the hyperbole "What are you scheming?" asked of a person deep in thought.)
• siff - if something is gross or disgusting or ugly. "Did you see her oufit? It was totally siff!"
• slops - flip-flops
• speak goat - derogatory term for speaking Afrikaans
• soapie - a soap opera
• swak - see "swat"
• swat - carrying out an action resulting in an undesirable or negative outcome; "when you chaffed my cherrie the other day, it was swat oke. Totally swat"; "Moderating a list of slang words is impossible and totally swat oke"; "Changing this word to swak would be totally swat oke".
• Skommel(draadtrek)- to masturbate
• tickey - Thruppence or 3 pennies, e.g. "You could get a tickey for returning a coke bottle and three tickeys would buy you an eskimo pie". Dated.
• tune - to give someone lip ("Are you tuning me?")
• voertsêk - impolite way to say "go away", commonly used with animals or as derogatory term. (from Dutch voort seg ik)
• wur - expression of disdain. i.e. "Wur Jukkas, how can you moderate a list of slang? It would be totally swat to remove this word again - it is what it is - SLANG. Wur."
• zaamie - a sandwich

Slang originating from other countries

The following slang words used in South African originated in other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 and subsequently came to South Africa.

• buck - the main unit of currency: in South Africa the rand
  South African rand
  The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
  
  
• china - friend, mate (from Cockney rhyming slang
  Cockney rhyming slang
  Rhyming slang is a form of phrase construction in the English language and is especially prevalent in dialectal British English from the East End of London; hence the alternative name, Cockney rhyming slang...
  
   china [plate] = "mate"), alternatively, as above coming from the Bantu word umshana
• chow - to eat
• coaster - a state of affairs that surpasses cool
• Kaffir
  Kaffir
  Kaffir and similar may refer to:*Kafir, an Arabic term used by Muslims to describe non-Muslims.*Sunbeam Kaffir, an engine built by the Sunbeam car company*Kefir or Kephir, a fermented milk drink from the Caucasus region...
  
   - [racial slur for] a black person. 1790, from Arabic "kāfir" كَافِر, literally "one who does not admit the blessings of God", from kafara كَفَرَ "to cover up, conceal, deny". In a purely religious sense would refer to an atheist not believing in any creator or creative-force, but in Ottoman times it came to refer almost exclusively to "Christians". Used as a term of disdain referring to Dutch Colonists in Indonesia/Malaysia. Carried to the Cape of Good Hope by Dutch colonists who consequently used it to refer contemptously to the native population. Early English missionaries adopted it as an equivalent of "heathen" to refer to Bantus in South Africa (1792), from which use it came generally to mean "South African black" regardless of ethnicity, and became a term of abuse at least as early as 1934. (Usage actionable on account of historical ties to Apartheid and incitement to racial hatred.)
• pom, pommie - a Brit
  British people
  The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
  
   (used also in Australian and New Zealand English)
• shab short for shebeen. In common usage.
• shebeen - illegal drinking-establishment (from Irish
  Irish language
  Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
  
   sibín), synonymous with speakeasy
  Speakeasy
  A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
  
  . In South Africa it refers in particular to unlicensed bars in the townships, and has become a mainstream word. During the apartheid era laws prohibited non-whites from consuming any alcohol except traditional sorghum
  Sorghum
  Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
  
   beer, and taverns selling 'hard-tack' became the centre of social activity.
• tom - money or cash, as in "I must earn some tom". From Cockney rhyming slang
  Cockney rhyming slang
  Rhyming slang is a form of phrase construction in the English language and is especially prevalent in dialectal British English from the East End of London; hence the alternative name, Cockney rhyming slang...
  
   where "tom" comes from "tomfoolery" ("jewellery
  Jewellery
  Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
  
  ")
• whenwe
  Whenwe
  The term whenwe is a derogatory term used to describe former British settlers or expatriates, known to talk nostalgically about their former homes in colonial Africa, i.e.: "when we lived in..." . The original 'whenwes' came from eastern Africa, mostly Kenya...
  
