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.

A street winner
Example

Flex is The Street Champion

Colani 12 June 2021
Vaslap or vaaslap is a term used to refer to bathing cloth. You know that cloth you use when you are bathing.
Example

I need to get myself a new vaslap, this one is too old.

DRex 13 June 2021
Isgantsontso is a buff person, more like a sgora.
Example

Nonsense, utsho ngoba sisgantsontso

Danny 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
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
Showing a critical or disrespectful attitude.
Example

she keeps telling me I'm fat and she is always making derogatory remarks.

Zet 14 June 2021
Nyoso means Nonsense
Example

Her: Nasty C is better than A Reece

Him: yinyoso yelo (that's nonsense)

uCrist 15 June 2021
In South Africa, Ben 10 has nothing to do with cartoons. It rather refers to a young male who is dating an older female.
Example

I was once a Ben 10 and she used to give me money for alcohol every weekend.

Varsity Dude 15 June 2021
Used to describe someone whose talking shit.
Example

Uyanya iselwe nguwe la drink

Dr Westley 16 June 2021
Unotshe is a Xhosa interjection that means never or can be used as "over my dead body". It is pronounced as uno-chair.
Example

I will not allow you to marry my daughter. Unotshe!

Sinazo 16 June 2021
In Xhosa culture, Utsiki is the ritual where the bride to be (umakoti) has to eat a goat meat and drinks the sour milk of that particular family in which she is married to. It's basically the ceremony to welcome her to the family.
Example

No one:



Xhosa girls: sbwl utsiki.

MXhosa 17 June 2021
Umakoti is a Nguni term for a bride or bride to be.
Example

Are you ready to be umakoti apha ekhaya?

MXhosa 18 June 2021

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