List of South African slang words

List of Afrikanerisms

A–M

• aap – lit. ape/monkey. Originally refers to any person who behaves similarly to an ape or an idiot, i.e. barbaric, regardless of skin colour.
• aya - brother
• Abba - not to be confused with Swedish pop-group ABBA, it is a title given to God the Father, derived from the Aramaic word for father.
• abba - to carry someone on one's back.
• ag man – oh man; ag as the Afrikaans equivalent to "oh", "man" pronounced as in English.
• ag shame – both an expression of pity and sorrow, depending on context: Ag shame, daardie baba is te oulik! ; Ag shame, die arme hond is dood.
• antie – an older female authority figure. Derived from the English "aunt", with the original meaning still intact.
• anties – breasts/boobs
• aweh/awe – said in excitement, as in: Aweh; my boss said I can go home early today.', 'or 'Ok, cool'.' Same as the English pop culture slang 'yas'. The word has many meanings or uses: "hello", "goodbye", "yes", "cool". Also associated with prison use. "Aweh, my bru.". Similar: howzit, yooit, hoesit, yo.
• babbelbekkie – someone who talks a lot
• babelaas / babbelas – hangover
• bakgat – cool; expression of appreciation for something very well accomplished
• bakore - lit "bowl ears", refers specifically to people who have Protruding ears, like a bowl's handles.
• bakkie – a utility truck or pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English. Can also refer to a small plastic container/bowl.
• balla – lit. "balls". Refers to the scrotum or penis.
• balsak – lit. "ball-sack". Refers specifically to the scrotum.
• bangbroek – lit. "scaredy-pants"
• befok – really good, exciting, cool; as in "The rock-show was befok.". Also means to be extremely angry; as in "Ek is nou so befok". Can also mean "crazy" in a very strong sense, as in "Are you befok?" – derogatory. Can also mean "to have sex with".
• befoetered/bedonnered/bemoerd – lit. "extremely angry" similar to "diedonnerend", etc. Usually used to refer to a person who is often in a very bad mood.
• bergie – from Afrikaans berg, which translates to "mountain", originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain; now a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants, or homeless persons, especially in Cape Town.
• beter bang Jan, as dooie Jan – lit. "better to be a scared Jan rather than a dead Jan". English equivalent is "better to be safe than sorry".
• bietjie-baie – lit. "a little bit too much". "bietjie" and "baie"
• bielie – a butch, yet friendly and often brave man with a lot of stamina. Someone who will lovingly do something tough no matter if the odds are stacked against him. Derived from the folk song "Jan, Jan, Jan, die bielie van die bosveld". Which describes a man who is willing to do any form of hard labour with a smile on his face.
• blerrie/bladdy hell – damn/damnit. Originally from the British English phrase "bloody hell".
• bliksem – strike, hit, punch; also used often as an expression of surprise/emphasis. It derives from the Dutch word for "lightning", and often occurs in conjunction with donner. "Bliksem! Daai weerlig was hard!". Used as a curse in Afrikaans: "Jou bliksem!"
• bliksemse – lit. "damn thing" Used in conjunction with "donnerse".
• bloutrein – literally "blue train", referring to methylated spirits, sometimes used for drinking. Also refers to the Blue Train, a luxury train that travels from Johannesburg to Cape Town via the Trans Karoo rail-line aka "Transkaroo".
• boef – lit. "law-breaker". Refers to any person who has broken a law and got away with it. Derived from the Afrikaans word of the same spelling for "to cuff". The plural "boewe", refers both to multiple persons in arrest and the handcuffs themselves. Considered outdated as "bliksem" and "skelm" are more commonly used.
• boer – literally "farmer" in Afrikaans..
• boer maak 'n plan – "farmer makes a plan" is an expression used to refer to a creative solution, often low-cost and rather innovative.
• boererate – a number of local home remedies that are super effective and cheap. May also be applied to DIY projects.
• boerewors – a very popular mixed-meat spiced sausage in South Africa. In Afrikaans, literally "farmer's sausage", used as a mainstream word in South African English.
• boerewors roll/boerie roll – the South African equivalent of the hot dog, using the boerewors with an onion relish in a hot dog bun
• boggerol/bugger-all - Anglicism with identical meaning, usually succeeding the words "sweet blou/blue" to emphasize the "nothingness" of the topic.
• boland – refers to the geographic region known as the Highveld. Usually the term is primarily used by Southern Coastal regions to refer to the inland provinces that form a part of the plateau.
• bollie - lit "to poop". Of unknown origin, it is the Afrikaans equivalent of "poop". Due to the fact that it's the most child-friendly description of defecation.
• bokkie – a popular term of endearment, comparable to "sweetheart", "honey", etc. Another meaning for the word bokkie is for a style of beard which is short and stylish and often surrounds just the mouth and chin in a circle. Based on the Afrikaans word bok.
• boom – marijuana
• bosberaad – strategy meeting held in a rural setting
• bossies, or bosbefok – crazy, whacko, mad. Also a term for one who has shell shock. Refers to the time of the South African Border War where soldiers spent time in the bush and would return home suffering battle flash-backs.
• brak – mongrel dog, can also refer to brackish water
• branna – short for "brandewyn"
• breakdown – an average pick-up that's been specially modified into a tow-truck. Often modified for performance.
• broekie – panties or ladies underwear. From Afrikaans: broek, meaning "trousers/briefs". Common usage: "Don't get your broekies in a knot" which means "Calm down".
• broekie lace – ornate ironwork found on Victorian buildings, the tie that you find on board shorts
• bro/bra/bru/boet/boetie – a close male friend and a term of affection used by one male to another. All words are variations of the word "broer" in Afrikaans meaning "brother". Boetie specifically means little brother in Afrikaans because of the "ie" diminutive suffix. You could say, "Hey bro, howzit" or "Thanks a million bro for lending me your car". When you refer to another male as bro is it because you consider that person to be such a good friend he is like a brother, a family member. Bro can also be used for strangers but only also if you wish to show a welcoming and friendly attitude towards them or when you want to deescalate tension in a friendly way as in "Chill out bro". However you would certainly not walk around calling every man you see, bro, because in South Africa the term is not used as loosely as it is in the US for example.
• bring-en-braai/bring-and-braai – guests bring their own food and drink to the braai. Traditions surrounding the event usually stipulate that any left-over food and drinks are left behind with the hosts of the party as a parting gift, unless the food was pre-prepared in a personal container.
