Xelegu

Ixelegu is a Xhosa word for a dirty person or a person who just cant be tidy.


I can’t deal with ixelegu.



Itopi

Itopi is a Xhosa slang term for an old person or old man.


I still cant believe ndishiywe litopi elidala.



Mazi

Imazi is a Xhosa term for a female animal.


Ndifuna imazi yegusha.

I want a female sheep.



Nkunzi

Nkunzi is a Xhosa term for a male animal. It is also often used to refer to a person, obviously male.


Ndifuna ukuthetha inkunzi yebhokhwe.

I want to buy a male goat.



Woto Woto

Often heard in football commentary, woto woto describes relentless attack or punishment. In casual conversations, it’s used to describe someone who’s taking a figurative “beating” in an argument or facing harsh circumstances.


"The strikers gave him woto woto" implies they played aggressively, leaving no room for escape.



Valaza

Valaza is the nickname of Valentines Day. You know South Africans like shortening words.


I need to find a date for Valaza next year.



Sotho

Sotho or Sesotho is a language spoken in Lesotho and South Africa. It is similar to Sepedi and Setswana.


I met a beautiful girl who was speaking Sotho.



Dijo

Dijo is a Sotho term for food.


Ke batla dijo.

I want food.



Plumber

In South African football, the term "plumber" is a derogatory slang used to describe a coach, often a foreign one, perceived as underperforming or lacking the intellectual or tactical acumen to succeed in the sport. It implies a coach is more suited to a trade like plumbing than managing a football team.


I see Orlando Pirates just hired a plumber to replace Riveiro.



Mbudlu-mbudlu

Imbudlu-mbudlu is a Xhosa colloquial term for a chubby or fat person.


Did you see him, yimbudlu-middle after he got a job.




© 2020 Africtionary®