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.

Used as a racist remark towards black people who behave like Caucasians (White people). Derived from the coconut fruit - "brown on the outside, white on the inside".
Example

What were you expecting from this one? He is a coconut anyways.

Chief 11 July 2020
A term your Skrr skrr kids use to refer to covid-19 (Coronavirus).
Example

Skrr skrr 1: Don't come too close to me without a mask, fam.
Skrr skrr 2: Why, you think I have The Rona?

Mr Trends 11 July 2020
Yizo Yizo was a popular South African TV show in the early 2000s which showed the violence, drugs abuse and hooliganism in schools. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to watch it
Example

Did you see what Hazel did on Yizo Yizo last night?

Mr Trends 11 July 2020
Young and naive girls who apparently do not date broke men. They spend hours on Snapchat and Instagram showing off things they don't even own.
Example

Sandton slay queens are the worst, they will milk you dry then run way.

Chief 11 July 2020
A quality that includes the essential human virtues; compassion and humanity.
Example

"there is a need for understanding not vengeance, ubuntu not victimization"

Chief 11 July 2020
A rich, usually older guy who exchanges his money for sexual benefits from young girls and/or boys.
Example

Chomie, I got this new iPhone from my Blesser.

Chief 11 July 2020
This is a South African way of saying Barbecue.
Example

Tonight, we deserve to have braai and celebrate the great year we've had

Chief 11 July 2020
If you say that something will happen with immediate effect or with effect from a particular time, you mean that it will begin to apply or be valid immediately or from the stated time.
Example

No one:

Cyril Ramaphosa: The sale of alcohol is suspended with immediate effect!

Mr Trends 12 July 2020
This word can be used in any context. You can use it to greet, to say goodbye, to indicate you are happy. Etc.
Example

Guy 1: Aweh bro, howzit?
Guy 2: Chilled bro, how about you?

Guy 1: Lekker bro.
Guy 2: Aweh!

Chief 15 July 2020
The weakest soccer team in Africa and the rest of the world.
Example

Even Banyana Banyana can beat your beloved Bafana Bafana.

Mr Trends 15 July 2020
The South African Women's soccer team.
Example

Banyana Banyana is the best women's soccer team in Africa, unlike Bafana Bafana.

Chief 16 July 2020
is a widely used term, mostly by whites or cheese boys indicating that something is β€˜great’ or β€˜nice’.
Example

Thabo: This biltong is lekker.

Nathan: Yeah bru, it's not as lekker as the one from we had last week, though.

DRex 16 July 2020

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