South African Slang

A AAP Girl/ Girlfriend Aapedill Girl/Girlfriend abigail abortion ada backside ag man oh man; ag as the Afrikaans equivalent to oh, man pronounced as in English agatha a gossip aida AIDS aitsa is usually used when exclaiming agreement like you would when saying sweet!, nice!, lekker!, and got it! . amanda amazing an all (from and all; like the English et cetera, et cetera). annie anus antie an older female authority figure. [Word used most often by Indians[citation needed]. 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! arrawise greeting, derived from the English word otherwise (arrawise bra watse?) as well means me too when pronounced with over-emphasis on the as aspriss (pron. arse-priss) to intentionally do something (I closed the door on him aspriss) Awe Howsit, hello. A slang way of greeting someone aweh/awe (pronounced \AAAH-WHERE\ > not rolling the R) 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. ayoba Expression of excitement

baas boss babelaas babbelas hangover (of Zulu origin) baff Fart bakgat cool; awesome; well done bakkie a pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English. Can also refer to a small container. 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 (pronounced barlee) barbara straight man befok mad; also possibly super cool, as in My broe daai kar is befok. Pronounced \ber fork. 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 (similar to fuck). bek derogatory term for mouth (Afrikaans: an animals mouth); hou jou bek shut up, shut your trap (literally hold your [animals] mouth). This translates well into British English as Shut your gob. belinda blind bella to hit or slap I will bella you if you dont stop staring at that beulah.

benou (pronounce BER-NOW) marijuana or dagga. Commonly used by Indians in Gauteng. no benou there?-do you have any dagga? bergie from berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain; 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 betters To replenish or refill. Example: Ekse lets make a betters with the mineral betty black person beulah beautiful, usually referring to a good looking guy bife Portuguese word for Beef but often refers to a mans penis. (Maria reckons she wants some of my bife!) bill used to ask for the cheque; as in: Can I have the bill, please?, identical to British English biltong dried meat, similar to jerky (a mainstream word) bint : from the Lebanese word for girl; used in reference to women in general (as in check out that hot bint over there.) bioscope, bio cinema, movie theatre (now dated), originally an international English word that became defunct elsewhere, it has survived longer in South Africa[1] as a result of the influence of the Afrikaans cognate bioskoop. Also related to the Dutch word bioscoop, which still means cinema in Netherlands usage. blerrie/bladdy hell 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!) Used to curse that Bliksem Taxi. 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 Pretoria to Cape Town. 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 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. boere (the plural form) can also refer to the police. boerewors spicy sausage (Afrikaans) farmer-sausage, used as a mainstream word in South African English boet male friend (from boetie, informal form of broer meaning brother, see also bru and bra below); compare American English: dude bokgata or Bo 4 the police bokkie (diminutive of bok, literally meaning little buck or doe) a popular term of endearment, comparable to sweetheart, honey, etc. bolt/one out used extensively in KZN. Means by yourself or only one. bonehead derogatory term for an Afrikaner boom Literal translation is tree but is commonly used to refer to marijuana bosberaad strategy meeting held outdoors, for example in a game reserve boss nice that girl is boss, ek s boss a salute to an unfamiliar person, or person in authority (usually to a male), as in you know what it is boss. bossies, or bosbefok crazy, whacko, mad. Also a term for one who has shell shock. Refers to the time of the South African Border War where soldiers spent time in the bush (bos/bosse) and would return home suffering battle flash-backs (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). bot refer to gaam usually associated with a person, act or object that is either dodgy or gangsterlike. (Originated from Afrikaans slang bot.)

