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.
Daai Steve is OK maar 'n fokkerkie
Translation: that guy Steve is a real small fuck
Me: Gombo means "a newly developed area. It is the name given by the Xhosas to the City of East London after its foundation in 1836"
You: That is gibberish.
Me: uyarhubha.
My car broke down on the way, I had to make amatile-tile to get here.
I am going for a rhili.
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
What’s that smell? 🤢
Ungodly isabhongo usisi wakho.
Ay this new Amapiano dance trend on TikTok is not make sure.
Phatha Khongolose, phatha.