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Pronounced (ggggaaah); is a Khoikhoi word for “plenty” or “enough”. Used in Xhosa as a term for “That’s enough”often in anger and sometimes in disgust hence mistaken for “ew”.
In Khoikhoi: There is a river in the Eastern Cape called Birha. Bi is milk, and rha is plenty. Hence “a place of milk”. Another use is in the Xhosa chief Gambushe’s nickname: Rharhabe meaning “Minister of Plenty”.
In Xhosa it varies:
In a Dismissal Manner
Someone: I’m going to out race you.
Me: Rha! That would be the day.
To stop a child who is hitting another child a parent could say “Stop it. Rha! That’s enough”
In a Disgusting Manner
When a child see poop usually they used to say “Rha! Poo”
When people hear, smells, or see a disgusting thing they can say “Rha!”
In an Elated Manner
A person recounting an exciting moment of thriumph can say “Rha! I out did myself”
Feeling pretty? “Rha! I’m beautiful”
What’s that smell? 🤢
Ungodly isabhongo usisi wakho.
Ndza ku rhandza my wife/husband/ and so on.....
NB: It is used at any person whom you want her/(...) to express your love.
Guy 1: I just heard that in 1994, ANC won the elections but Nelson Mandela made the call to give it to the IFP for stability.
Guy 2: where did you hear that?
Guy 1: From Dhloogle.
He could of been killed if it wasn't for me.
owing to the Christianization of the Xhosa language by early African converts writers who owing to growing up in mission station could not comprehend Xhosa properly and had a habit of changing the spelling of Xhosa words they did not understand.
Going to East London?
I’m going to Gombo
We need to go to the airport in Kempton Park.
I'm dying from babalaas now, ndifuna ukuqabula.
You know guys from cape Town like listening to Spaza music.
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