boykie or 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. bozy slang for a black person, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context. bra a way of addressing a friend, as in Howzit my bra. bra derived from brother bra male friend (shortening of brother, see also bru above) bra male friend compare American English: dude braai a barbecue, to barbecue (from braaivleis grilled meat), used as a mainstream word in South African English brak mongrel dog, can also refer to brackish water. 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 brinjal eggplant, aubergine [from port. beringela; also used in Indian English.] broekie panties or ladies underwear. From Afrikaans:broek, meaning trousers. Common usage: Dont get your broekies in a knot = Calm down. broekie lace ornate ironwork found on Victorian buildings (lit. pantie lace) bru A term of affection see also bra and boet, shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning brother. An example would be Hey, my bru, howzit? buchu name applied to a range of medicinal plants.[2] buck the main unit of currency: in South Africa the rand bung (from Afrikaans bang to be scared) to be afraid of someone. bunny chow type of food, made with a loaf of bread filled with a curry stew. bust up Big party involving lots of drugs and booze. button mandrax tablet (Slang Only)

cake idiot cake/ikuku Vagina caldo verde traditional recipe of Portuguese sausage (Port. chourio) and kale nestled in a thick potato soup. cameway to go with someone, like come with me. Used in Durban. canyon crab see bonehead Cape of Good Hope a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula. [from Port. Cabo da Boa Esperana named by a Portuguese king.] carol cry catembe a drink made by mixing red wine and coca-cola. chaile time to go home chan a derogatory term for an overweight, metrosexual South African. (likely origin: derived from the slang term china/chine). Also used as a variation to bru and bra. chana my mate (from Zulu, my nephew); umshana Charo a person of Indian origin. From the word curry (or tea). chattis, khateis (plural chatteisim, khateisim. Yiddish: a sinner): approximately equivalent to white trash. 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 Talmudic phrase Eyn bor yerey khet a bor (uncouth ignoramus) is not afraid of sin. The borBoer assonance gives a case for quibble: if not afraid of sin must be therefore a sinner.[6] cheekyprawn a term of foul abuse

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). Also often used when something gets thrown, or to ask someone to step out the way. Compare heads up!. cherry meddie, see tjerrie china friend, mate (from Cockney rhyming slang china [plate] = mate), alternatively, as above coming from the Bantu word umshana china/chine a friend; as in the greeting howzit my china (likely origin: Cockney rhyming slang China plate (meaning my mate); from early British immigrants. chlora coloured person 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. chommie/chomma a friend (compare English chum); also refers to the perineum area between vagina and anus. Also spelled tjommie choon to tell someone something. chop stupidor pathetic dont be such a chop (idiot). chop idiot, doos chot a very offensive term for a sexually active female choty goty beautiful girl chourio traditional sausage made with pork, fat, wine, paprika and salt. It is then stuffed into tripe (natural or artificial) and slowly dried over smoke. Similar to Spanish chorizo. chow eat. or food. chow to eat chrisco a party/disco where Christian music mainly features. A combination of the words Christian and Disco chuck leave. Equivalent of American to bounce. Examples: Come bru lets chuck or sorry cant go to the braai i gotta chuck. If you are funny you might say, boet, I have to make like Norris and Chuck. chup tattoo cool chup exse Chwee chweereekeys getting high cilla (from Priscilla) cigarette clipper R100 note clips Money, 1 clip = R100 clutchplate see bonehead coaster a state of affairs that surpasses cool coat meaning quote, mis-pronounced, with a completely inaudible KW sound. as in Hey, can you give me a coat to fix my car? 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). cocopan small tip truck on rails used in mines (from Nguni nqukumbana, Scotch cart)[2] condai bus conductor. connection a friend, mate, chommie connie condom cora common cover an insurance policy; as in: Hey laanie, can you organise me a cover for my grannie? cozzie a swimsuit, short for swimming costume[3] crown money crown/kroon money; can also refer to virginity. crunchie see bonehead, rockspider[3] cuiter somebody one has a strong dislike for. 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 marijuana (has become a mainstream word in South African English)(from Khoe daxa-b for Leonotis plant)[2] dagga most common word for marijuana. 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. 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 dis to intentionally disregard somebody else.. dobbel gamble dof stupid or slow to understand. doff stupid. Are you doff? 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 McCarthys uncharitable habit of turning his back on his country[8] following many instances of failing to turn up to play for South Africas national football squad.] Meaning showing disloyalty / being irresponsible. dom pedro drink made by mixing ice cream with whisky. domkop idiot (lit. Dumbhead), same as German Dummkopf donga ditch of the type found in South African topography. (From Zulu, wall; this has become a mainstream word for such a feature.) donner to beat up. Used together with bliksem. Derived from donder (thunder, related to Thor). Amounts to an ancient curse. Like Nick im gonna donder jou poes doos literally the Afrikaans translation for box Depending on context, the slang / derogatory version can mean prat, twat, idiot, dumb cunt dop alcohol, to drink alcohol, to fail. For example: Come and drink a dop (a drink) with me or Im gonna dop that test. Originally refers to a tot (measure). dop Drink or to drink, primarily when talking about alcohol, from the Afrikaans dop (shell, referring to a small glass for alcohol). dora a drink; drunk dorpie small town doss, dossing Sleep or nap. drib : from the Lebanese word for hit (as in hey ghey if you dont stop talking gara, I may have to drib you!) Drowors (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) duidelik direct from Afrikaans, meaning clear; used to express clarity on something or excitement about something. Dutchman derogatory term for a white Afrikaner.

