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.
No one:
Skrr Skrr kid: I went to see a Bone Thug today cause y'all be trippin.
Did you see that shibobo from Messi?
I'm not surprised, akere it's Yt pipo.
Girls will mize you when you are broke!
I know your dad from van toeka.
Used to signify fun or excitement.
Yebo, ziyaporoma
Tshela u-barman nomayini
1. Ityala can mean debt.
2. Ityala can mean a case (court).
So it all depends on the context.
1. Ityala lam lakwa FNB yi R20 000.
(My FNB debt is R20 000).
2. Ityala lam licinyiwe namhlanje.
(My case was dropped today).
Umsunu kanyoko
Your mother's cunt
Ngufasti wam lawey
She is my main girlfriend
uspinza ini? What are you drinking?
Did you go to Sgela? Did you go to School?