• bromponie – lit. "a noisy pony", refers to a scooter motorcycle, because a full-size motorcycle is often referred to as an "ysterperd", considering a pony is much smaller than a horse.
• brommer - lit. "a noise maker" refers to a noisy fly, more specifically to the genus Morellia.
• buk – duck your head down quickly, as in "Buk when you go in the door; it's really low."
• bucks – from the English word meaning it refers to money, although borrowed from the American term of the same meaning, coincidentally there are two types of bucks featured on the coins of the South African Rand. Not to be confused with the "Bokke".
• button – mandrax tablet
• braai – a barbecue, to barbecue, used as a mainstream word in South African English. Specifically to grill meat on an open fire. As a noun, it is also the literal area/object used for the grilling of the meat as well as the social gathering around it.
• braaivleis – same as braai
• braaibroodjies – toasted sandwiches that are grilled over an open flame on a braai. Usually served as a side-dish to braaivleis.
• cherry – "meddie", see tjerrie
• china/chine – a friend; as in the greeting Howzit my china? Likely origin: Cockney rhyming slang "China plate" ; from early British immigrants.
• chommie – a friend ; also refers to the perineum area between vagina and anus. Also spelled tjommie.
• "chop/tjop" – it literally means a piece of meat that you would often cook on a braai. If you can call someone a chop it means they are being silly or an acting like an idiot, "Don't be a chop". Calling someone a chop often does not mean any harm, it is a light and playful insult and this word is most commonly used in a friendly way between associates. It can also be meant in a teasing way, like "dont be silly".
• chop-chop – lit. means "quickly". Is used when a person has had something done, or wants to have something done in a short amount of time. Derived from the chopping of a knife.
• choty goty – beautiful girl
• chrisco – a party/disco where Christian music mainly features; a combination of the words "Christian" and "disco"
• Chwee chweereekeys – getting high
• civvies – taken from the English term "civilian wear", it refers to day-to-day clothes worn when out of uniform. Casual Fridays are encouraged annually due to the public school system's dress code employing a uniform, similar to European school dress codes. So once or twice a year, students are encouraged to come to school in their civvies.
• coconut – lit. coconut fruit; can be used as a racist remark towards black people who behave like Caucasians, "brown on the outside, white on the inside".
• cooldrink/koeldrank – refers to a soft drink
• cozzie/cossie – lit. "swimsuit." Derived from the British term "swimming costume". Is considered a more playful sounding name.
• dagga – most commonly used word for marijuana
• dice – not to be confused with the game of dice, it refers to a form of amateur motor-racing where 2 or more vehicles sprint to an impromptu Finish Line on public roads. Often considered to be a part of illegal street racing, dicing under the legal limit though is usually permitted, though still frowned upon.
• dik – lit. "thick". Can be a derogatory term for being overweight, similar to "dikgat", as well as the Satiety-state
• dikbek – grumpy, in a huff
• dikgat – lit. "fat-arsed". Derogatory term for overweight people, used in conjunction with "vetgat"
• diedonnerend; diemoerend; diebliksemend – lit. extremely angry, borderline volatile. derived from "donner", "moer" and "bliksem".
• dinges – thingamabob, a whatzit or a whatchamacallit. Dutch – dinges.
• Dirty Dave - Man from the south of Cape Town - also known as "chubby".
• Jou Ma se poes! – lit. "you're mom's pussy". Used as a strong disagreement.
• Dog het gedog hy plant 'n veer en 'n hoender kom op – lit. "Thought thought it would plant a feather and then a chicken would come up". Used in retort when someone says they thought something was a good idea and it turned out to be not.
• doos – literally the Afrikaans translation for "box". Depending on context, the slang/derogatory version can mean prat, twat, idiot but most commonly understood as a translation of "arsehole" or "cunt", which in that case would be considered highly offensive.
• domkop – idiot, same as German "Dummkopf" or Dutch "domkop"
• dom nool – emphasis of "stupid idiot"
• donner – to beat up. Used in conjunction with "bliksem". Derived from "donder". Amounts to an ancient curse. Like "Nick I'm going to donner you".
• donnerse – lit. "damn thing". Often used in frustration with another person or thing: "Die donnerse ding wil nie werk nie.".
• donkie is 'n wonderlike ding – lit. "A donkey is a wonderful thing". Based on a rhyme of the same name, which satirically describes why a donkey should be considered "wonderful". It can be used to describe any undesirable object/situation that may have its benefits as well.
• dof – stupid or slow to understand.
• dop – alcohol, to drink alcohol, to fail a test. Originally refers to a tot. The diminutive form "doppie" refers to a bottle cap.
• doss, dorse, dossing – sleep or nap
• draadsitter – lit. "fence sitter". Refers to someone who is uninterested in choosing a side in an argument and therefore remains neutral.
• droëwors – dried boerewors, similar to biltong
• drol – lit. a turd ; also refers to an arsehole/idiot; a cigarette, with a singly sold cigarette called a 'los drol'
• dronkie – drunkard
• druk – to embrace or squeeze, hug "Gee my 'n drukkie," "Give me a hug."
• druk 'n Drie, druk a drol, druk 'n vinger in jou hol – lit. "score a try, squeeze a turd and insert your finger into your anus". A crude but humorous way to say "go finger-fuck yourself"
• DStv – a popular digital satellite television pay-service throughout Southern Africa. The satellite-decoders, mainly used by all the subscribers, are often informally referred to just as "a DStv" instead of "DStv-decoder".
• dux – to dream, sleep; lekker dux -to have sweet dreams
• dwankie – someone or something that is lame, stupid, uncool, or generally undesirable. Generally used as an insult or in a derogatory way. Can be used as both a noun: "Look at those dwankies over there!" and an adjective: "My chinas have gone dwankie!"
• Dyyy Lans a Cuk inhe – Someone or something that has glasses, special needs, or autistic. Generally used as an insult or in a derogatory way.
• eh pappa! – lit. "whoa daddy!"
• eina! – ouch! used as a mainstream word in South African English - originally an Afrikaans term.
• eish! – Wow! What? Expression of surprise. Of Bantu origin.
• ek sê – "I say!" Used when making a statement.
• en nou?! - lit. "and now?". Used when a person is confused by a new revelation, like for example: En nou?! Wat gaan hier aan? Julle was nou-net in a goeie bui gewees?. Used in conjunction with "nou-toe-nou" and "en dit nou".
• entjie – Cigarette. For example, "Awe ou. Steek 'n ent!". Also refers to a small distance away: That car is an entjie away from you.