eeuww man! an informal way of greeting. The South African Indian equivalent of Hey dude! eh pa a cry of exclamation. (hey man!) eina exclamation of pain, as in ouch (from Khoekhoe exclamation of pain or surprise)[2] eina! ouch! used as a mainstream word in South African English.

eish [compare Bantu usage above] (pronounced like /aysh/ but also, less often, as /ish/) Used to express everything ranging from frustration to surprise to disapproval, but also just everyday acknowledgement of things you cant 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 [5], what am I doing here? eish! an interjection expressing resignation ek s I say! eks from Afrikaans, translated it means I say. Used in greeting i.e. Whakind eks or in general speech. elsie geselsie chatterbox entjie Cigarette. For example, Awe ou. Steek n ent! erica erection espetada a typical Portuguese dish made usually of large chunks of beef rubbed in garlic and salt, skewered onto a bay leaf stick. esterjie ecstasy

filim. mispronounced film flaterwater correction fluid (e.g.: Tipp-Ex, Wite-Out) [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. fong kong cheap and fake products that one can buy from vendors on the streets. [6]. frieda sexually frustrated fuella furious fundi expert (from Nguni umfundisi meaning teacher or preacher) used in mainstream South African English

G gaam dodgy/gangster i.e. That person is gaam. (He is a gangster.)That place is gaam. (it is dodgy.) gail chat gam derogatory term for Coloured Coloured people in South Africa. Derived from Gham or Ham referring to Ham in the Old Testament. It is a reference to the children of Noahs son Ham who were illegitimate and cursed into slavery by God.[4][5] gammie diminutive of Gam, derogatory term for coloured people in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town. gara from the Lebanese word for faeces or dung; refers to something that is crap (as in that guy is talking gara!) gatsby large chip roll with meat and lekker sauces (Cape Town) gatvol fed up, had enough. (Afrikaans asshole-full). gayle the name for this slang 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.

ghey literally translated from the Lebanese word for brother; in colloquial South African refers to a tinted-windows, lots-of-jewellery kinda guy (pronounced like gay but with a /x/, like a guttural g or the ch in Scottish loch) ghushesh bmw 325is give rocks, to to be indifferent. For example: I give rocks about your concerns! (I couldnt care about your concerns!) Can also be abbreviated to Give rocks., and the negative version I dont give rocks means exactly the same thing. giyn a homosexual male Glossary goffel Ugly girl/woman. For example,What a G!. Also a degrading term for a person of coloured origin. gogga bug (from Khoe xo-xo, creeping things, here the g is pronounced like ch in Scottish loch)[2] gogo grandmother, elderly woman (from Zulu, ugogo) gomgat bumpkin, redneck. (in the US sense, not to be confused with rooinek, the literal translation of redneck.) gonda a vagina 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) also famous line by South African comedian Barry Hilton graft meaning work hey kazzie, im grafting at coconut grove, lakkaz ekse graze a term used in reference to food. Im starving, lets go get some graze. gully area or corner (KZN) guy similar to the American English word dude guzzie friend (from the Zulu guzlam)

