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.

Bherhi is a Xhosa term for a homeless person.
Example

Did you see Thabo left home, ngu bherhi ngoku.

Yanga CPT 25 April 2025
Sosh Plata refers to the customised number plate with a smaller/different font & font size, which makes it more appealing to the eye. It makes the car look cleaner & sexier. Also known as: illegal plata // Stance number plate // sosha plata.
Example

ah mfanaka ko botsa nka kreya dai Golf, fetsa kere Sosh 'plata ah ema nyana joh!"



(boy I am telling you, if I get that Golf, then put that illegal plata on it, its gonna break necks!)

Blessing 05 April 2025
South African rapper and businessman, regarded as one of the best rappers in the African continent.
Example

Cassper Nyovest ke star!

Themba 27 March 2025
A person who is always after everyones money, food etc
Example

Daii man ke letsetse ophela annyaka dilo

Karabo 04 February 2025
Example

She has a beautiful punta

Lovejones 28 January 2025
Is Xhosa word to categorise Xhosa men abaculelwa uSomagwaza who went to Initiation school apart from boys & men from other tribes.
Example

I'm a Xhosa Dyaniβœ“βœ“βœ“

(I'm a Hlubi/Sotho or Zulu Dyani) Hai ninganya minqundu

Lizwi 21 January 2025
Bhefta is a new Xhosa slang word for vagina. It is a variation of the Xhosa word, Bhentse, which means vagina.
Example

Ndiyayithanda iBhefta take.

Themba 09 January 2025
Unomokhwe is a Xhosa term for a hoe or whore.
Example

I hope la nomokhwe can rest in agony.

Themba 30 December 2024
Magesi is a South African football team that plays in the Betway Premiership. They recently won their first trophy, in their first season in top flight football, by beating Mamelodi Sundowns.
Example

Magesi is here to dominate.

Cody 29 November 2024
Another word for food (used commonly by stoners)
Example

....hey bro...after that "session" I'm definitely feeling the munchies.

Theguynextdoor 20 October 2024
Sort of point expanding using only a word "type shii" works perfectly when explaining something
Example

For stoners ( we all how it feels to get the "munchies" after a good blaze type shii

Theguynextdoor 20 October 2024
The word 'robot' when used in the context of driving means Traffic light.
Example

"The robot is red..."

Itu 13 October 2024

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