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.

South Africa

Vuvuzela

A plastic horn/trumpet that is mostly blown in soccer matches. It produces a loud monotone note. It became very popular in South Africa in the 1990s. A fan of the Kaizer Chiefs named Freddie "Saddam" Maake says that he invented the vuvuzela.
Example

Don't forget your vuvuzela when we go to the stadium.

DRex • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Nyaope boy

This is a term used to refer to someone who smokes nyaope.
Example

These nyaope boys would kill you for R5.

DRex • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Nyaope

The drug that is killing the youth of South Africa. It makes these kids do all crazy things just to get that high.
Example

He is behaving like this because he smoked nyaope.

DRex • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Weed

This is the best herb to get you relaxed. It was once illegal to grow this shit in South Africa, but now motherfuckers are growing it all over.
Example

Dude, where did you get the weed we had last night? It was the bomb.

Chief • 19 July 2020
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South Africa
isiXhosa

Mntase

Short for mntasekhaya. A Xhosa term of endearment for family i.e siblings, cousins or even a dear friend.
Example

- Yho mntase, you should have seen the way he looked at me.

- Never let men play you, mntase. Banyise bonke.

Chief • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Pitori

Also known as Pretoria. This is the capital city of South Africa. The people of this city speak what they call SePitori.
Example

I know I'm a dick, akere I'm from Pitori.

DRex • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Flavoured air

This is the premium air that people from Pitori think they breathe, while the rest of the world breathes normal air.
Example

Pretorians like to think they breathe flavoured air

DRex • 19 July 2020
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South Africa

Xhosa

That South African language with all the clicks. The people who speak this language think they breathe flavoured air
Example

No one:

Thabo: I only date Xhosa chicks even though I know they will suck me dry.

DRex • 18 July 2020
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South Africa

Zol

A word that refers to Marijuana or weed
Example

When people zol, they put saliva on the paper and then they share that zol. But also they are moving saliva

DRex • 18 July 2020
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South Africa
isiXhosa

Umgowo

A Xhosa term used to tell someone that you are going through the most.



Variations: mgowo, gowa, gowisha, gowishing.
Example

I'm so broke, ngumgowo nje wodwa mntase.

Financially, ndiyagowa.

DRex • 18 July 2020
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South Africa

Thabo

One of the most popular name in textbook examples. This is the guy who always buy a lot of unnecessary things in the textbook.
Example

No one:

Maths textbook: Thabo bought 20 watermelons and 16 condoms, how many cousins does Thabo have?

Chief • 17 July 2020
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South Africa

Financial comma

When you are almost broke, you are only left with money to survive for less than a week.
Example

I can't go out today, I'm in a financial comma, and I'm only getting paid next week.

DRex • 16 July 2020
0 0

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