hard up in love harriet hairy man haw! expression of disbelief, surprise. Pronounced like English how!. From the Zulu hawu. hayibo! wow! (from Zulu, definitely not) heita heita, meaning hello or hi. It was from this that telecommunications company Telkom got the name 8.ta for their mobile addition Here is a list of words indigenous to South Africa. If there is a word you hear on the show that you dont understand and it is not shown here, please let us know and we will add it immediately. higher grade a bit too complicated (from the South African matric division of exams into standard grade and higher grade. The system of dividing subjects into higher and standard grade has become non-existent as of 2008.) hilda ugly (or horrible), usually referring to a not-so good looking guy 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. hoesit, hoezit, howzit derived from How is it going? contracted to hows it?_In English SA context, howzit is more a greeting of hello rather than how are you?, similar to SA black slangs eta or ola 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. houding character or style hundreds good, fine. (As in 100 percent; for example: John: Hey bru, howzit going? Dominic: Im hundreds boet.)

I in sy moer badly damaged, destroyed (rude, often considered profanity due to moer to beat up) 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) isit (pronounced: \izit\) 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?

J ja yeah (literally yes in Afrikaans) ja-nee Literal translation : Yes No. Example : Dis warm vandag. (Its hot today) : Ja-Nee. Agreement, but not enthusiastically so. Jaaver an Afrikaner person 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 Person A: Ek wil my werk verloor Person B: Is jy jags?. Jakete (from the word Jacket) R10 note jenny masturbate jerepigo a usually red heavy dessert wine. [from Port. geropiga.] jessica jealous 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 jova injection, to inject (from Zulu) juish (pronounced /Joowish/) refers to nice and flashy clothes that someone has on. jukka a lazy person or a loser julia jewellery just now, sometime in the near future or the near past, not necessarily immediately. Expresses an intention to act soon, but not necessarily immediately, or expresses something that happened in the near past. Probably from the Afikaans netnou with the same meaning. jux/juks/jags Meaning horny. For example, Jinne meisie, jy maak my nou sommer lekker jags.

K kak Literal translation : shit. crap, rubbish, nonsense (vulgar), of very wide usage. Also used as a way of further expressing ones feeling in language, for example, instead of that girl is pretty one can say emphatically that girl is kak pretty! kaross garment made of animal skin (from Khoe meaning skin blanket)[2] kassam serious, not joking. From Islamic meaning oath. 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 cats 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. krel police man

krels police (original Afrikaans meaning: guys, chaps). The krels are coming, watch out! (Dated). More commonly referring to boyfriend or literal translation : Guy or young man. khaki [from the colour worn by British troops] derogatory term for an English person kiff, kif, kief (adjective) wicked, cool, neat, great, wonderful. The word derives from the Arabic word kif meaning pleasure or marijuana. This may also be related to the Afrikaans word for poison: gif. Coastal pot-smokers used the term to refer to Durban Poison: Gifs [locally-grown marijuana]. The word evolved into kiff, an adjective or exclamation meaning 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. koex drink (what you koexing? what are you drinking?) koffie-moffie a camp male waiter or air steward. See moffie. kont same as Cunt in English (profanity) kraal enclosure for livestock. [from Afrik. via Port. curral.] krimpie old person kugel: 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. Current usage, often humorously intended, applies the word to any nouveau riche women in South African society who appear overly groomed and materialistic. Bagel and bagel-boy occur as labels for the male counterpart of the kugel. (Compare the American-English term Jewish-American princess which has subtly differing connotations.) kwaai cool, excellent (Afrikaans: angry. Compare the US slang word phat.) kwaito popular genre of music, a mixture of South African disco, hip hop, R&B, ragga, and a heavy dose of house-music beats.

