Dhloogle

Dhloogle is a term used on X, formerly Twitter to refer to Sizwe Dhlomo’s tendency of “knowing” everything under the sun. You can ask him anything and he will have an answer. No articles, no references, just him being sure about everything.


Guy 1: I just heard that in 1994, ANC won the elections but Nelson Mandela made the call to give it to the IFP for stability.

Guy 2: where did you hear that?

Guy 1: From Dhloogle.

Dagga

Dagga is the term we use in South Africa to refer to weed.


I can't wait to get home and smoke my dagga.

umshologu

properly used to mean a “spirit” from
u -> the
m -> child of, person of, thing of
Shulgi -> an ancient Sumerian king who deified him just like Jesus and so people were said to perform wonders “In the name of Shulgi”.


On seeing a ghost: I saw umshologu.
On seeing a magic performance: He’s using umshologu.
A church was in the old days called: The House of umshologu
On someone who loves to go to church: He’s the ash of the house of umshologu. (you can modernize the expression by using “furniture” instead of “ash”)

Bherhi

Hero is a Xhosa term for a homeless person.


Did you see Thabo left home, ngu bherhi ngoku.

Amabutho

Amabutho are Zulu regiments (military units / warriors). During wars, amabutho used to be the first line of defence to protect the land, women and children from invaders.
Singular: Ibutho


The Zulu King was protected by Amabutho.

Rra madumbu

It's a SePitori word used to refer to garbage collectors.


It's Wednesday today, bo rra madumbu ba tla.

Rekere

Rekere is a Fool


O nketsa rekere(You are making me a fool)

Mkhwetha

Umkhwetha (plural: abakhwetha) is an initiate (a boy going through the circumcisions/initiation period) in Xhosa.


Umkhwetha has to eat food without salt for the first few days

Nguni

Nguni, cluster of related Bantu-speaking ethnic groups living in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.
They speak Xhosa, Zulu, Swati and Ndebele.


We should unite as Nguni people and stop this tribalism.

Mfanaka

Mfanaka is a Sotho term that loosely translates to "my boy". It is used to mean my friend, my bro.


Eita, dintshang mfanaka?
How's it going, my boy.



© 2020 Africtionary®