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.

Imedi is a term, mostly used in Cape Town to refer to a girl or girlfriend.
Example

Ndiyayithanda imedi yam bro.

I love my girlfriend bro

MXhosa 24 January 2022
Cherry is a Kasi term to refer to a girl/female. It can also be used to refer specifically to a girlfriend
Example

Ndikhumbula icherry yam ngoku.

MXhosa 24 January 2022
Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. It is the oldest and second largest city in South Africa, after Johannesburg.
Example

I can't wait to go to Cape Town this summer.

MXhosa 24 January 2022
Sjura is a derogatory Xhosa slang term for a whore or hoe.
Example

Hayi Maan sisjura lewey

MXhosa 31 January 2022
A new drug in Pitori that is 10 times stronger and addictive than nyaope.
Example

Kreng kreng is finishing the youth of Pretoria

Mr Trends 03 February 2022
It's a thing or something
Example

Iphi la wayi ?



In English - where is that thing?

Inkonde' magama 09 February 2022
A Kasi term for a chubby or a fat person.
Example

Eish that girl sisdudla and I love her.

MXhosa 09 February 2022
A hit song by the legendary Mandoza and it almost became the National Anthem but Sister Betina overtook it.
Example

Can you please play the Nkalakatha song.

Chief 14 February 2022
Khemi is a general slang term for muthi or traditional medicine.
Example

He gets his girls using his khemi.

Skhokho 04 April 2022
Illegal drinking place. In South Africa, it refers to unlicensed bars in Kasi and has become a mainstream word.
Example

I last saw him drinking Zamalek at the shebeen yesterday.

MXhosa 18 April 2022
"Hello"; also used before combat. Example in combat: Hosh, jy raak wys ("Hello, show me what you made of"). This gang-related word occurs inside as well as outside of prison: use at own discretion
Example

Hosh nongoloza, come here.

Mbali 18 April 2022
Maskandi is a kind of Zulu folk music / genre that is dominant amongst the Zulu population of South Africa.
Example

I enjoy listening to Maskandi

My favourite Maskandi artist is Mgqumeni

Chief 18 April 2022

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