L laaitie, lighty a younger person, esp. a younger male such as a younger brother or son 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. laanie, larny (n) boss, used in a deferent tone. (adj) fancy laduma! a popular cheer at soccer matches, he scores! (literally: it thunders, in Zulu) lag to laugh. For example: They lag at the joke. lakkaz meaning lekker from the Afrikaans language. lank lots/a lot lappie(pronounced *luppee*) cloth, dish towel face cloth 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.) late A euphemism for dead/deceased; as in My daddy is 2 years late. (Unconnected with the idea of tardiness.) laura lover 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)[2] lekker nice, good, great (lit. tasty) Like tik, tik is lekker lekker/lukka nice [from Afrikaans]. The first form occurs more commonly; the second predominates in Kwa-Zulu Natal. lets waai lets go; (waai pronounced as vuy same like buy) (From Afrikaans, kom ons waai) Used mostly by Durban Indians. lettie lesbian lift elevator

lisa male model location a Bantu township lodge- huis loskind a really slutty girl, usually wears revealing clothes and is easy to get with (For example: Nicola is n fokken loskind!) loskop air head, literally a lost head refers to someone whose head is in the clouds, clumsy, forgetful. lulu laugh lus cigarette. Give us a lus china. See also; smaak

maader the best, excellent maader excellent, very good (used especially by Durban Indians) maafoedi motherfucker, as in Jou maaifoedi maat friend (OED), also your partner (wife, girlfriend) maburro slang for a white Afrikaans person, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context. mal mad, crazy, insane mallie mother mamparra cheeky, mischievous marie mad marjorie margerine mary obvious homosexual mathilda migraine maureen murder mavis effeminate queen Mavros plural mavroi (from Greek mavro black) Black people, literally: blacks. meet up Used in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region, a term usually used when saying goodbye. For example: Lukka meet up ekse. mielie millet corn (AmE) / maize (BrE), staple diet mielie meal In sub-Saharan Africa, a relatively coarse flour (much coarser than cornflour or cornstarch) made from maize (mielies or mealies; from Portuguese milho.) mielies or mealies maize. [from Port. milho.] miff gross, disgusting. Thats completely miff! Oh my god it was so miff miggie bug, especially a little flying gnat mildred mentally deranged milly crazy (mad) milder than mildred min to be completely disinterested in something. For example so min for that jol or when youre min you win min-rill from the English word mineral, meaning mineral water; taken to mean any fizzy drink in a bottle, normally Coke, Fanta, etc. mineral pronounced min ral; used by Indians as well. Fizzy drink such as Coke, Fanta, Sprite, etc. (KZN) mitzi small mmchakawally cigarettes moegoe a fool, idiot or simpleton. For example: moegoe of the week moegoe stupid person, coward, or weakling moer-toe stuffed up or destroyed (my car is moer-toe) moffie male homosexual (derogatory). Can be compared to fairy. mompie retard. (Liesl, you are such a mompie!) monica money

mooing to flirt. From the Afrikaans word mooi meaning nice/pretty. 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.) motjie wife/woman muti medicine (from Zulu umuthi) typically traditional African mzansi [from the isiXhosa words, Mzantsi Afrika] [7].) A common term which means South Africa. [Mzansi] List of colloquial South African place names first published in Y magazine. Mzansi South Africa (uMzantsi in Xhosa means south)

N.A.A.F.I. (pronounced NAAFI) acronym for: No Ambition and Fuck-all Interest; (originated from the (still existing) British military Navy, Army and Air Force Institute) referring to a lazy person. Used extensively during the days of National Service. 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. naai derogatory for having sex with a girl (Last night she gave me a lekker naai), British English fuck, or from the Afrikaans naai (to sew) 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. nana grandfather nancy no n? do you know what I mean/agree?, oh really?, is it not so?. From the French nes pas meaning Isnt it?. e.g. Jy hou van tee, n? (You like tea, not so?) (informal). The South African English equivalent is hey, for example Eish, its cold hey?. nelly neurotic nogal of all things. Term expressing a measure of surprise nooit never, no way, unbelievable! nora stupid now now an immediate but not literal declaration of impending action, may be past or future tense. From the Afrikaans expression nou nou.