   - a nostalgic white migrant from other parts of Africa, especially Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
  
  : "when we were in Rhodesia..."

South African slang

The majority of Coloured

Coloured

In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...

s in South Africa speak Afrikaans. Those who speak English use the equivalent English words as slang. Many of the words used also occur in South African Indian speech.

• AAP - Girl/ Girlfriend
• Aapedill - Girl/Girlfriend
• Awe - "Howsit" , "hello". A slang way of greeting someone
• befok - "mad"; also possibly "super cool", as in My broe daai kar is befok. Pronounced \ber fork\.
• betters - "To replenish" or "refill". Example: Ekse lets make a betters with the mineral
• boss - "nice" - "that girl is boss exse"
• bot - refer to gaam usually associated with a person, act or object that is either dodgy or gangster-like. (Originated from Afrikaans slang bot.)
• guy - similar to the American English
  American English
  American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
  
   word "dude"
• bolt/one out - used extensively in KZN
  KwaZulu-Natal
  KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
  
  . Means "by yourself" or "only one".
• chop - "sex" or penis- "don't be such a chop (wanker)" (KZN).
• chup - "tattoo"- "cool chup exse"
• chow - "eat". It can also refer to sex.
• chuck - "leave". Equivalent of american "to bounce". Examples: "Come bru lets chuck" or "sorry can't go to the braai i gotta chuck." If you are funny you might say, "boet, I have to make like Norris and Chuck."
• crown/kroon - "money"; can also refer to virginity.
• cuiter - a word used to describe somebody if one has a strong dislike for that person. It has a similar meaning to the word cunt in the English language e.g. daai cuiter pronk toe nog so lekker toe donner ek hom
• dobbel - "gamble"
• duidelik - direct from Afrikaans, meaning "clear"; used to express clarity on something or excitement about something.
• eksê - from Afrikaans, translated it means "I say". Used in greeting i.e. "Whakind eksê" or in general speech.
• gaam - dodgy/gangster i.e. That person is gaam. (He is a gangster.)That place is gaam. (it is dodgy.)
• gammie - diminutive of 'Gam', derogatory term for coloured people in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town. Derived from the derogative 'gammat', an abbreviation of Arabic 'Muhammad' and 'Mohamedan'.
• gatsby - large chip roll with meat and lekker sauces (Cape Town)
• gully - "area" or "corner" (KZN)
• hard up - "in love"
• Hosh - "Hello"; also used before combat. Example in combat: Hosh, jy raak wys ("Hello, show me what you made of"). This gang-related word occurs inside as well as outside of prison: use at own discretion.
• jags - "horny". The first form occurs in Cape Town; the second predominates on the east coast of South Africa. May also mean "crazy" or "mad". Examples: Person A: I want to get robbed Person B: Are you jags? or Persoon A: Ek wil my werk verloor Persoon B: Is jy jags?.
• lekker/lukka - "nice" [from Afrikaans]. The first form occurs more commonly; the second predominates in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
• lappie- "cloth", "dish towel" "face cloth"
• maader - "the best", "excellent"
• meet up - Used in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region, a term usually used when saying "goodbye". For example: Lukka meet up ekse.
• miff - "gross", "disgusting". "That's completely miff!" "Oh my god it was so miff"
• min - to be completely disinterested in something. For example "so min for that jol" or "when you're min you win"
• mineral - pronounced 'min ral'; used by Indians as well. "Fizzy drink" such as Coke
  Coca-Cola
  Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
  
  , Fanta
  Fanta
  Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide. The drink debuted in Germany in 1941 and originally sold only in Europe.-History:...
  
  , Sprite
  Sprite (soft drink)
  Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...
  
