Isithembu

Isithembu is the practice of marrying multiple wives (Polygamy).


Isithembu is becoming popular again in South Africa.



Ngwije

A fat woman who looks like an idiot.
She doesn't think she's full of diabetes.


The fattest woman is Ngwije.
Even God himself can't reduce her weight.



blikkie

A tin can.


Pass us the blikkie, bru.



amatile-tile

Xhosa plural for stratagems. It is actually just amatile. Singular is itile. The ti is pronounced like English tea and le as in French. From the Sanskrit kutila which appear in Xhosa as ukutila.


My car broke down on the way, I had to make amatile-tile to get here.



clever black

A sarcastic phrase used to describe a black person who thinks he is smart but whose actions perpetuate the oppression black people. Sometimes black thieving leaders and their supporters use it to try to embarrass black opponents.


Example 1
Guy 1: What happened to that radical student leader, Tshepo?
Guy 2: He became a kleva black after getting a nice job in government.

Example 2
Thieving leader: We can't take this country forward because clever blacks are blocking our efforts.



Imama

Imama is a term that's been trending on social media that means a woman or a girlfriend.


Imama must be beautiful unprovoked.



Rhem

irhem is a colloquial Xhosa term mostly used by ama dyan from East London (eMonti) to refer to sex or a vagina.


Bendisitya irhem izolo.



Magriza

Magriza is a slang term for grandmother.


I was raised by magriza.



Take it or leave it

These are the guys who sell alcohol during the hard lockdown, when there is an alcohol ban. They inflate their prices like crazy. You can even get an 1818 bottle for R850.
They got the name because they don't care, it's either you buy at their 500% price or you leave it.


I got this gin from my Take it or leave it guy.



Intusi

Intusi sisithetha-ntonye sobisi. Intusi is Milk in isiXhosa dialect.


Intusi yesizwe isengwa ezinkomeni zelali.




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