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.

Zkhiphani or zikhiphani is a Mzansi slang term for "What's up", "what it do", "what's happening", and so on... You get the picture.
Example

Ola mjita, zkhiphani lapho.

Mbali 28 June 2021

RSA

The Republic of South Africa
Example

I rep RSA till the day I die.

Mane 27 June 2021
Jiva is a kasi term for dancing. It can also be spelt as Jaiva.
Example

Ey wena uyathanda uku jiva.

You like dancing

Danny 26 June 2021
Gwala is a Nguni term for a coward.
Example

Ey that grootman ligwala.

Danny 26 June 2021
Injibhabha is a Xhosa term that is mostly used by women to refer to loss of hair (in women) on the side of the hair. Or just woman becoming bald.
Example

Yho seyonjibhabha kusisi wakho

Sinazo 25 June 2021
Umgosi in South Africa means gossip.
Example

No one:
Girls: I have so much mgosi for you my friend.

Marawa 23 June 2021
Mzukwana is a Kasi term for the olden days / the good old days / back in the day.
Example

I woke up and listened to Kwaito ya mzukwana today.

Skhokho 20 June 2021
An aura having a frame of mind that will last a lifetime, has epiphany
Example

Tell Dyco to come and do the greats he always does

Colani 18 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
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
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
Used to describe someone whose talking shit.
Example

Uyanya iselwe nguwe la drink

Dr Westley 16 June 2021

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