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.

Amakhosi is another name for the South African soccer team (Future African Champions) Kaizer Chiefs.
Example

Amakhosi are getting a star when they win the finals.

Danny 26 June 2021
To jaiva is to dance.
Example

I need to learn uku jaiva.

Danny 26 June 2021
Mandoza was a Kwaito legend who gave us a lot of hit songs like Nkalakatha, Tornado, etc.

May he continue to rest 🙏🏾
Example

I really miss Mandoza right now.

Chief 21 June 2021
Indlala is the formal Xhosa term for hunger or poverty.
Also see Ikati ilele eziko
Example

Indlala inamanyala and it can make you do anything.

MXhosa 21 June 2021
In Nguni languages, unondindwa is a derogatory term used to refer to a whore or sfebe.
Example

No bro, that girl ngu nondindwa.

Zet 14 June 2021
Papsak is the foil container that's put inside a box of wine (3L or 5L). The term can be used to
refer to to cheap or low quality wine.
Example

We used to moer papsak when we were learning to drink.

Zet 14 June 2021
Ukufemba is a spiritual healing /energy healing where an inyanga removes bad spirits in one's body or foreign objects in the yard or car. It's an African exorcism (ukukhipha imimoya emibi).
Example

I need to try ukufemba.

Mr Trends 09 June 2021
An expression of extreme surprise. Used with a question mark.

Equivalent to "what the fuck?"

Derived from the praise "and then..."
Example

Ah, enden? What happened here?

S.J 08 June 2021
Material Don Dada was a Skhothane that was once the coolest kid in Mzansi, a title now owned by Uncle Vinny.
Example

The Skhothane culture died with Don Dada.

Zet 07 June 2021
A word in any of the Nguni languages, a prefix for "I have"
Example

Ngine- (I have)

imali (money)

Ngine+imali = Nginemali (I have money)

S.J 07 June 2021
A filler word usually meaning "but"

It can be added in the beginning, middle, or the end of a sentence.
Example

Mara why it is so expensive?

He's good looking mara he's not a good person.

Why do we have to be so broke, mara?

S.J 07 June 2021
Is a conceptual art t-shirt and sneaker brand that turns concepts into art in a form of fashion expression.
Example

I love the t-shirt that I bought from ABSTRACT WRLD DESIGNS.

A$AP WRLD 06 June 2021

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