List of South African slang words

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1 Afrikanerisms
2 Bantuisms
3 Original South African English coinages
4 Slang originating from other Commonwealth countries
5 Slang terms originating from ethnic minorities
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Afrikanerisms

These are slang borrowings influenced by Afrikaans. They are typically used by people whose first language is Afrikaans but who speak English as a second language and by people living in areas where both English and Afrikaans are spoken. Unless otherwise noted, these terms are not used in formal South African English.

ag man - oh man, the ag is the Afrikaans cognate of oh while the man is pronounced as the English word
baas - boss
babbelas - hangover (originally from Zulu)
bakgat - expression of appreciation for something very well accomplished; cool.
bakkie - a utility truck, pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English
ballas - balls i.e. testicles (rude)
ou ballie - old man
bek - derogatory term for mouth (Afrikaans: an animal's mouth); 'hou jou bek' - shut up (lit. hold your [animal's] mouth)
befok - f'ed up, excellent, insane, esp. 'bos befok', shell shocked (rude)
bergie - from berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain and now a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants in Cape Town. When used as slang refers to anyone who is down and out
bioscope, bio - cinema, movie theatre (now dated), originally a defunct international English word it has survived longer in South Africa as a result of the influence of the Afrikaans cognate bioskoop.
biltong - dried meat, similar to jerky, a mainstream word
bliksem - strike, hit, punch, also used as an expression of surprise/emphasis (rude, considered by many to be profanity)
blou - to be tired
boer - literally “farmer” in Afrikaans, it is used by English-speaking people to indicate an Afrikaans farmer, especially in a derogatory way, like “country bumpkin”, but used by Afrikaners with much more pride, indicating a person with a deep love of the soil of Africa, a provider of food.
boere - the police (plural of boer), once dominated by Afrikaners (who are stereotyped as being farmers, and ties in with the derogatory meaning of 'boer') but used by Afrikaners with much more 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
bokkie - a nubile woman (from Afrikaans for "small goat" or "deer"), also a goatee beard, my love
bosberaad - strategy meeting held outdoors, eg, game reserve.
bossies - crazy, whacko, mad
bostarmers - hoarders, addicts, obsessives
bru - male friend (shortening of broer meaning brother, see also bra below), American: "dude"
braai - a barbecue, to barbecue (from braaivleis), used a mainstream word in South African English
chommie - a friend (root: English 'chum')
choon - to insult, poke fun at (actually spelled as in the English word tune (like don't tune me grief)
dagga - marajuana, cannabis sativa
dinges - thingamabob, a wotzit or a whatchamacallit
domkop-Idiot
doos - idiot, more likely an asshole (can also mean female genitalia) (profanity). From Afrikaans word for box.
dof - stupid
dop - alcohol, To drink alcohol.
dorpie - small town
doss, dossing - Sleep, nap, taking life easy
droe wors - (Afrikaans) 'dry sausage', similar to biltong
dronkie - drunkard
druk - to embrace, not necessary sexual, tense person
eina! - ouch! used as a mainstream word in South African English
ek sê - you there (used to address a person who is not known), I say
etter - pus
flouie - an unfunny (weak) joke (used by Gauteng Indians, from Afrikaans word for weak)
gatta - a policeman
gat - ass, rear-end, bum (Afrikaans for 'hole') - derogatory
gatvol - fed up, had enough. (Afrikaans - hole-full).
gedoente - to-do, hassle, mess
gesuip - very drunk, intoxicated, plastered. Original Afrikaans meaning for an animal drinking (water) - of course.
gomgat - bumpkin, redneck (in US sense, not to be confused with rooinek)
goof, goef - swim, dip
gooi - throw, chuck
gwaai - cigarette, to smoke
hoesit, hoezit, howzit - how’s it going? How are you?
holnaai - to have anal sex
hotnot - derogatory term for a Coloured person
in sy moer - badly damaged, destroyed (rude, often considered profanity due to 'moer')
ja - yes (ya)
jags, - horny, promiscuous (root: 'Jag', to hunt)
jirre - wow! (Afrikaans: 'Here', meaning 'Lord')
jintoe - a whore
jislaaik! - wow!
jisus - wow! (from Afrikaans pronunciation of Jesus) (profanity)
jol - to have fun, to party, can also refer to a disco or party, to commit adultery
kak - shit, crap, rubbish, nonsense (profanity)
kêrels - police (Original Afrikaans meaning: guys). In English pronounced as: Care-Rills. "The kêrels are coming, watch out!"
kiff, kif, kief - (adj.) cool, neat, great, wonderful (from Arabic, kayf, meaning enjoyment or wellbeing)
klap - to smack in the face. (From Afrikaans). "He got klapped in the bar".