  , etc. (KZN)
• "motjie"- wife/woman
• naai - "sex" (Western Cape) Also used as a noun "Jou ou naai" (literally "You screw") and used in the plural: "naaie" (literally more than one "screw"), meaning an undesirable person rather than the sexual act. Definitely not polite language.
• oweh - pronounced \ow where\, a way of saying "oh yes" or expressing delight.
• posie/pozzie - "home". Afrikaans-speakers tend to use the first for; English-speakers the second.
• poes - a word used to describe somebody if one has a strong dislike for that person. It has a similar meaning to the word cunt in the English language. Usually used to insult one's mother e.g. Jou ma se poes
• press - "sex", as in: "I want to press my young one tonight" (KZN)
• shot - "good" or "correct" or "thanks" (depending on context). Example for the meaning "good" - Person A: What is 3+3? Person B: six Person A: shot. Example for the meaning "thanks": - Person: A I have bought you a sweet Person B: Shot.
• sunno - Initially an insult, but used amongst friends as a greeting, as in: Whakind son
• Stukkie - "girl" or possibly "girlfriend"
• Tannie - "aunt", used by Afrikaans-speakers
• tops - "excellent", "the best"
• Toppie - "old man", used by Afrikaans-speakers
• Whakind - a greeting, usually used amongst guys only, and frowned upon when used in greeting women. This word can also express an enquiry about something, especially when used outside the Kwa-Zulu Natal region.
• What say/What you say/Wat sê jy - alternative for Whakind in the greeting-sense. English-speakers use the first and second forms; Afrikaans-speakers the third.
• Young one - Refer to "Stekkie"
• Skommel marstubate
• onetime - of course, without delay; often used as a positive reply to a question
• operate - have sex with
• ou - a person, homo sapiens
  • Charr Ou - an Indian person
  • Bruin Ou - a Coloured person
  • Exploding Ou - a Muslim Person (Insulting Usage)
  • Correct Ou - a good guy
  • Gorra Ou - a White person (insulting usage)
  • Pekkie Ou - a Black African person (derogatory; from the Zulu word for "cook")
  • Slum Ou - a Muslim person

(used in KZN)

• boss - a salute to an unfamiliar person, or person in authority (usually to a male), as in 'you know what it is boss'.
• bra - a way of addressing a friend, as in 'Howzit my bra'. 'bra' derived from 'brother'
• bung - (from Afrikaans 'bang' — to be scared) to be afraid of someone.
• crown - money
• condai - bus conductor.
• graft - meaning work... "hey kazzie, im grafting at coconut grove, lakkaz ekse"
• kêrel - police man
• hit a luck - expression, to have met with good fortune. as in, 'hey my bru hit a luck, eee got graft at the Casino'. Also often noted in the form hit such a luck.
• choon - to tell someone something.
• clips - Money, 1 clip = R100
• laanie - From the Afrikaans word meaning "fancy", but used by Indian people to mean "smart guy" ("Smart" as in "well-to-do") or, more frequently, "boss". Compare larnie.
• lakkaz - meaning lekker from the Afrikaans language.
• late - A euphemism for dead/deceased; as in 'My daddy is 2 years late'. (Unconnected with the idea of tardiness.)
• maader - excellent, very good (used especially by Durban Indians)
• min-rill - from the English word "mineral", meaning mineral water; taken to mean any fizzy drink in a bottle, normally Coke, Fanta, etc.
• plot - pursue romantically, courting
• poke - stab
• pozzy - house or home; place where one lives or hangs out.
• pehrer - a fight. (Often heard as "Who's gunning a pehrer?" meaning "Who's looking for a fight?")
• slaan - wear (as in clothes)
• Vrou - my wife, as in 'Ek sê, I must first ask my Vrou'; from the Afrikaans word for 'wife"/"woman".
• vying-going, as in we vying to the soccer
• speech - an argument
• stekie - girl/girlfriend
• swaai - to dance. (For example: "Lets vaai (go) swaai.")
• swak - bad
• what kind - Greeting, similar to Howzit
• what what - mostly used in arguments, meaning "this and that". Often heard as what you say what what
• spiet - to fight
• benou - (pronounce BER-NOW) - marijuana or dagga. Commonly used by Indians in Gauteng. "no benou there?"-do you have any dagga?
• koex - drink ("what you koexing?" - what are you drinking?)
• sharp - goodbye, ("shap im out" - goodbye I'm leaving)
• aspriss (pron. arse-priss) - to intentionally do something ("I closed the door on him aspriss")
• ghushesh - bmw 325is
• arrawise - greeting, derived from the English word 'otherwise' ("arrawise bra watse?")

