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.

Apile is the Xhosa term for an apple.
Example

Ndifuna ukutya i-apile.



I want to eat an apple.

Xhosa Nostra 15 July 2025
Ekurhuleni is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. Ekurhuleni means "place of peace" in XiTsonga.
Example

I prefer Ekurhuleni over City of Johannesburg.

Maps 15 July 2025
Ixelegu is a Xhosa word for a dirty person or a person who just cant be tidy.
Example

I can’t deal with ixelegu.

Xhosa Nostra 14 July 2025
Itopi is a Xhosa slang term for an old person or old man.
Example

I still cant believe ndishiywe litopi elidala.

Xhosa Nostra 14 July 2025
Imazi is a Xhosa term for a female animal.
Example

Ndifuna imazi yegusha.



I want a female sheep.

Xhosa Nostra 14 July 2025
Nkunzi is a Xhosa term for a male animal. It is also often used to refer to a person, obviously male.
Example

Ndifuna ukuthetha inkunzi yebhokhwe.



I want to buy a male goat.

Xhosa Nostra 14 July 2025
Valaza is the nickname of Valentines Day. You know South Africans like shortening words.
Example

I need to find a date for Valaza next year.

Mane 12 July 2025
Dijo is a Sotho term for food.
Example

Ke batla dijo.
I want food.

LinguistZA 11 July 2025
In South African football, the term "plumber" is a derogatory slang used to describe a coach, often a foreign one, perceived as underperforming or lacking the intellectual or tactical acumen to succeed in the sport. It implies a coach is more suited to a trade like plumbing than managing a football team.
Example

I see Orlando Pirates just hired a plumber to replace Riveiro.

Soccer Mom 04 July 2025
Imbudlu-mbudlu is a Xhosa colloquial term for a chubby or fat person.
Example

Did you see him, yimbudlu-middle after he got a job.

Themba 03 July 2025
How South Africans say “traffic lights” because “traffic lights” is too long and doesn’t sound futuristic enough.
Example

No one:



Passenger in a taxi: After robot, driver.

Yanga CPT 02 July 2025
ilolo is a Xhosa term for a loner.
Example

Mna ndililolo, andinamntu.



I am a loner, I have no one.

MXhosa 30 June 2025

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