kleintjie - small one, tiny thing, child, baby
kwaai - cool, excellent (Afrikaans: angry. Compare the US slang 'phat')
laaitie, laitie - a younger person, esp. a younger male such as a younger brother or son (or daughter nowadays)
lekker - nice, good, great (lit. sweet)
mal - mad, crazy
maats - friends
meid - derogatory term for a black woman (from Dutch, meaning girl)
mielie - millet corn (AmE) / maize (BrE), staple diet. Penis.
moegoe - stupid person, coward, or weakling
moer - to assault (from Afrikaans 'moor' - to murder) (rude, often considered profanity)
moerse - big, massive, impressive. "I had a moerse piece of meat at the braai". "He scored a moerse try."
moffie - male homosexual (derogatory).
naai - to have sex (lit. 'to stitch') (profanity)
nartjie (Citrus reticulata) (Afrikaans)- Tangerine, Mandarin, used as a mainstream word in South African English
nê? - do you know what I mean?, oh really?
nooit - never, no way, unbelievable!
oom - an older man of authority, commonly in reference to an older Afriaans man (Afrikaans for uncle)
ou (plural ouens) man, guy, bloke (also oke) (Afrikaans = old)
pap - traditional maize porridge similar to grits
piel - penis
plaas - farm
plank - derogatory term used by English-speaking people to refer to Afrikaners. Stems from people with a thick Afrikaans accent sounding 'as thick as two short planks' when speaking English
platteland - rural area
poes - female genitalia. (profanity)
pomp - to have sex (from Afrikaans word for pump) (rude)
rooinek - ('red neck') derogatory term for English person
sat - dead - see 'vrek' below. (Pronounced as sut in English)
sick - very cool, awesome, stylish (popular among skateboarding cliques)
sies - expression of disgust, disappointment, annoyance - ag, sies, man
skief - to glare at someone (root: Afrikaans 'skeef', skew)
skaapfokker - Derogatory term for Australian, means sheep fucker. Also used to describe South Africans who fled to Australia and support the Australian economy.
"skiet, skop en boom klim" - literally "shooting, kicking and climbing trees" A colloquial description of an action film, usually of the lighter, more humorous kind. Think Jackie Chan.
"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.
skeef - provokingly, crooked, askance, skew, homosexual ("that guy in the bar is so skeef, just look at his clothes!" - derogatory).
skelm - crook
skinner, skinder - gossip
skommel - to masturbate (from Afrikaans word for shuffle) (rude). Used by so called Coloureds.
skop - kick
skraal - very hungry. (Durban region from Afrikaans for "thin" or "emaciated").
skrik - fright
skyf - cigarette, a puff.
slaat - to hit, to take (from Afrikaans "slaan" for "hit")
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".
soek - to look for trouble with someone/to antagonize/to stir up trouble = "you soeking with me?" - Afrikaans: to look for -
sommer - for no particular reason, just because
soutpiel, soutie - (Afrikaans 'salt dick') derogatory term for English-speaking white South African on account of his supposed divided loyalties: one foot in South Africa, the other in England, and genitals in the sea.
sosatie - a kebab on a stick, used as mainstream word in South African English
steek - stab, poke (with knife); have sex. "He/she steeked her/him" = "He/she poked her/him".
stukkie, stekkie - a woman (from the Afrikaans meaning "a piece")
stoep - porch, verandah, like American stoop but pronounced with a shorter vowel
stukkend - (Afrikaans) broken
swak - broke. Original Afrikaans: weak. "I'm swak, ek sê". Also used to express disgust or derision (depending on tone and context), eg "It's swak that I failed the test"
tannie - an older female authority figure, used most often by Indians. Derived from the Afrikaans word for "aunty"
tatie or tati - insane, crazy or eccentric
tekkies - sneakers, the Anglicized pronunciation takkies has become mainstream in South African English
tette - referred to a woman's breasts (Afrikaans)
toet - vagina
tollie-lekker - a woman who gives oral sex to me (Afrikaans 'penis licker')
trek - to move, the word has become international with the meaning of making a pioneering journey, the slang usage is closer to standard Afrikaans meaning
trill - penis (derogatory)
waai - to go, to leave (The Afrikaans spelling is waai meaning "to wave". In Afrikaans w is pronounced as v in English)
vaalie - mildly derogative term used by people at the coast to describe a tourist from inland (Root: Old Transvaal province)
veldskoen(s) - traditional Afrikaans outdoors shoes made from hide
voertsek - get lost, buzz off, go away, run (rude, often considered profanity)
vrek - derogatory term for dead. (Original Afrikaans meaning for an animal dying).
vrot - rotten, putrid
vry - to make out. (from Afrikaans word for rub)
windgat - highty-tighty; highty and mighty; snobbish. (Afrikaans: wind hole)