O olga old and ugly onetime of course, without delay; often used as a positive reply to a question oom an older man of authority, commonly in reference to an older Afrikaans man (Afrikaans for uncle) operate lets perform or to have sex ou a boy/man/guy, homo sapiens ou person 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 Ova To talk oweh pronounced \ow where, a way of saying oh yes or expressing delight.

P packet a plastic bag padece derogatory word for Afrikaners used by South African-Portuguese. padese slang for a white Afrikaans person, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context. padro a large stone cross inscribed with the coat of arms of Portugal that was placed as part of a land claim by numerous Portuguese maritime explorers in South Africa and elsewhere. paining having pain pandora inquisitive queen pano money, from the Tamil word for money. Commonly used by all South African Indian linguistic groups as a euphemism for money pap traditional maize porridge similar to grits; can also mean deflated. Para/Pareh to fight/argument paraat disciplined. Somebody who is paraat, generally has houdingi.e style / character patla, flouie usually refers to 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. patsy dance, party pawpsh slang for the mispronunciation of papaya or pawpaw (South Africa has a history of Portuguese people being in the Fruit and Veg retail industry) pehrer a fight. (Often heard as Whos gunning a pehrer? meaning Whos looking for a fight?) peri-peri chili pepper. [from Port. piri-piri.] Peruvian / Peruvnik: a low-class, unmannered and unsophisticated person regardless of wealth, usually Jewish. The etymology is unclear. [2] (Theories: (a) Yiddish corruption of Parvenu[3]; (b) derives from an acronym for Polish and Russian Union, supposedly a Jewish club founded in Kimberley in 1870s, according to Bradfords Dictionary of South African English. [4]) The more assimilated and established Jews from Germany and England looked down on this group, and their descendants remain stigmatised. piel derogatory term for a male genitalia (cock or dick) pikinini a black child [from Port. pequenino.] piso Portuguese word for penis but often used as a derogatory term for another person. (Hey man, dont be such a piso, dont you know how to pour a catemba?) plaas lit. : farm. Also, when someone falls down : Plaas gekoop. plankton see bonehead platteland rural area, country (as in living in the country, as opposed to living in the city) plot pursue romantically, courting poes derogatory term for a female genitalia (pussy or cunt) poesgesig derogatory term for an English-speaking South African (cuntface) poke stab polly Portuguese homosexual pom, pommie a Prisoner of Mother England Brit (used also in Australian and New Zealand English) pommie, pom derogatory term for an English person (borrowed from Australia) porra slang for a Portuguese person or the Portuguese language (Those 2 porra okes were talking porra so I couldnt make out what they were gaaning aan about) porra slang for a Portuguese person or language, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context. porraland slang and affectionate term for Portugal used by South African-Portuguese. portuguese roll a light Portuguese bread roll with a crisp crust sprinkled with flour and popular amongst South Africans. posie/pozzie home. Afrikaans-speakers tend to use the first for; English-speakers the second.

Q R

potter-marie means a dumbass (Hindu language roots) pozzy house or home; place where one lives or hangs out. prego roll steak sandwich made with piri-piri (chili) sauce and served on a Portuguese roll. [from Port. prego.] prem car press sex, as in: I want to press my young one tonight (KZN) priscilla policeman pull in literally means to invite Example: Pull in to my pozzy tonight, gona have a bust up pulling a jabu pule performing a disappearing act. For example: Are you pulling a Jabu Pule [8] 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 a 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. pulling moves related to doing some sort of crime or fraud

