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.

Istabane or isitabane is a derogatory term for a gay person.
Example

Dai man ke stabane.

That man is gay.

LinguistZA 14 December 2022
A derogatory Afrikaans slang term for a gay person. Similar to the word faggot in English.
Example

You don’t watch football? ⚽️ you might be a moffie

LinguistZA 14 December 2022
Fanagalo or Fanakalo is an informal language mainly spoken in mines across South Africa. It is composed of frequently corrupted elements of the Nguni languages, English and Afrikaans.
Example

I knew they were Zama zamas because I heard them speaking Fanagalo.

Mazembe 07 December 2022
A SePitori word meaning "something"
Example

"Ako botse ane deng mfanaka"

"Let me tell you something buddy"

Godz 02 December 2022
Xokshame is a Xhosa social media slang term for "I am joking / I am lying".
Example

I hate my ex girlfriend. Lol xokshame.

MXhosa 29 November 2022
Someone who is not good at something
Example

Chomi ya ka ke patla ka bolo

Philly Kabelo 28 November 2022
A frontal refers to a hairpiece that has a strip of material which runs from ear to ear.
Example

Every girl deserves ifrontal this December.

Sinazo 15 November 2022
Nkandla is a town in the uThungulu district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the district where former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma is from.
Example

I want to visit Nkandla this December.

DRex 08 November 2022
Afrikaners are a South African ethnic group descended from predominantly Dutch settlers first arriving at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th and 18th centuries
Example

Contrary to popular belief, Afrikaners are also Africans.

Gert 04 November 2022
isichitho is curse or spell that is made by people using a muthi to make a divisions in a relationship, sometimes families, by making a victim unattractive and annoying.
Example

They tried to use isichitho to make my boyfriend dump me.

Sinazo 04 November 2022
A slang term for sex or tlof tlof.
Example

Why do guys fall asleep immediately after umdavazo?

Danny 04 November 2022
Glamour Boys is another nickname for the South African soccer team Kaizer Chiefs.
Example

The Glamour Boys will beat Masandawana.

DRex 04 November 2022

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