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.

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
Grootie is a respectful term of referring to an older man. It’s a shortened version of grootman (big man).
Example

Sure Grootie, nice seeing you again.

Xhosa Nostra • 17 July 2025
Imazi is a Xhosa term for a female animal.
Example

Ndifuna imazi yegusha.

I want a female sheep.

Xhosa Nostra • 14 July 2025
Dijo is a Sotho term for food.
Example

Ke batla dijo.
I want food.

LinguistZA • 11 July 2025
How South Africans say β€œtraffic lights” because β€œtraffic lights” is too long and doesn’t sound futuristic enough.
Example

No one:

Passenger in a taxi: After robot, driver.

Yanga CPT • 02 July 2025
Skipa is a South African term for a T-shirt.
Example

I need to buy that GALXBOY skipa very soon.

Blessing • 26 June 2025
Ikula is an offensive term used to refer to Indian people.
Example

He speaks like that because he is dating ikula.

Skhokho • 16 June 2025
Gongo is a derogatory term used to refer to coloureds.
Example

I am now dating igongo.

Skhokho • 16 June 2025
Nongendi is a Xhosa word/name for a nun. It directly translates to β€œone who cannot get married”.
Example

Usisi wam nguNongendi.
My sister is a nun.

Themba • 08 June 2025
Poephol is afrikaans for an asshole, usually used to reference to people
Example

Jou poepholl!

Translation: you asshole

Tead jeffrey • 04 June 2025

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