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.

Thunee

NEW
A highly popular, fast-paced trick-taking card game that originated among the Indian South African community in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
Example

I like playing some thunee with my friends.

Raj 03 September 2026
A term to describe the feeling of shame; being ashamed at something/someone/oneself. Also used to express condolences, affection, anger, etc.
Example

You see a cute baby: "Aw shame"
Your friend's dog has passed away: "Ag, shame.

Pretorius27 19 August 2026
Usorhulu is a elder Brother of Person's Father
Example

Usorhulu Ungifundise ukureya

Usorhulu taught Me to drive

Anti Devil 01 August 2026
Urhulu Sesi Omkhulu Baba woMundu

Urhulu is Big Sister of a person's Father
Example

Sithe Masifika Khabo Baba Urhulu Wajabula

By the time We arrived at Father's home Aunty was happy

Anti Devil 31 July 2026
Umberego is the job
Example

Ngubani ofuna umberego

Pronunciation
by Anti Devil
Anti Devil 29 July 2026
Inkunkqa is a Xhosa term for that dirty white thing inside an uncircumcised penis.
Example

Go bath, ude wanayo ne nkunkqa.

MXhosa 16 July 2026
It is a "Lobedu" word, regarded as a swear word and can be vulgar, which means 'Anus/Asshole".
Example

As it is vulgar and generally considered an insult,you don't randomly use it, however You can say "Toko yao" which means "Your asshole/anus".

Keletso 17 March 2026
Xhosa term for sleeping over at a boyfriend/girlfriend's place.
Example

Umntu wakhe uthe makatake iweekend yonke.

Her partner asked her to sleep over for the whole weekend.

Tshidi (Not Matshidiso) 20 September 2025
Township meaning for slang whose direct translation means 'gangster language' 'taal' being the Afrikaans word for language. A huge contribution to this type of slang stem from South African prisons.
Example

He came back from Pollsmoor speaking Tsotsi taal.

Tshidi (Not Matshidiso) 18 September 2025
cash, stash , dough, (relation to money in general.)
Serendipitously the word is a title of the song that shook the whole mzansi, nation as a whole, it was in every corner one would turn.
Example

ntwana ako sike gumba dar, lend me some cash nyana.

Siba da Ntsizwa (GI) 24 August 2025
Inyhori is a Xhosa slang term that’s used to refer to someone with one eye.
Example

They stabbed him in the eye, now yinyhori.

Pronunciation
by MXhosa
MXhosa 16 August 2025
Nongogo is a vulgar Xhosa term that means a whore.
Example

Ndipeyile namhlanje, I should get unongogo.

I got paid today, I should get a whore.

Xhosa Nostra 18 July 2025

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