• F.A.K. - pronounced as "fuck" if read as an acronym, though it is not appropriate to do so due to the similar pronunciation of the Afrikaans word "vak", thus the letters are pronounced as individuals, it is the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultureelevereniginge. A non-profit organization that preserves the integrity of the Afrikaans people's culture in history, literature, music and the performing arts. Music listed in the F.A.K. Songbook is generally perceived as mostly Afrikaans folk music.
• flaterwater – correction fluid
• flou – an unfunny joke, can also refer to weak coffee or tea or weak alcoholic drink. A person that is weak..
• fok – Afrikaans for "fuck", can be used in most ways it is used in English. Fokken = fucking, gefok = fucked. Dutch – Fokken = breeding.
• fok voort – lit. to proceed in a single-minded direction regardless of obstacles. Derived from the phrase: Kyk Noord en Fok voort..
• fok weet – lit. "fuck knows". A response to an unanswerable question. Similar to "I don't know who knows"
• fokker – lit. "fucker". Also the name of the Dutch aircraft manufacturer, Fokker.
• fokkol – lit. "fuck-all". Literally means "absolutely nothing" : Ek het fokkol geld.
• fokkoff – lit. "fuckoff"
• gat – lit. "hole". Also refers lit. to "arse". Can also be used as a shortened version of the word "gaan".
• gatkruip – lit. "arse creeping" or brown nosing
• gat velle brand – lit. "arse-skin burning". Is a warning from a parent to his/her child, that they are about to receive a big hiding: Ek sal jou soo hard pak gee, dat jou gat velle gaan brand!
• gatvol – lit. annoyed enough to the brink of getting angry: Ek is gatvol vir jou kak.
• gemorsjors - lit. "a messy person". refers to a person who is behaving, and/or dressing, in a very messy manner.
• geit – It literally means "quirks". Usually a negative connotation in relation to a person being either: stubborn, fussy or demanding and sometimes also relating to hypochondriasis. Literal English translation will align it with "-ness". An example is: "hardegat-geit".
• gham – derogatory term for an "uncivilized coloured"; used to describe someone with undesirable traits in looks and mannerisms. "Ew, that guy is so gham!"
• gin-en-gaap - An expression of unknown origin, describes a person who is wasting time by either laziness or being too slow. Gaap is Afrikaans for yawn.
• glug-glug-glug – lit. the sound made by a flowing liquid through a small opening, like a bottle being emptied. Also refers to a viral television advertisement from the 1980s by the South African Oil company, Sasol. The term also became one of Sasol's signature slogans.
• goffel – ugly girl or woman. For example, "What a G!". Also a degrading term for a person of coloured origin.
• gomgat – bumpkin, redneck.
• goof, ghoef – swim, take a dip
• gooi – throw, chuck or to "tune" someone
• goose – also chick, cherry: a young woman or girlfriend. Also a famous line by South African comedian Barry Hilton.
• gril - it refers to a person having an adverse sensory reaction to something that is considered disgusting, creepy or freaky in any way. The closest English equivalent would be "hair-raising". Usually used in the phrase "ek gril myself dood vir....".
• gwai - also cigarette. derived from "give me a cigarette. Translated - "gee da n gwai"
• hardegat-, gheit – lit. "hard-arsed". Describes the stubbornness of a person.
• Hier kom Groot Kak! - lit. "Here's comes big shit" Is an expression of revelation towards an often impending and undesired result.
• hoesit, hoezit, howzit – derived from "How is it going? – contracted to how's it? In South African English context, howzit is more a greeting of "hello" rather than "how are you?", similar to South African black slang's "eta" or "ola"
• hoer en remoer - lit "whoring around" by either throwing wild parties, or having casual sex with just about every attractive person you meet, applies to both genders.
• hokaai stop die lorrie! – lit. "Whoa there! Stop the lorry!". Often used to call an immediate halt in whatever is being done, usually in conjunction with a possible undesirable outcome.
• hol – lit. hollow. It also refers to "run very fast". Also refers to anus.
• holskeurend – lit. "anus-ripping". Refers to hysterical laughter. Used in conjunction with "lag my gat af".
• holvlos - lit. "arsehole-floss", refers to a G-string. Die lankste toukie in die wêreld is 'n holvlos, omdat hy strek vanaf Hol-land na "Parra"guay. to Paraguay
• honne – informal spelling and pronunciation of "honde".
• hottentot - derogatory term describing people of multiracial ethnic backgrounds, especially those of Malaysian-descent. It's derived from the word "Hottentotsgod".
• huistoegaantyd - lit. "time to go home". A portmanteau of the words "huistoe", "gaan" and "tyd". Used to signal the end of the school-day and work-day.
• hy sal sy gat sien - lit. "he'll see his arse" fig. "He'll have his come-uppance"
• ice-cream-karretjie/roomys-karretjie - lit. "ice-cream car" refers to a purpose-modified vehicle that drives around and sells ice cream. Referred to in the U.S. as an "ice cream truck" and in the UK as an "ice-cream van". It also is considered a nickname for the Volkswagen Type 2 and Volkswagen Type 2, due to both vehicle's immense popularity in that configuration. Even though it is technically a panel van, it's still referred to as a "karretjie".
• in sy moer in – badly damaged, destroyed. often used in conjunction with "moer-in".
• in sy glory in – same as above, considered to be less rude.
• innie/oppie – informal combined spelling of the phrases "in die" and "op die".
• in jou noppies - lit. "you are thrilled". Used to describe levels of excitement, similar to "tickled pink".
• ipekonders - commonly pronounced as "iepie-corners", refers to Hypochondriasis. Unlike the actual disorder, it is often used to comically exaggerate a person's reaction to any kind of symptoms that are generally considered harmless regardless of the discomfort caused by them. Like when someone drinks cough-syrup after coughing just twice.
• ja – yeah
• Jakob regop – lit. "Jacob upright". Refers to an erect penis.
• jakkals trou met wolf se vrou – lit. "Jackal weds Wolf's wife". Refers to the weather phenomena known as a "monkey's wedding". Can be used to describe an unlikely situation. Also refers to a song of the same name by Afrikaans singer Karlien Van Jaarsveld.
• jux/juks/jags – Meaning "horny". For example, "Jinne meisie, jy maak my nou sommer lekker jags."
• ja-nee – literally "yes-no", an expression of positive confirmation. Example : Dis warm vandag. : Ja-nee
• Jan Allerman - lit. "Jan Every man". Local variant of the American term "Average Joe."