South African Greek slang

• skollie - a gangster, to steal (from Greek skolios "crooked", widely used in Cape Town, originally applied by Greek convenience-store owners to street-youths who shoplifted)
• Mavros plural mavroi (from Greek mavro "black") - Black people, literally: 'blacks'.

South African Indian slang

Many of these terms occur in the Cape Town and Durban areas, and few in Indian areas in Gauteng.

• an' all - (from 'and all'; like the English 'et cetera, et cetera').
• aks - mispronounced ask...
• boarded-off - declared medically unfit to work, and in receipt of a disability pension, As in: 'My daddy was so lucky to have been BOARDED OFF by the corporation'
• bring and come - an expression normally denoting some type of unspecified invitation to come and perform a particular task at a given location, i.e. 'I told dat TV repair balie to Bring and Come and fix da TV'
• bunny chow - type of food, made with a loaf of bread filled with a curry stew.
• cake - idiot
• cameway - to go with someone, like come with me. Used in Durban.
• Charo - a person of Indian origin. From the word "curry" (or tea).
• coat - meaning "quote", mis-pronounced, with a completely inaudible KW sound. as in Hey, can you give me a coat to fix my car?
• cover - an insurance policy; as in: Hey laanie, can you organise me a cover for my grannie?
• eeuww man! - an informal way of greeting. The South African Indian equivalent of "Hey dude!"
• flim - mispronounced filim
• guzzie - friend (from the Zulu guz'lam)
• Jaaver - an Afrikaner person
• kassam - serious, not joking. From Urdu/Hindi meaning "oath".
• mooing - to flirt. From the Afrikaans word mooi meaning "nice"/"pretty".
• nana - breast
  • Raven Ou - a Black African or, sometimes, Tamil person. From the Hindu deity Raven, reputedly dark-skinned. (Insulting usage.)
  • Roti Ou / Bread Ou Hindi person
  • Wit Ou - a White person
• paining - having pain
• pano - money, from the Tamil
  Tamil language
  Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
  
   word for "money". Commonly used by all South African Indian linguistic groups as a euphemism for money
• patla, flouie - usually used to describe poor (unfunny) jokes. Patla can also refer to any kind of damp squib. Patla Patla often refers obliquely to having sex; imitating the sound of two bodies meeting.
• potter-marie - means a dumbass (hindu language roots)
• right - an affirmation, mostly used while giving traffic directions, as in "Go straight, Right. Turn Left, Right."
• sheila - an ugly woman
• slaat - action like hit. For example: Don't choon me what what an' all, I slaat you one time laanie.
• this thing/"dis ting" - watchamacallit
• toppie - an older male authority-figure. Often used by Indians but also by working-class whites. From an Indian word for "hat".
• tannie - female version of toppie, from the Afrikaans word for "Aunty".
• tum-blahh - from the English word "tumbler", meaning a heavy glass. As in: 'hey boy, run and get a Tum-blah for the larnie to have some Min-rill'

South African Jewish slang

• chattis, khateis (plural chatteisim, khateisim. Yiddish: "a sinner"): approximately equivalent to "white trash
  White trash
  White trash is an American English pejorative term referring to poor white people in the United States, suggesting lower social class and degraded living standards...
  
