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.
My roomza likes stealing my groceries.
I need to get myself a bakkie for when I go to the villages.
Oksalayo Kaizer Chiefs is still the best team in the country.
Did you see Paul Pogba doing the Gwara gwara?
The word was popularised on social media after Naomi Campbell said βamandalaβ instead of the correct βamandlaβ at the Global Citizen Festival in 2018.
You'll be strong. Hayi wethu Amandala to you.
He came in with a vrr phaa and all the girls went crazy.
Madumane: Thank you Sauta for the love.
Twitter post caption: It can only be South Ah
Uthetha amasimba.
Translation: You are talking shit
Madumane ke star.