Tlean

The skrr skrr way of saying clean.


Just got a new haircut. I look tlean.

Kganthe why?

It's a combination of two words, Sepedi and English, by Mogau Samson Leagathoko Malepe asking someone to rephrase their statement, or tell, "I don't vibe with you" or "I don't follow".


"Bra, I've been looking for you all-over, where did you dissappear to?"
MSL Malepe: "Kganthe why?(with an annoyed lookalike face)"

Nqanqatheka

Ukunqanqatheka is a Xhosa term for cigarette or tobacco cravings.
When one is craving a cigarette, we say unqanqathekile, or s/he will say ndinqanqathekile.


The way ndinqanqatheke ngayo you'd swear I didn't just smoke now.

Tut

A tut is a widely used varsity term for a tutorial.


I have to leave early because I have to submit my tut.

Cheese Boy Tša Kgale

is township slang for someone who once had money, someone who was spoiled by their parents/guardians


You're cheese boy ya kgale because o bona masepa nou

Beke le beke

Beke le beke is a Basotho (Tswana, Pedi, Sotho) term for weekly or week after week.


I do this beke le beke... asbonge.

Sembi

Sembi is a Xhosa social media term that means ugly or bad.
Mbi in Xhosa means ugly when referring to a person and means bad when referring to a situation.


Me posting a picture of my child:
Facebook friends: Sembi bundle of joy wakho mntkbw.

Bundle of joy

A bundle of joy is a toddler or a small child.
The term was populirized on social media when mothers posted pictures of their children with the caption "My bundle of joy".


These bundle of joys should go back to school full time. There's no peace when they are around the house all day.

Ikati ilele eziko

This is a Xhosa figure of speech that describes hunger or poverty. It directly translate to "a cat is sleeping in the fire (cooking) place (or stove if you may say)". So the cat is sleeping where people are supposed to be cooking because there's no fire and no food to cook.


Grandma had to send the kids back to their mothers because ikati ilele eziko.

Ndutsu

Indutsu is a Xhosa vulgar word that means butt or ass.
Also see mdidi.


Ndakukhaba unye endutsu.
Utheth'indutsu.


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