• jippo - Bypass, hack, slacking, short-term fix. I'll jippo the alarm to not make a sound while we work on it. While the team was working hard all night, Byron was jippoing.
• jippo-guts - Diarrhoea
• jislaaik! – expression of surprise, can be positive or negative. Often used when you get a fright, but equally often during particularly exciting parts of a rugby game.
• jissie – a shortened version of "jislaaik".
• jinne – another variation of "jislaaik".
• jip - informal for "yes".
• jo – an exclamation e.g., "Jo, that was rude," "Jo, you gave me a fright!" Pronounced as in "yolk".
• jol – to have fun, to party, can also refer to a disco or party, to commit adultery or even dating or courting
• Juffie – the shortened version of "Juffrou". "Juffrou" is a shortened version of the formal title given to address a young unmarried woman "Mejuffrou". It is also the formal title given to address a female teacher of any age or marital status, whereby "Juffie" would be considered informal.
• kaalgat - lit. "naked arse". Derived from the word "kaal", it's simply a more humorous description. Similar to the English term "birthday suits".
• Kaapse Dokter/Cape Doctor - A strong south-eastern wind in the Cape Peninsula-area. Called the "doctor" due to the belief that it clears the Cape Town air of its pollution.
• Kaapse Draai - lit. "Cape turn", refers to a folk song that describes a flightpath around the Cape Peninsula literally as the Pied crow flies, can now be applied to actual tours around the peninsula. Singer Nádine released a single based on the folk song, with the same name. It also jokingly refers to a car that turns far to wide.
• kafee/cafee/kaffie/caffie - refers to a café, though it can also refer to a small non-coffee serving grocery shop or Tuck shop.
• kaffer – Offensive pejorative referring to a black African. Derived from the Arabic word Kafir meaning a non-Muslim, which included black Africans along the Swahili coast.
• kak – Literal translation: shit, crap, rubbish, nonsense, of very wide usage. Also used as a way of further expressing one's feeling in language, for example, instead of "that girl is pretty" one can say emphatically "that girl is kak pretty!"
• kak en betaal - lit "shit and pay". Used when frustrated about spending all your hard-earned money on family, or friends, and having none left for yourself. Closest English equivalent is "Cough it up and pay up", but it doesn't have anywhere near the same power.
• kakhuis – lit. "shithouse". Refers to both a toilet and the bathroom it is located in, as well as "a lot of".
• kakspul – lit. "shithouse/shitload". Refers to a troublesome situation as well as an exaggerated amount of money.
• Kannie is dood van kruiwa stoot - lit " died from pushing a Wheelbarrow". The phrase "ek kan nie" is personified as a lazy man. The phrase is used as a form of motivation and discipline, implying that if you can do a physical task as easy as pushing a wheelbarrow, then you are more than capable enough to do any kind of hard work.
• katspoegie – lit. "kat's spit". Refers to a very small amount of something, similar to "bietjie"
• khaki – derogatory term for an English person. From the colour worn by British troops, as well as the traditional clothes worn by Boere.
• kêrels – police. "The kêrels are coming, watch out!". More commonly referring to boyfriend or literal translation: Guy or young man. Dutch – kerels.
• kerrie-en-rys – lit. "curry and rice", is a popular South African variant of a curry usually served with rice and blatjang
• kiff, kif, kief – wicked, cool, neat, great, wonderful. The word derives from the Arabic word kif , meaning pleasure or marijuana. This may also be related to the Afrikaans word for poison: gif. Coastal pot-smokers used the term to refer to Durban Poison: "Gifs" . The word evolved into kiff, an adjective or exclamation meaning "cool", among English-speaking people on the east coast.
• kie-kie/kiekie/kiek-kie – pronounced "key-ki"; refers to a photograph
• Klaas Vakie - refers to the mythical creature known as the Sandman, can also ironically refer to people who had just now woken up late.
• klankie – lit. "a sound", Can also mean unpleasant smell. Used in conjunction with "klank". Pronounced as in "clunk"
• klap – to smack.. "He got klapped in the bar". Like a "bitch-slap", but much worse. Another variation on this is the "kopklap", typically done by a parent of authority figure as a form of discipline.
• klikkie klik bek – lit. a tattle tale
• klipslag – lit. "stone-stroke". Used to jokingly refer to a person who can't swim even if their life depended on it and thus sinks like a stone in water, this is mostly a joking self-reference by pessimistic swimmers.
• klokke – lit. "bells". The plural of the word "klok". It also refers to a man's testes.
• Koeksister – A sweet pastry that's been fried and dipped in a honey syrup, and shaped in the form of a French-braid. It also can refer to lesbians. It doesn't have anything to do with a sibling - "sister" is "suster" in Afrikaans. The "sis" refers to the sound it makes when fried in oil. Alternative spelling is koesister.
• koek – lit. "cake". Can be used to refer to a response to a sticky situation: "O Koek" ; clumped hair that is messy: Jou hare is gekoek ; Can also refer to a vagina.
• koebaai - an anglicism of "goodbye".
• koffie-moffie – a camp male waiter or male flight attendant. See "moffie".
• komme-sie komme-sa - lit. "either-or". An expression, of French origin, that states the user isn't sure about an answer and doesn't care either. Similar to the expression "tamato-tomato".
• kont – same as "cunt" in English
• koppie - lit. "cup". Also refers to a relatively small hill, in reference to it appearing like a small head poking out of the ground.
• kortgat – lit. "short arse". Cutesy nickname given to shorter-than average people, can be considered offensive unlike its antonym "langeraad".
• kots - lit. "to vomit"
• krimpie – old person
• kraaines – lit. "crow's nest". While the original English meaning stays intact, it can also refer to a big mess. Whether it be messy hair, a messy bedroom or a loud and messy gathering, like a party.
• kreef – literally means "crayfish" but it refers to a promiscuous woman with the intent to attract men.
• kry 'n kramp! – lit. "get a cramp". A definitive expression of strong disagreement, usually used to end an argument regardless if the issue was resolved. Can also be used to refer to exaggerated negative feelings towards a stubborn person: Ek wens hy kry 'n kramp!. Used in conjunction with "gaan kak!".
• kwaai – cool, excellent
• kydaar – visitor from northern provinces, especially Gauteng, to Cape Town; from "kyk daar!" – "just look at that!". See also "soppiekoppie".