Raven Ou a Black African or, sometimes, Tamil person. From the Hindu deity Raven[citation needed], reputedly dark-skinned. (Insulting usage.) right an affirmation, mostly used while giving traffic directions, as in Go straight, Right. Turn Left, Right. rita rent boy robot traffic-light[3] rockspider see bonehead roogie R50 note 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. 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.) rope derogatory term for an Afrikaner as in thick, hairy and twisted Roti Ou / Bread Ou Hindi person

saamie a sandwich[3] sangoma traditional healer or diviner sanwisha not really slang, just mispronounced sandwich (Can I have one Toshta Cheese Sanwisha?) sat tired, dead Ek is siek en sat van sy nonsens Im sick and tired of his nonsense, see vrek below (pronounced as sut in English) 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.) Schwarzer: Yiddish / German for black a black person scrompie slang for hobo or bergie. (Liesl told her 7-year-old son, Karl, to walk away from the scrompie walking towards them.) shab short for shebeen. In common usage. shappies Chappies Gum sold in most stores in South Africa, often used as currency (Ah avent got shange, take shappies)

sharp goodbye, (shap im out goodbye Im leaving) shebeen illegal drinking-establishment (from Irish sibn), synonymous with speakeasy. 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 beer, and taverns selling hard-tack became the centre of social activity. sheila an ugly woman sheila defacate (from shit) shiksa: 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[7] In South Africa, however, it has the additional meaning of a female domestic worker. shongololo (also spelt shongalolo) millipede (from Zulu and Xhosa, ukushonga, to roll up) 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. sies, sis expression of disgust, disappointment, annoyance, as in: Ag, sies, man. siff if something is gross or disgusting or ugly. Did you see her oufit? It was totally siff! 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) skelm (pronounced: Skellem) crook or trouble-maker, mistress, secret lover skief to glare at someone (root: Afrikaans skeef, skew) skinner, skinder gossip 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) Skommel marstubate Skommel(draadtrek) to masturbate, from the Afrikaans skoon Kaal vol steek (without a condom). Generally unprotected sex skop kick 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.) 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.) 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. slaan wear (as in clothes) slaat action like hit. For example: Dont choon me what what an all, I slaat you one time laanie. slap gat English translation lazy arse slap tjips (pronounced as slup chips) similar to slope derogatory word for an Afrikaaner. slops flip-flops slow boat Splif/Joint Normally related to marajuana 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 soapie a soap opera 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 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 spaza an informal trading-post/convenience store found in townships and remote areas (also a term referring to something cheap and nasty i.e. of poor quality) speak goat derogatory term for speaking Afrikaans speech an argument spiet to fight starter pack (Origins: Terminology first used by mobile-phone companies but quickly adapted by car thieves and car hijackers.) Refers to entry-level cars [9], 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. steek stab, poke (with knife). He/she steeked her/him = He/she poked her/him. Also see naai = Nick steeked me stukkend. stekie girl/girlfriend stella steal stiffle : so what: if you dont like it stiffle! 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. Also commonly used when someone is hungover. For example, I am so stukkend. Stukkie girl or possibly girlfriend stukkie, stekkie a woman (from the Afrikaans meaning a piece) mostly used when referring to a woman that you have/have casual encounters with, girlfriend sunno Initially an insult, but now used amongst friends as a greeting, as in: Whakind son suss slang for look, check, see (Did you suss out it out? Did you check it out? swaai to dance. (For example: Lets vaai (go) swaai.) swak bad swak broke. Original Afrikaans: weak. Im swak, ek s. Also used to suggest that someones behaviour was harsh (with varying degrees of seriousness, depending on tone and context), for example: Its swak that I failed the test 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.