[edit] Bantuisms

These are slang borrowings from the Bantu languages. They are typically used in South Africa's townships but some have become increasingly popular amongst white youth. Unless otherwise noted these words are not used in formal South African English.

dagga - marijuana, has become a mainstream word in South African English
donga - ditch of the type found in South African topography, (from Zulu, 'wall') has become a mainstream word for such a feature
eish! - an interjection expressing resignation
fundi - expert (from Nguni 'umfundisi' meaning teacher or preacher) - used in mainstream South African English
gogga - bug (from Khoikhoi xo-xon, creeping things, here the g is pronounced like ch in Scottish loch)
gogo - grandmother, elderly woman (from Zulu, ugogo)
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! - popular cheer at soccer matches, 'he scores!' (lit. 'it thunders' in Zulu)
lekgotla - planning session, or strategy (used mostly in official government papers, but even if the papers are in English)
muti - medicine (from Zulu umuthi), typically traditional African
Mzansi - South Africa (uMzantsi is Xhosa for 'south')
sangoma - traditional healer or diviner
shongololo - millipede (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 - gangster, layabout, no gooder
ubuntu - compassion or kindness, humanity
yebo - yes

[edit] Original South African English coinages

bra - male friend (shortening of brother, see also bru above)
cozzie - a swimsuit, short for swimming costume
rop - Nice, radical. (e.g. "That was such a rop wave.")
sarmie - a sandwich
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.)
soapie - a soap opera
tune - to give someone lip ("Are you tuning me?")
higher grade - a bit too complicated (from the South African matric division of exams into standard grade and higher grade) Update: This system of dividing subjects into higher and standard grade will be non-existent as of 2008.
now now - An immediate but not literal declaration of impending action, may be past or future tense. From the Afrikaans expression "nou nou".
just now- Sometime in the future, not necessarily soon. Expresses an intention to act but not necessarily soon.

[edit] Slang originating from other Commonwealth countries

These are slang words used in South African that originated in other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations and subsequently brought to South Africa.

buck - refers to the main unit of currency, in South Africa this being the rand
china - friend, mate (from Cockney rhyming slang china [plate] = mate)
chow - to eat
kaffir - racial slur for a black person. Use is now actionable on account of historical ties to Apartheid and incitement to racial hatred
pom, pommie - a Brit (used also in Australian and New Zealand English)
shebeen - illegal drinking establishment (from Gaelic), in South Africa it refers in particular to unlicensed bars in the townships and has become a mainstream word

[edit] Slang terms originating from ethnic minorities

[edit] 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 youth who shoplifted.

[edit] South African Indian slang

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

Laanie - From the Afrikaans word meaning fancy, but used by Indian people to mean 'smart guy' (Smart as in 'well to do'), or to refer to White people in general, and English speaking whites in particular.
Jaaver - An Afrikaner person.
Onetime - Meaning 'of course', with out delay, often used as a positive reply to a question.
Charra - Meaning person of Indian origin. From the word curry (or tea).
Mooing - To flirt. From the afrikaans word 'mooi' meaning nice/pretty.
Maader - excellent, very good (used esp. by Durban Indians)
Choon - To tell someone something.
an' all - Like the English 'etcetra, etcetra'.
what what - Mostly used in arguments, meaning 'this and that'.
Pozzy - House or home, place you live or hang out.
Bunny Chow - Type of food, made with a loaf of bread filled with a curry stew.
Slaat - Action like hit. eg. Don't choon me what what an' all, I slaat you one time laanie.
Cameway - Arrived. Used in Durban.
Patla, flouie - usually used to describe poor (unfunny) jokes. Patla can also be used to refer to any kind of damp squib. Patla Patla is often used as a sideways reference to having sex, refers to the sound of two bodies meeting.
toppie - an older male authority figure. Used most often by Indians. From Indian word for "hat".
tannie - female version of toppie, from Afrikaans word for Aunty.
Vrou - My Wife, as in 'Ek sê, I must first ask my Vrou', from Afrikaans word for Wife/woman.
Right - An affirmation, mostly used while giving traffic directions, as in "Go straight, Right. Turn Left, Right"

[edit] South African Jewish slang

chattis, plural chatteisim - more or less equivalent to white trash (Yiddish: a sinner) referring particularly to poor white Afrikaans speaking communities with endemic social problems, sometimes used as an ethnic slur against Afrikaners in general
kugel - an overly groomed materialistic young woman (from Yiddish for a plain pudding garnished as a delicacy, originally a very derogatory term used by older generation Jews for Jewish women who aspired to be part of the privileged English speaking white community, now used more in jest), bagel is used by some for the male counterpart of a kugel.
schwarzer, a black African (Yiddish translation of "Black")
shiksa, as in other Jewish communities refers to a non-Jewish girl but in South Africa it has the additional meaning of a female domestic worker
weisser, a Caucasian (Yiddish translation of "White")