• kyk teen jou ooglede vas - lit. "looking through closed eyes". Contrary to "kyk aan die binnekant van jou ooglede", it refers to a person who is wide awake, yet cannot spot the item they're looking for that's right under their nose. Used in conjunction with "As dit 'n slang was, dan sou hy jou gepik het"
• laatlammetjie - lit. "late lamb", refers to the youngest child in a family, specifically if there is a significant age-gap between the child and their older sibling. It should also be considered that the parents' are at an advanced age at that point. Laatlammetjies refer to a set of youngest siblings that are close in age to each other, but has a significant age gap between their older siblings. For example: Charlie Duncan and Toby Duncan, from the Disney Channel series Good Luck Charlie, are 12 and 16 years younger than their older middle-brother Gabe Duncan.
• lag – to laugh. For example: They lag at the joke.
• laaitie, lighty – a younger person, esp. a younger male such as a younger brother or son
• lank – lots/a lot
• langeraad – cutesy nickname given to a really tall person
• lang maer blonde man – a slight contrast to the phrase "tall, dark and handsome", it describes a goodlooking tall blonde-haired, and usually blue-eyed, man.
• laanie, larny – boss, used in a different tone. fancy
• las – 1. an act that is undesirable to commit, a burden. 2. To tell someone or suggest to stop doing an act.. 3. To physically join two separate objects together:
• leeuloop - lit. "lion walk". Popularized by singer-comedian Robbie Wessels in the song of the same name, it refers to a sexual dance. The song mainly describes a man getting down on all fours, clenching two balls between his legs and pretending to be a lion by roaring.
• lus – to have a craving for. "I lus for a cigarette".
• lekker – It means pleasing, tasty, nice, good, great, delicious. Lekker is used for just about anything you find nice. "How was the party? Lekker", "I met a lekker chick last night", "local is lekker, a popular slogan promoting South African culture and produce", "How is that steak? Lekker bro". Unlike its English counterpart "nice", use of the word "lekker" is actually promoted instead of frowned upon despite being very commonly used. It is speculated that "lekker" will never become clichéd.
• lorrie – lit. "truck". Derived from the English word "lorry" with an identical meaning, the term gained popularity after the British colonized South Africa. Though "trok" is still in use, it has been heavily replaced with the slang term "lorrie". Is sometimes used to jokingly compare cars that are just as difficult to drive as an actual truck.
• loskind – a really slutty girl, usually wears revealing clothes and is easy to get with
• loskop – air head, literally a "lost head" refers to someone whose head is in the clouds, clumsy, forgetful.
• loslappie – a person who sleeps around a lot
• ma-hulle/ma-le/pa-hulle/pa-le – collective references to both parents which can be either centered around the mother or father. Based on the word hulle.
• maag wil werk - lit. "stomach wants to work", a polite way to say you need to shit as soon as possible. Often used in conjunction with "maag is omgekrap".
• maak soos Rokoff en fokkoff! - lit. "make like Rokoff and fuckoff!" Of unknown origin, is a crude way of telling someone to go away. Is similar to the English sayings like: Make like hay" and "Make like eggs, and scramble".
• maaifoedie – motherfucker, as in "Jou maaifoedie"
• maat – friend, also partner
• mal – mad, crazy, insane
• malhuis – lit. "looney bin"
• mallie – mother
• mamparra – idiot. Also refers to a dud or a brick made from recycled clay/mortar.
• melktert/milk tart – a traditional custard tart of Dutch origin. Unlike a conventional custard tart, a melktert has a strong milk flavour and is best served with a dash of cinnamon sprinkled on top.
• mengelmoes-kardoes - lit. "variety-case". Refers to a larger variety of "thrift" being on offer.
• mmchakawally – cigarettes
• * mugwaai – cigarette
• * "mung" - the term mung means to lose a life playing video games and it also represents Pallsmoor jail, you gonna go to the"mung" when you stolen something and you get caught by police.
• * entjie – cigarette
• * Gebruiker – cigarette
• mielie – millet corn / maize, staple diet. The base ingredient of Mielie-meal, which is the flour of choice to make Pap, a popular type of porridge.
• muggie – bug, especially a little flying gnat
• moegoe – stupid person, coward, or weakling
• moffie – male homosexual. Can be compared to "fairy". From "mofskaap", castrated sheep.
• moer-toe – stuffed up or destroyed
• * moerse – a very strong word for big, for example: "that's a moerse house"
• * moer – to hit / to fight with, for example: "he is gonna moer you" Also a word for a nut used with a bolt
• moer strip – a point in time when a person's patience has worn so thin, he could snap violently at any moment. Derived from a nut that strips its threads when excessive force is applied.
• moer-meter – comically describes a person's temperament for their tolerance of bullshit. Derived from the red thermometer and used as a metaphor as illustrated by Donald Duck when he gets mad. Used in conjunction with "bloediglik vererg".
• moerkoffie - is a strong blend of ground-coffee usually served with minimal milk in a tin-based mug.
• mompie – retard
• mooi, man! - "well done, man", used as an expression of appreciation in another person's achievement.
• Moola - lit. "money". Is the English slang term for money as well as the name of the actual mobile-currency used in the now defunct Mxit.
• morne – boring, sterile, unexciting
• mos – Afrikaans, implies that what has been said is well known or self-evident. "Ek drink mos tee.". Used at the end of a sentence, as in "...Jy weet mos."
• mossie-poep – lit. "sparrow-fart" based on the definition of "poep-ruik", it refers to a very early "waking up time" in the morning, often more specifically before 6:00AM
• mxit taal'' – lit. "mix it language". Refers to the text-based grammar usage that was popularized by the now-defunct Mxit, a free instant messaging service. For example: Eng: How R U? Afrikaans: Hoe ganit? ; Eng: I'm gr8.

  N–Z

• naai – copulate; but strictly speaking "sew", from the action of a sewing machine needle.
• nè? – do you know what I mean/agree?, oh really?, is it not so? or British English "innit?". Similar to the French "n'est-ce pas" and the Portuguese "né?", meaning "Isn't it?", e.g. "Jy hou van tee, nè?" . The South African English equivalent is "hey", for example "Eish, its cold hey?".
• neuk – lit. "to hit", less vulgar than "moer", "donner" and "bliksem"
• negentien-voetsek - "nineteen-voetsek", refers to a date in the early 20th century, with "voetsek" referring to a very early date. Translation: a very long time ago, often used when the specific date isn't known.
• nogal – of all things. Term expressing a measure of surprise.
• nooit – never, no way, unbelievable!
