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.

A person with a heart made out of ice, with rotten intentions.
Example

Umfana doesn’t deserve anything in this world.

CG • 09 January 2023
A Gun Dubula is a person in Kasi who carries a gun and shoots people (trigger happy).
Example

Do you remember that Gun Dubula who jumped the school fence and shot a rival gang member who was writing exams?

MXhosa • 02 January 2023
Mamboyi is a colloquial term for alcoholic beverage, Old Buck.
Example

I only drink Mamboyi when I’m in the bundus.

MXhosa • 30 December 2022

Ntu

Ntu means a human being and it emphasises that there is spirit of oneness and harmony among people and nature.
Example

Funda ukuphilisana na-ba-ntu

Mfanelo • 29 December 2022
Istabane or isitabane is a derogatory term for a gay person.
Example

Dai man ke stabane.

That man is gay.

LinguistZA • 14 December 2022
A derogatory Afrikaans slang term for a gay person. Similar to the word faggot in English.
Example

You don’t watch football? ⚽️ you might be a moffie

LinguistZA • 14 December 2022
Fanagalo or Fanakalo is an informal language mainly spoken in mines across South Africa. It is composed of frequently corrupted elements of the Nguni languages, English and Afrikaans.
Example

I knew they were Zama zamas because I heard them speaking Fanagalo.

Mazembe • 07 December 2022
A SePitori word meaning "something"
Example

"Ako botse ane deng mfanaka"

"Let me tell you something buddy"

Godz • 02 December 2022
Xokshame is a Xhosa social media slang term for "I am joking / I am lying".
Example

I hate my ex girlfriend. Lol xokshame.

MXhosa • 29 November 2022
Someone who is not good at something
Example

Chomi ya ka ke patla ka bolo

Philly Kabelo • 28 November 2022
A frontal refers to a hairpiece that has a strip of material which runs from ear to ear.
Example

Every girl deserves ifrontal this December.

Sinazo • 15 November 2022
Nkandla is a town in the uThungulu district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the district where former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma is from.
Example

I want to visit Nkandla this December.

DRex • 08 November 2022

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