T Tannie aunt, used by Afrikaans-speakers tannie female version of toppie, from the Afrikaans word for Aunty. tekkies sneakers. (The Anglicised pronunciation tackies has become mainstream in South African English..) tet breast or boob thick-cut British chips; usually soft, oily and soaked in vinegar, usually bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for limp. French fries refers to thinly cut chips. Crispy potato chips are referred to as crisps. this thing/dis ting watchamacallit 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. tiet English equivalent Boob or Breast (from teat) tokolos a dwarf-like water sprite, taken from tokoloshe.

tom money or cash, as in I must earn some tom. From Cockney rhyming slang where tom comes from tomfoolery (jewellery) Toppie old man, used by Afrikaans-speakers. An older male authority-figure. Often used by Indians but also by working-class whites. From an Indian word for hat. Ou toppie father see ouballie tops excellent, the best toyi-toyi protest-dancing; used in mainstream South African English 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.) trinchado a popular spicy meat dish of Angolan and Mozambican origin. trudy someone thats beyond help tsotsi gangster, layabout, no gooder tuinbooi Term used to refer to a gardener, usually a black gardener 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 tune to give someone lip (Are you tuning me?) TVP (tiener velprobleem) Acne problems

ubuntu compassion or kindness, humanity uhbed : from the Arabic word for slave (Arabic: !"#) a black person 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).

V vaalie mildly derogatory term used by people on the coast for a tourist from inland (Root: Old Transvaal province) vai literally go in Portuguese, but often combined with other languages, for lets go as in, lets vai, or with Sotho, a re vai. Especially common in Johannesburg. Mostly pronounced and written as waai (as in lets waai), referring to the Afrikaans word waai which means blow (like the wind), probably an adaption of the Portuguese word vai (go). vellies veldskoens, traditional Afrikaans outdoors shoes made from hide vera vomit verkramp politically conservative or pessimistic, the opposite of verlig, or enlightened vinegar [Origin: Port Elizabeth] Denoting insecurity; especially used of people who behave nastily to others because of their own complexes. Hes full of vinegar meaning hes got so many chips on his shoulder. viva! long live! [interj. from Port. Viva. Local use influenced from Mozambican usage during struggle for independence.] voertsk impolite way to say go away, commonly used with animals or as derogatory term. (from Dutch voort seg ik via Afrikaans) voertsek, voetsek 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. From the Dutch vort, zeg ik used with animals, meaning Go away! or Get moving 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. Vrou my wife, as in Ek s, I must first ask my Vrou; from the Afrikaans word for wife/woman.

vry to make out or courting (equivalent to American necking, British snogging or Australian pashing) Vrystaat vineyard Shifting spanner vying-going, as in we vying to the soccer

weisser: Yiddish for white a white person wena Zulu meaning you. Commonly used in a sentence Haw wena! 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 kind Greeting, similar to Howzit What say/What you say/Wat s jy alternative for Whakind in the greeting-sense. Englishspeakers use the first and second forms; Afrikaans-speakers the third. what what mostly used in arguments, meaning this and that. Often heard as what you say what what whenwe a nostalgic white migrant from other parts of Africa, especially Zimbabwe: when we were in Rhodesia Wit Ou a White person woes wild, untidy, unkempt or irreverent. A general term pertaining to either a person, behaviour or situation wys multiple meanings to insult(see tune) or to say e.g. Yoh, John wys me after I told him to shut up!

X Y yebo a Zulu word which means yes. yebo Zulu meaning yes yoh an expression of surprise e.g., Yoh, that was rude Yoh, you gave me a fright!, (Policechief talking about the poor physique of his policemen) They should look at our men and say yoh!. Young one Refer to Stekkie

Z3 refers to HIV and AIDS, because of its speed. This is a reference to the BMW Z3. zamalek Black Label, a typical US-style lager, locally brewed under licence 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 (equivalent to American doobie)

NUMBERS 100s / Hundreds Relating to being ok, for example: I am hundreds today after last nights jol 150 Ladysmith/Emnambithi (KZN) 21(two six) lies or liying. 411 giving someone the latest news and gossip.

45 (Four Five) Penis. 5 Jakete R50 note 6 no 9 same difference. Like potato, potatoe. 69 (Six nine) It is to pee. 9 (nine) Girlfriend as in a love relationship. 99 (nine nine) for real.