• now-now/nou-nou – contrary to the original meaning of the English word "now", it means "in due time", and therefore can mean anything from "in the next five minutes" to "in the next five years".
• nou-net – lit. "just now". Refers to an event that happened within a few minutes ago.
• net-nou – lit. "earlier that day". Refers to an event that happened a while ago, though still within 12hrs.
• nou – lit. "Immediately/now". Also means "narrow".
• net-net - lit. "just just". Refers to something/someone that has either impeccable timing and/or is just shy from, and just far enough to, winning any competitive event. English equivalents are: "Just in the nick of time", "just shy of winning", "almost". For example: Ek het my eksamen vraestel net-net deur gekom.
• Nou gaan ons Braai! – lit. "Now we're gonna Braai!". Pokes fun at the procrastination of the braaier, who intends to start immediately, but doesn't start till much much later.
• O Griet! – lit. "Oh Gosh!". A catchphrase uttered by the beloved witch Liewe Heksie when calling out her magic horse, Griet, whom she's able to conjure-up with the phrase, though she never remembers his name and as a result she only ever summons him by accident whenever she's in panic. The popularity of the catchphrase ensured that it gained use via the general public and therefore is used by a person whenever their in a state of panic.
• O gonna Madonna – Derived from "O Gonna", the singer Madonna's name was added to the phrase by Leon Schuster for comedic rhyming effect, it has since become one of his signature catchphrases along with: "O gatta patata" and "Oh Schucks".
• OK - lit. "okay" while its original English meaning stays intact, it is also the name of a local retail franchise owned by Shoprite. When used in conjunction with the original word "okay", the franchise's name can become a source of comedy, for example: "I'm at the OK, okay!"
• oom – an older man of authority, commonly in reference to an older Afrikaans man
• ou man, guy, bloke
• ou toppie - lit. "old man". Refers usually to an elderly man and a father.
• ouballie – old man, dad; as in: "shaft me, ouballie" "My ouballie will be home soon".
• ousie – Term used to refer to a maid, usually a black female; also used by black females to call/refer to each other
• pap – also called "mieliepap", is a traditional maize porridge similar to grits; can also mean "deflated". Pap is primarily known in three stages; all three are variant to the water-to-maize ratio: stywepap, phutupap/krummelpap and slap-pap. Unlike most international porridges, pap is commonly served at both breakfast and dinner times in the Northern half of the country.
• paplepel – lit. "pap-spoon"; a wooden spoon used in the making of pap, but can also be used to give a hiding
• papgat – lit. a physically weak person
• pap-sop-nat – lit. "very wet"
• pak – lit. "to pack". Also means "to give a hiding", as the shortened version of "pakslae"
• patat – lit. "sweet potato". A favourite side-dish for Afrikaners, the name "patat" can also become a pet-name or term of endearment.
• plak – lit. "to stick". Can also refer to starting an informal settlement like a Township
• plakkerskamp/township – an informal settlement primarily housing non-whites of very low-income in poorly self-constructed houses known as "shacks"
• paraat – disciplined. Somebody who is paraat, generally has "houding" i.e. style / character
• paw-paw – lit. a Paw-paw fruit. Can refer to an idiot, but is less derogatory and often used to lightly joke with the person in question.
• perdedrolle is vye – lit. "Horseshit is figs". When someone is accusing another person of bullshitting them: Jy probeer my se dat perdedrolle is fye!
• Peppermint Crisp - is a milk chocolate bar invented in South Africa by Wilson-Rowntree, now produced by Swiss chocolatier Nestlé. It features thin layers of milk chocolate and tubes of mint-flavoured crunch. It is also popularly used as a topping on a milk-based tart that shares its name.
• plaas – lit. "farm". Also, when someone falls down: Plaas gekoop. As a verb, it translates to "placed down" or "put down"
• platteland – lit. "flat land", refers to a rural area, country. The "flatness" refers to the fact that the area is geographically similar to farmlands.
• plaas se prys - lit. "the price of a farm". Refers to anything that is considered too expensive regardless of its actual worth, considering that a farm is one of the most expensive pieces of property one could privately own.
• platsak – lit. out of cash, flat broke
• piel – derogatory term for a male genitalia
• piesang, piesang, paw-paw – lit. "banana, banana, paw-paw". Children's rhyme used when a person makes a fool of himself and/or is a sore loser.
• Piet Pompies — used to identify an anonymous man, similar to Joe Soap.
• poepol – an idiot. lit. an arsehole, but not as derogatory. Can be used as source of comedy: Ek voel soos 'n poepol.
• poepolletjie – lit. Diminutive form of poepol, strictly reserved as a term of endearment between couples.
• poep – lit. "to fart". Derived from the English term "poop", it literally means "to pass gas".
• soos 'n poep teen donderweer – lit. "it's like farting against a thunderstorm". Meaning the argument being presented is falling on deaf ears due to either a much more intimidating defense, or just plain ignorance, i.e. the sound of the fart is being drowned-out by the sound of thunder. Its closest English counterpart would be "it's like talking to a brick wall".
• poepruik – lit. "to smell a fart". Refers to a person who is sleeping in late, though it specifically points to the person wasting time because of it.
• poes – derogatory term for a female genitalia
• poesklap – lit. a very hard slap. similar to "klap", but far more painful: Ek gaan jou so 'n harde poesklap gee, jou tanne gaan vibreer vir maande lank.. Poesklap therefore is far more life-threatening than a "bitch-slap".
• pote – lit. "animal paws". Is an informal reference to a person's feet directly relating the condition and size of the feet to that of an animal's paws.
• potjie – lit. the diminutive form of the English/Afrikaans word "pot", referring to the cooking utensil, but more specifically a small-to-large sized cast iron pot that is traditionally used to make potjiekos, phutupap and samp.
• Potjiekos – lit. "small pot food". Is a meat and vegetable dish that is specially cooked in a potjie. It is traditionally slow-cooked over an open fire for a couple of hours before being served during a Braai. Though it is similar to a stew, the main differences are: a stew has much water/sauce, while a potjiekos has very little water/sauce; and you stir a stew, you don't stir potjiekos as it is intended to not have the individual ingredients' flavor mixing. Potjiekos is traditionally served with phutupap or samp. Though it is considered a meal on its own, it can also be served as a side dish to braaivleis and Mielies .
• Potte - refers to a huge behind.
• pong - refers to a strong sense of stench or bad odor.
• poplap – derived from "lappop". It is a term of endearment towards young beautiful women, and can also extend to much younger girls usually via a grandfather-figure. The closest English equivalent would be "poppet".
