South Africa Slang Dictionary

South African slang is a rich, multilingual mix that borrows freely from the country's eleven official languages - isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sesotho and more - plus street languages like tsotsitaal and Sepitori. It's the language of the townships, the taxi rank, kwaito and amapiano, and everyday Mzansi life from Joburg to Cape Town to Durban. Words like eish, howzit, lekker, sharp sharp and yebo are woven into how South Africans speak every day. Explore the community-built dictionary of South African slang below - and add the words you know.

Add a South African word

South Africa

Slaan

Hit

Example

I will slaan that oak

jordan • 22 May 2025

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South Africa

Nyash

Buttocks, bums, irrespective of gender.

Example

Look at Layla's nyash.

Azzra • 21 May 2025

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South Africa

isiXhosa

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.

Example

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

Sgasa • 21 May 2025

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South Africa

isiXhosa

Rhili

Xhosa for adventure. Also the nickname of the last independent Xhosa Paramount Chief. His birth name was Zotana. Often referred to as Sarhili from Sa - sire and Rhili - adventure. It means the father of adventure. As a youth he was said to have been an adventurist.

Example

I am going for a rhili.

Sgasa • 21 May 2025

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South Africa

Gombo

The indigenous name for the City of East London meaning the new farming area or new development. The name was given by the precolonial Xhosas to the City following its establishment after the Sixth Frontier War. Today it is mistakenly pronounced Gompo

owing to the Christianization of the Xhosa language by early African converts writers who owing to growing up in mission station could not comprehend Xhosa properly and had a habit of changing the spelling of Xhosa words they did not understand.

Example

Going to East London?

I’m going to Gombo

Sgasa • 21 May 2025

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South Africa

isiXhosa

Sabhongo

Isabhongo is a Xhosa term for that smelly burp, especially after you mix amasi and meat.

Example

What’s that smell? 🤢

Ungodly isabhongo usisi wakho.

Themba • 15 May 2025

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South Africa

Is not make sure

To say that something is not good, not convincing, an overreach or delusional at the worst.

Example

Ay this new Amapiano dance trend on TikTok is not make sure.

Skhokho • 02 May 2025

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South Africa

Sthandwa

Sthandwa means “my love” or “baby”.

Example

I love you, sthandwa.

Faku • 29 April 2025

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South Africa

isiZulu

Khongolose

"Khongolose" is a Zulu word, often used colloquially, that translates to "congress" or "the ANC," which stands for the African National Congress, a South African political party. It's essentially a slang term or a nickname for the ANC.

Example

Phatha Khongolose, phatha.

MzansiEdits • 28 April 2025

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