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.

Papsak is the foil container that's put inside a box of wine (3L or 5L). The term can be used to
refer to to cheap or low quality wine.
Example

We used to moer papsak when we were learning to drink.

Zet 14 June 2021
Isgantsontso is a buff person, more like a sgora.
Example

Nonsense, utsho ngoba sisgantsontso

Danny 14 June 2021
Vaslap or vaaslap is a term used to refer to bathing cloth. You know that cloth you use when you are bathing.
Example

I need to get myself a new vaslap, this one is too old.

DRex 13 June 2021
A street winner
Example

Flex is The Street Champion

Colani 12 June 2021
Stop nonsense ekasi are those walls that are built around the house (fence) mostly for security reasons cause you know how it is with crime in Mzansi.
Example

They climbed the stop nonsense and stole the dog

Zet 10 June 2021
Salvation is a South African rapper and songwriter. He was introduced to the music industry late 2013. The artist started making wonders in a well known genre, Hip Hop as a solo artist and has then evolved from just rapping to being musical and flowing on beautiful melodies of trap-soul.
Example

Salvation is the future of HipHop music

Salvation 09 June 2021
Asbonge is a Zulu term for "Let's give thanks" or "Let's be thankful"
Example

Beke le beke asbonge bafethu.

Mr Trends 09 June 2021
Touchline Operator, MBUZI.
One feels pressure when he is around
Example

“Dai man ke GAETZ“

letlhogonolo 09 June 2021
A Sangoma is a highly respected healer among the Zulu people of South Africa who diagnoses, prescribes, and often performs the rituals to heal a person physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.
Example

I need to go see a powerful Sangoma.

Mr Trends 09 June 2021
Inyanga is mostly a traditional herbalist and does not usually perform rituals that are common to those that a Sangoma performs.
Example

I went to see Inyanga when I was not feeling well.

Mr Trends 09 June 2021
Ukufemba is a spiritual healing /energy healing where an inyanga removes bad spirits in one's body or foreign objects in the yard or car. It's an African exorcism (ukukhipha imimoya emibi).
Example

I need to try ukufemba.

Mr Trends 09 June 2021
In Xhosa, umgqakhwe is a derogatory term used to refer to someone born out of wedlock.
Example

"Makungangeni mgqakhwe ebandleni likaYehova; nesizukulwana sawo seshumi masingangeni ebandleni likaYehova." - deuteronomy 23

"No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation."

Sinazo 08 June 2021

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