• pouse -. As an anglicism it is derived from its English counterpart which means to temporarily stop an audio or video, or a musical break. In its Afrikaans pronunciation it refers specifically to an intermission in theatre and a school recess. Due to code-switching, the English pronunciation is also regularly used by Afrikaners, though it is separated from the Afrikaans pronunciation's meaning. For example: Ek moet die video pause omdat ons nou op pause gaan.
• praatsiek – lit. verbal diarrhea. A person who talks non-stop.
• praat 'n gat innie kop – lit. "speaking a hole in someone's head". To strongly convince someone to agree with you.
• quarter-past kaal arm – lit. "quarter-past naked arm". A sarcastic response to the question "What time is it?", whereby the user either doesn't know the time or doesn't care. "Naked arm" refers to the person not wearing a wristwatch.
• raining cats and dogs/reën katte en honde – lit. "excessive rain"
• rammetjie-uitnek - lit "ram with its head held high". Big-headed. Refers more to sporadic bragging rights, than egocentrism.
• renoster-snot - lit "rhinoceros snot". Prestik.
• rigting bedonnerd - lit. "directionless". Refers to any person who becomes easily disorientated when no visual references are helping their navigation, i.e. they feel lost very easily. It can also be used to humorously describe a person's poor sense of direction, for example: "James May can get lost in his own house."
• rietkooi - lit. "Reed bed", i.e. "bunk bed", considered out-dated as references to bunk beds in general fell out of use in favour of the English term. Original Afrikaans translation for "bunk-bed" is "stapelbed". Riet refers to the bunk bed frame's flimsy appearance while "kooi" is the slang term for a bed, derived from the Capetonian dialect. "Kooi" is still in use in the Southern regions.
• robot – lit. Afrikaans for "a robot". Is also used exclusively in South Africa, to refer to a traffic light. Originating from traffic guards during the British colonization period, for moving like a robot while directing traffic. Though the traffic guard has largely been replaced by the traffic light, the name stuck.
• rol - A fight or brawl. Rolling - to fight.
• rooinek – Afrikaner derogatory term for English person or English-speaking South African. Derived in the 19th century due to native British not being used to the hot African sun and getting sunburnt, especially on the neck. Alternative explanation, reference to the fact that British officers during the two Boer Wars had red collars.
• rooijasse/rooibaadtjies – lit. a red jacket/coat. Refers to the British soldiers of the Anglo-Boer Wars that wore red coats.
• s'n - Pronounced similar to "sin", it indicates possession. English Equivalent is the apostrophe. Used in conjunction with "syne" and "hare"
• saffa – lit. "a South African". Taken from the initials "S.A." as well as an informal pronunciation of the name "South Africa", the term refers to any South African-born person who also grew up in the country. This sometimes also extends to the South African Expats.
• sakkie-sakkie - Also known as the Sokkie dans, is a style of sensual Ballroom dance.
• sat – tired, dead – "Ek is siek en sat van sy nonsens" – "I'm sick and tired of his nonsense", see 'vrek' below
• se gat – expression of strong disagreement often used in conjunction with "se moer" & "jou gat".
• sies, "sis" – expression of disgust, disappointment, annoyance, as in: Ag sies man.
• Sie-sah – expression of goodness, or of disgust, depending on context.
• schoepit - pronounced "s-choo-pit", is the informal pronunciation of the word "stupid".
• scrompie – slang for "hobo" or bergie.
• sien jou gat – lit. "seeing your own arse". Refers to making an enormous fool of yourself and being out-performed & out-classed.
• soos Siebies se gat – lit. "like Siebies' arse". Refers to a job done badly and a messy room. Derived from a man of unknown origin known as "Siebies"
• soos 'n poep innie bad - lit "like a fart in a bathtub of water". Refers to something rising very quickly, for example: Soos wat die vliegtuig opgestyg het, toe klim ons soos 'n poep innie bad tot by ons cruising altitude..
• sit gat, rus bene – lit. "sit arse, rest legs". Refers to relaxing after a long hard day.
• skapie – someone who might be referred to as a "pussy". Literally "little sheep".
• skeef – skewed, gay, as in: hy het 'n bietjie skeef voorgekom
• skief – to glare at someone
• skiet kat - Vomiting
• skop, skiet en boomklim – literally "kicking, shooting and climbing trees". A colloquial description of an action film, usually of the lighter, more humorous kind.
• skop, skiet en donner – literally "kicking, shooting and beating people up". A colloquial description of an action movie of the more violent kind.
• skelm – crook or trouble-maker, mistress, secret lover, on the sly
• skilpad het nie vere nie, en appels is nie pere nie – lit. "tortoises don't have feathers, and apples aren't pears". It is a children's rhyme that discusses a mistruth. It is the Afrikaans equivalent of "liar liar pants on fire."
• skinner, skinder – gossip
• skinderbek/skinnerbekkie - refers to the person who is spreading gossip, not to be taken as a compliment.
• skop – kick
• skort – watch out, be careful or something is wrong here
• skraal – "thin" or "emaciated"
• skrik – fright; also used in the phrase skrik my gat af
• skyf – cigarette, a puff, and also less commonly marijuana or dagga
• skyrocket/sky-rocket - contrary to the original meaning of the English name, it refers to a portable toilet.
• skuit – lit. "to shit"; similar to "taking a dump"
• skwaanz – to snitch and sue; a bru dat overreacts to situations or activities they themselves participate in, like, they choke out people in the choking game and thinks dat is fun, but when someone chokes THEM out, they snitch and sue. Also, "squanz"; "Yo, dat bru is skwaanz! We don't hang wit daardie fok."
• slapgat – English translation is "lazy arse", also can refer to something badly put together, "Hy het dit slapgat gemaak"
• slaptjips/ slapchips – similar to thick-cut British chips; usually soft, oily and soaked in vinegar. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp". French fries refers to thinly cut chips. Crispy potato/corn chips are referred to as 'chips'.
• smaak – "taste" also means, to like another person or thing.
• smaak stukkend – to like very much or to love to pieces. "Ek smaak you stukkend" = "I love you madly".
• sneeudier – old person
• snoepie - refers almost exclusively to a tuck shop based in a school. Tuck shops that are outside school property are often just called a "winkel" or "winkeltjie", and sometimes also called a kafee. The original English usage of the term "Tuck shop" stays intact.
• snotklap - "i'll slap you so hard the snot will fly". Usually used to discipline a child.
