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.

Tse nzima is a word used to describe people who are good at something. It is normally used as a compliment.
Example

If you get the girl your friends can say to you

Tse Nziiiiiiiima.

Colani 08 June 2021
1. A Ndebele surname

2. The Nokia 3310
Example

1. UMahlangu wami ulahlekile

S.J 08 June 2021
An expression of extreme surprise. Used with a question mark.

Equivalent to "what the fuck?"

Derived from the praise "and then..."
Example

Ah, enden? What happened here?

S.J 08 June 2021
Agang is a Tswana verb that means build
Example

In Tswana

- Agang ntlo.

In English

- Build a house.

Agang Definitions 08 June 2021
Suddenly/quickly and unexpectedly.
Example

jiki jiki, a gusheshe came hurtling round the corner.

Catalyst_X 07 June 2021
Material Don Dada was a Skhothane that was once the coolest kid in Mzansi, a title now owned by Uncle Vinny.
Example

The Skhothane culture died with Don Dada.

Zet 07 June 2021
Nguni, cluster of related Bantu-speaking ethnic groups living in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

They speak Xhosa, Zulu, Swati and Ndebele.
Example

We should unite as Nguni people and stop this tribalism.

MXhosa 07 June 2021
An imaginary day in Wendy Williams' mind
Example

Who lied to Wendy Williams about Wendy Williams Day?

S.J 07 June 2021
Money
Example

Ngifuna imali

S.J 07 June 2021
A word in any of the Nguni languages, a prefix for "I have"
Example

Ngine- (I have)

imali (money)

Ngine+imali = Nginemali (I have money)

S.J 07 June 2021
1. Chalk.

2. South African slang for 20 Rands
Example

1. UMa'am ufuna ichogo.

2. How much do you want? Nginechogo

S.J 07 June 2021
A filler word usually meaning "but"

It can be added in the beginning, middle, or the end of a sentence.
Example

Mara why it is so expensive?

He's good looking mara he's not a good person.

Why do we have to be so broke, mara?

S.J 07 June 2021

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