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.

Igali is a term used in parts of the Eastern Cape to refer to a shack.
Example

Igali lam liyavuza.

DRex 01 March 2025
Is a popular Xhosa slang which means What's going on. It's most popular in the Eastern Cape streets.
Example

Whuzet nawe nalamntana uMbali?

Lisakhanya Ndwayi 29 January 2025
Creatures which must be avoided by all men To live a peaceful life.
Example

“Bafazi Abanangcondo outy yami”

Andy 25 January 2025
February 14th is Valentine's Day, a day to express love and affection. It's celebrated by exchanging gifts, and other tokens of affection. just a KAK day that I will never get to celebrate (ntozamashwa)
Example

VALENTINES IS COMING , WHERE IS YOUR BF ? YOU'RE SITTING ALONE , LONELLYYYYYYY

Annie raghu 24 January 2025
a mortuary , a cold place where deceased people are kept .
Example

unjalonje nizondibona ndiphumle eCebolethu emkhenkceni

Annie raghu 24 January 2025
Its a Xhosa word meaning lemme sleep . often used when someone is tired & they want to rest
Example

Andidinwe hayi mandilale

Annie raghu 24 January 2025
Nindahlule is a general Xhosa phrase meaning I'm in disbelief .
Example

out of disappointment : "yho hayi nindahlule"

Annie raghu 24 January 2025
It's a new word to ask a friend how he/she is doing.
Example

Ekse Bathini nigga?

Lwakhe 22 January 2025
Relebohile Mofokeng, formerly known as Relebohile Ratomo is a South African football player who plays for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana. He is also known as Cocomelon or President yama2000.
Example

Did you see what Relebohile Mofokeng did over the weekend? 😮‍💨

Cody 29 November 2024
Sesotho is the South Sotho language of the Basotho people, an official language in Lesotho and South Africa.
Example

I speak SeSotho at home.

Cody 29 November 2024
What Zulu people call a cellphone that can't connect to the internet and is used strictly for calls and SMSes.
Example

Guy 1: Hey bro, why don't you video call her?

Guy 2: Eish, she uses bhopopo.

27 November 2024
Springboks is the name used to refer to the South African National Rugby Team.
Example

The Springboks are currently number one in the world.

Stanley 19 November 2024

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