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.

The word that refers to when the head has been shaved to be bald.
Example

Men with chiskop are a bit scary.

Mr Trends 16 November 2020
Word used to express disbelief, surprise, dissatisfaction.
Example

Bathong, that's so crazy.

Mr Trends 30 November 2020
The nickname for the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Example

Cupcake is opening the country again.

Mr Trends 07 February 2021
New name for Port Elizabeth.
Example

Did you hear that Port Elizabeth is now called Gqeberha?

Mr Trends 24 February 2021
The Kasi term for a whore or hoe.
Example

This girl ke sfebe.

Mbali 05 March 2021
A SePitori term for nyaope withdrawal symptoms.

Drugs/Nyaope cravings.
Example

Others are having alostro because of lockdown.

Sinazo 05 March 2021
Qlyv is a shortened version of "Ndiyaqala uyiva", a Xhosa term that means "it is my first time hearing about it".
Example

Girl 1: I hear you are dating Thabo.

Girl 2: Qlyv

Sinazo 11 March 2021
A shortened version of "Undincamisile", a Xhosa term to express shock. Undincamisile can also mean "you have kissed me, you kissed me, s/he kissed me", which is not related to the definition we are talking about here.
Example

Girl 1: She has already moved on.

Girl 2: For real? It's only been 2 weeks.

Girl 1: Dead serious.

Girl 2: Ncmsl

Sinazo 11 March 2021
The down-payment paid by the groom to the family of the bride before they can get married. It can be in the form of money or livestock.

I believe they call it a dowry in other parts of the world.
Example

My family expects R200k lobola for you to marry me.

Mbali 18 March 2021
Wendy Williams day is a holiday that is celebrated in South Africa every year on April 10th... This is of course according to Wendy Williams and whoever lied to her because there's no such.
Example

We are having a huge braai for Wendy Williams Day.

Mbali 18 March 2021
A buff guy / those big guys at the gym.
Example

He has become a sgora now, the gym is helping him.

Mbali 19 March 2021
Also known as Eskom - Those assholes who are supposed to be providing South Africa with consistent electricity supply but instead they bring us consistent Load Shedding.
Example

It's dark again. Blame ass-kom.

Mbali 19 March 2021

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