  ". The word refers particularly to poor, white, Afrikaans-speaking communities with endemic social problems. Sometimes used as an ethnic slur against Afrikaners in general. From Talmud
  Talmud
  The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
  
  ic phrase Eyn bor yerey khet - a bor - (uncouth ignoramus) is not afraid of sin. The bor-Boer assonance
  Assonance
  Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within phrases or sentences, and together with alliteration and consonance serves as one of the building blocks of verse. For example, in the phrase "Do you like blue?", the is repeated within the sentence and is...
  
   gives a case for quibble
  Quibble
  A quibble may refer to:*a trivial objection*a pun, or play on words* Quibble , in narratology...
  
  : if not afraid of sin must be therefore a sinner.
• kugel
  Kugel
  Kugel is a baked Ashkenazi Jewish pudding or casserole, similar to a pie, most commonly made from egg noodles or potatoes, though at times made of zucchini, apples, spinach, broccoli, cranberry, or sweet potato...
  
  : an overly groomed, materialistic woman (from the Yiddish word for a plain pudding garnished as a delicacy). Older-generation Jews coined this usage as a derogatory label for Jewish women who aspired to become part of the privileged English-speaking white community. usage, often humorously intended, applies the word to any nouveau riche
  Nouveau riche
  The nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...
  
   women in South African society who appear overly groomed and materialistic. Bagel
  Bagel
  A bagel is a bread product, traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, roughly hand-sized, which is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior...
  
   and bagel-boy occur as labels for the male counterpart of the kugel. — Compare the American-English term Jewish-American princess
  Jewish-American princess
  Jewish-American Princess or JAP is a pejorative stereotype of a subtype of Jewish-American female. The term implies materialistic and selfish tendencies, attributed to a pampered or wealthy background.-Origins:...
  
   which has subtly differing connotations.)
• Peruvian: a low-class, unmannered and unsophisticated person regardless of wealth, usually Jewish. The term originated from poor Jewish refugees from Russia who arrived in Cape Town on the SS Peruvian in the 19th century. The more assimilated and established Jews from Germany and England looked down on this group, and their descendants remain stigmatised.
• Schwarzer: Yiddish / German
  German language
  German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
  
   for "black" — a black person
• shiksa
  Shiksa
  Shiksa or shikse, is a Yiddish and Polish word that has moved into English usage, mostly in North American Jewish culture, as a term for a non-Jewish woman, initially and sometimes still pejorative but now often used satirically...
  
  : as in other Jewish communities, this means "non-Jewish girl". Traditionally "slave-girl", from the Yiddish version of the Hebrew word for "dirty, unclean, loathsome" Originally a servant available for sexual use. In South Africa, however, it has the additional meaning of a "female domestic worker".
• weisser: Yiddish for "white" - a white person

South African Lebanese slang

• bint : from the Lebanese word for "girl"; used in reference to women in general (as in "check out that hot bint over there.")
• drib : from the Lebanese word for "hit" (as in "hey ghey ... if you don't stop talking gara, I may have to drib you!")
• gara : from the Lebanese word for "faeces" or "dung"; refers to something that is crap (as in "that guy is talking gara!")
• ghey : literally translated from the Lebanese word for "brother"; in colloquial South African refers to "a tinted-windows, lots-of-jewellery" kinda guy
• stiffle : so what: "if you don't like it stiffle!"
• uhbed : from the Arabic word for "slave" (Arabic: عبد) - a black person

Kasi / township

Township (South Africa)

In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...

 slang

• 411 - giving someone the latest news and gossip.
• 5 Jakete - R50 note
• 21(two six) - lies or liying.
• 150 - Ladysmith/Emnambithi (KZN)
• 69 (Six nine) - It is to pee.
• 9 (nine) - Girlfriend as in a love relationship.
• 45 (Four Five) - Penis.
• 6 no 9 – "same difference". Like "potato, potatoe".
• 99 (nine nine)' - "for real".
• ayoba - Expression of excitement
• bokgata or Bo 4 - "the police"
• cake/ikuku - Vagina
• choc - R20 note
• chommie - More likely to be used by young girls than guys, the word refers to a friend. A music artist goes by this name.
• clipper' - R100 note
• dankie san - [Origin: Rap Music] "Thanks, Dude". Soweto rapper Pro Kid has used it for his new fashion-label, bringing it into the commercial space.
• doing a bafana - demanding more smeka (money) for being mediocre
• doing a benni - [Origin: the saying comes from the formerly much-lauded Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy
  Benni McCarthy
  Benedict Saul "Benni" McCarthy is a South African footballer who is currently contracted to Orlando Pirates in South Africa.McCarthy holds the record of international goals for a South African...
  
