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.

Is to buy WEED, this term started in Mamelodi now is a common word around Pitori.
Example

Bro, Vraiza ujike ko Jeff uTokantse baart

Thulani Mabuza 22 April 2022
Somagwaza, is a rather mysterious, if not mythical, forefather who invented circumcision as a means of passage into manhood for Xhosa people.
Example

I'm sure you didn't know who Somagwaza was 😅

MXhosa 19 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
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
Khemi is a general slang term for muthi or traditional medicine.
Example

He gets his girls using his khemi.

Skhokho 04 April 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 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
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
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
A very cool humble guy whom everyone thinks his hot, attractive and liked by many.
Example

My crush is Sandile

Costa 23 January 2022
Umahlalela is a Xhosa term for an unemployed person.
Example

uRamaphosa uyamthanda umahlalela, uvele amnike iR350.

Ramaphosa loves the unemployed, he just gives them R350.

MXhosa 09 January 2022
Impama is a Nguni term for slap.
Example

Ndizakufaka impama

I will slap you

MXhosa 06 January 2022

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