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.

Mandoza was a Kwaito legend who gave us a lot of hit songs like Nkalakatha, Tornado, etc.

May he continue to rest 🙏🏾
Example

I really miss Mandoza right now.

Chief 21 June 2021
Indlala is the formal Xhosa term for hunger or poverty.
Also see Ikati ilele eziko
Example

Indlala inamanyala and it can make you do anything.

MXhosa 21 June 2021
Mzukwana is a Kasi term for the olden days / the good old days / back in the day.
Example

I woke up and listened to Kwaito ya mzukwana today.

Skhokho 20 June 2021
An aura having a frame of mind that will last a lifetime, has epiphany
Example

Tell Dyco to come and do the greats he always does

Colani 18 June 2021
Umakoti is a Nguni term for a bride or bride to be.
Example

Are you ready to be umakoti apha ekhaya?

MXhosa 18 June 2021
In Xhosa culture, Utsiki is the ritual where the bride to be (umakoti) has to eat a goat meat and drinks the sour milk of that particular family in which she is married to. It's basically the ceremony to welcome her to the family.
Example

No one:



Xhosa girls: sbwl utsiki.

MXhosa 17 June 2021
Unotshe is a Xhosa interjection that means never or can be used as "over my dead body". It is pronounced as uno-chair.
Example

I will not allow you to marry my daughter. Unotshe!

Sinazo 16 June 2021
Used to describe someone whose talking shit.
Example

Uyanya iselwe nguwe la drink

Dr Westley 16 June 2021
In South Africa, Ben 10 has nothing to do with cartoons. It rather refers to a young male who is dating an older female.
Example

I was once a Ben 10 and she used to give me money for alcohol every weekend.

Varsity Dude 15 June 2021
Nyoso means Nonsense
Example

Her: Nasty C is better than A Reece

Him: yinyoso yelo (that's nonsense)

uCrist 15 June 2021
Showing a critical or disrespectful attitude.
Example

she keeps telling me I'm fat and she is always making derogatory remarks.

Zet 14 June 2021
In Nguni languages, unondindwa is a derogatory term used to refer to a whore or sfebe.
Example

No bro, that girl ngu nondindwa.

Zet 14 June 2021

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