  's "uncharitable habit of turning his back on his country" following many instances of failing to turn up to play for South Africa's national football squad.] Meaning "showing disloyalty / being irresponsible".
• eish - [compare Bantu usage above] - Used to express everything ranging from frustration to surprise to disapproval, but also just everyday acknowledgement of things you can't change like "Eish, the traffic is bad today". Heard frequently each and every day! Also used to indicate displeasure. For example: 'At the time I was the only black guy and I used to ask myself "Eish http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Motoring/Article.aspx?id=754026, what am I doing here?"'
• fong kong - cheap and fake products that one can buy from vendors on the streets. http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=582110.
• Jakete (from the word Jacket) - R10 note
• juish - refers to nice and flashy clothes that someone has on.
• kwaito - popular genre of music, a mixture of South African disco, hip hop, R&B, ragga
  Ragga
  -Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
  
  , and a heavy dose of house-music beats.
• moegoe - a fool, idiot or simpleton. For example: "moegoe of the week"
• mzansi - [from the isiXhosa words, Mzantsi Afrika] http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=783509.) A common term which means South Africa. [Mzansi] List of colloquial South African place names first published in Y magazine.
• pulling a jabu pule - performing a disappearing act. For example: "Are you pulling a Jabu Pule http://www.sundayworld.co.za/swzones/sundayworldNEW/sport/sport1145870332.asp on me?" (Are you performing a disappearing act on me?); or: "I will never pull a Jabu Pule on you" (I will never disappear or go awol).
• pulling an mbeki - keeping mum because you have nothing intelligent to say, so others will call it quiet diplomacy because at least "diplomacy" sounds like an intellectual word.
• roogie - R50 note
• Ova - To talk
• skoon - Kaal voêl steek (without a condom). Generally unprotected sex
• starter pack - (Origins: Terminology first used by mobile-phone companies but quickly adapted by car thieves and car hijackers.) Refers to entry-level cars http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Motoring/Article.aspx?id=549904, especially vehicle-makes occurring commonly on the road and therefore less easy to spot as stolen. Thieves can "chop up" the parts at an illegal "chop shop" and used them for repairs on more expensive vehicles.
• umlungu - white South African or the Boss (Bass) of the company; isiXhosa word for the white foam that is left on the beach sand, once a wave has retreated back into the sea. (foam is for unprofitable use).
• vinegar - [Origin: Port Elizabeth] Denoting insecurity; especially used of people who behave nastily to others because of their own complexes. "He's full of vinegar" - meaning he's got so many chips on his shoulder.
• yebo - a Zulu word which means "yes".
• Z3 - refers to HIV and AIDS, because of its speed. This is a reference to the BMW Z3.
• Coconut – Referring to an African black person who is dualistic in their nature. Black on the outside and White on the inside. (derogatory term used amongst city dwelling Black South Africans).

See also

• List of lexical differences in South African English
• List of colloquial South African place names
• South African English
  South African English
  The term South African English is applied to the first-language dialects of English spoken by South Africans, with the L1 English variety spoken by Zimbabweans, Zambians and Namibians, being recognised as offshoots.There is some social and regional variation within South African English...
  
  

External links

• SA English is lekker, bru!, southafrica.info
• South African slang, virtualtourist.com
• Zimbabwean Slang Dictionary
• African surfing slang
• South African Slang words, newfusion.co.za