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.

Inteshe is a Xhosa term that refers to a huge belly, mostly seen in tenderpreneurs. It is the synonym of mkhaba.
Example

I've stopped eating meat because wow, inteshe.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
mpundu is a Xhosa term for bums or ass.
Example

1. Ndifuna ukutya iimpundu.

2. "Zodwa Wabantu, ndicela undiphe iimpundu" - Big Xhosa.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
irhem is a colloquial Xhosa term mostly used by ama dyan from East London (eMonti) to refer to sex or a vagina.
Example

Bendisitya irhem izolo.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
Umdlezana is a Xhosa term for a mother of a new born baby.
Plural: Abadlezana
Example

Unqabile because ngumdlezana kaloku.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
(of language) used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.
Example

We use a lot of colloquial terms in our everyday lingo.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
Is a colloquial Xhosa term for pubic hair.
Also see izinza.
Example

iinzeft zam ziyarhawzela.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
Is a Xhosa term for pubic hair.
Example

Voetsek utsho ngezinza ezibomvu.

MXhosa • 12 May 2021
Is a term that means jerking off or masturbating.
Example

I caught my little brother eskomora.

MXhosa • 11 May 2021
A Xhosa term that means for nothing. Free; obtained without payment or difficulty.
Example

Buy 1 drink and get the second one simahla.

Sinazo • 11 May 2021
This is apparently a thing these days. Are these ama2000 who are always posting their numbers on social media asking for "status viewers". Yeah, these kids are very weird.
Example

She has so many contacts because she is a WhatsApp influencer.

Sinazo • 11 May 2021
A Tsonga term that means "Where was he going", mostly used on social media when someone maybe gets hurt when doing something they were not supposed to do in the first place.
Example

Girl 1: She broke up with that Xhosa guy, apparently he was trash.

Girl 2: I told her to stay away from Xhosa people. Yena aya kwini?

Sinazo • 11 May 2021
A Zulu word for asking a girl/guy out.
Example

Ladies must also shela now. #WomenHaveToShela

Skhokho • 11 May 2021

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