• sel – lit."cell" in all definitions of the word, i.e.: selfoon ; tronk sel ; plant sel
• soek – to look for trouble with someone/to antagonise/to stir up trouble = "you soeking with me?" – Afrikaans: "to seek or look for".
• sommer – for no particular reason, "just because"
• soutpiel/soutie – derogatory term for English person, literally salty penis. Someone with one foot in England, the other in South Africa and their penis hanging in the Atlantic Ocean.
• soutpilaar – lit. "salt pillar". Refers to anyone who is standing and staring unnecessarily at something and isn't paying attention to his/her surroundings. Based on the biblical figure Lot's wife, who turned into a pillar of salt after disobeying God's command by looking back at the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• spaarbussie/spaarbus – lit. "save-bus". Refers to a piggy bank.
• spinning - alongside its original English meaning, it also refers to a popular local motorsport culture. Whereby a driver would spin his car's wheels while performing a doughnut and various other drift-style maneuvers for showcase value in front of an audience.
• spookasem – lit. "ghost-breath". Refers to candy floss.
• springbok - lit. "springbok". As the antelope is the national animal of South Africa, its name has been used in several specialized fields to indicate a "belonging" to the country, incl: the former Springbok Radio, the South Africa national cricket team, the South Africa National Rugby Union Team and the call sign of South African Airways.
• spuitpoep - lit. "Diarrhea"
• spyker – lit. "a nail". Can also refer to rough sex, similar to "naai".
• steek – stab, poke. "He/she steeked her/him" = "He/she poked her/him". Also see "naai" = Nick steeked me stukkend.
• stukkie, stekkie – a woman – mostly used when referring to a woman that you have/have casual encounters with, girlfriend.
• stok sweet, lit. "a stick sweet", combination of Afrikaans word for stick and sweet. A lollipop.
• stompie – a cigarette butt, a short person or impolite term to refer to the remaining arm/leg/finger after an amputation.
• stukkend – broken, a lot. Also commonly used when someone is hungover. For example, "I am so stukkend".
• Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux - lit. "Send greetings to Mannetjies Roux" a popular folk song by Laurika Rauch about the titular Springbok Rugby Player. The song describes a young girl going to live on a farm with her aunt and uncle, who are avid supporters of South African Rugby Union player Mannetjies Roux Roux ). A film based on the song was eventually released in 2013.
• suig 'n duik in my kop – lit. "sucking a dent in my skull". Refers to a very strong sucking sensation caused by a thick viscous drink when drinking it through a straw, especially a McDonald's milkshake, which is famous for the sensation.
• swak – broke. Original Afrikaans: weak. "I'm swak, ek sê". Also used to suggest that someone's behaviour was harsh, for example: "It's swak that I failed the test."
• sy naam is Kom Terug en sy van is Bloedbek/Bloedneus – lit. "its first name is Come Back, and its last name is Bloody-mouth/nose/Or Else". A verbal warning given to a person who wants to borrow something.
• tata/ta ta/ta-ta - Is a goodbye greeting of British origin.
• te-moer-en-gone - an expression that comically states the levels of being lost. Can refer to either an object that is thrown out-of-bounds and is therefore lost, or more specifically getting lost in an area that is far from the nearest civilization. The closest English equivalent is "in the middle of nowhere".
• tekkies – running shoes. Sports shoes that are specifically designed for running and often used for comfort.
• tiet – English equivalent "boob" or "breast" ; tiete ; tietie and tieties
• tietie bottel - lit. "baby bottle".
• tet – breast or boob
• tjor/tjorretjie – diminutive description of a car, especially one that's being admired: This is a nice tjorretjie you got here!.
• tjorts - defecation, can also refer to the sound droplets of liquid make, often referring to a very minimal amount of a liquid ingredient, similar to "kat spoegie".
• toppie, ou toppie – father – see ouballie
• tos – lit. to masturbate
• trek – to move or pull.
• trekker - lit. "mover". Also refers to a tractor, as it can be used to tow trailers and/or cars.
• tannie – lit. "aunt/mother". Derived from the Dutch word tante, it refers to any older female authority figure. The female counterpart of "oom". Though the original English meaning stays intact, the term has come to indicate a sign of tremendous respect towards a much older woman. Rules in using the term correctly are: The woman must be at least 10 years older than oneself, otherwise they might consider it offensive towards their age if they are young; unless she is one's real-life aunt, referring to a woman as "tannie" is purely permission-based, i.e. if she doesn't accept the term, then you should refrain from using it when addressing her.
• tiekie/tie-kie/ticky – taken from the word "tiekieboks/ticky box", is the popular name of the now outdated streetside payphone. Though ticky boxes are still in use, they have been largely replaced by cellphones. The ticky box takes its name from the limited time-period per call, based on the ticking of a timer. Also the name given to the old 2 and a half cent piece and later the 5 cent piece.
• tok-tok-tokkie – refers to a woodpecker, with "tok-tok" being the onomatopoeia of the sound the bird makes while pecking. Also refers to the woodpecker-style birds used in some cuckoo clocks.
• trek deur jou hol - lit. "pulling something through your arse" refers to someone who has a tendency to ruin any property that was given to them whether they do it intentionally or not. Contrasts with the expression "kan dit deur 'n ring trek", which refers to something or someone that is extremely well polished, clean and organized.
• TVP – acne problems
• vaalie – mildly derogatory term used by people on the coast for a tourist from inland
• vark – lit. "pig". Identical meaning to the English word in all of its interpretations, i.e.: pig, pork, arsehole.
• van die os op die wa af - lit. "from the ox onto the wagon and off". Similar to "speaking of which" and "while we're on the subject"
• van toeka se dae af – lit. "since the olden days". Derived from the acronym "toeka", which is defined as the foundation of God's Word, which means it has been used since biblical times.
• veë jou gat aan dit af - lit. "wiping your arse on it". Refers to blatant ignorance against any person or object, no matter the consequences. Closest English equivalent is: "You don't give a shit."
• vellies – veldskoene, traditional Afrikaans outdoors shoes made from hide
• verkramp – politically conservative or pessimistic, the opposite of verlig, or enlightened
• vetkoek – a deep-fried pastry that can either have a sweet filling of jam, honey, and syrup, or a savory filling of beef, chicken, pork, etc. Though the name literally translates as "fat cake", that name was already reserved by an English dessert, so in order to distinguish between the two very different dishes, vetkoek remains the universal name across all languages.
• viswyf - lit. "fish female", refers to a woman that throws a "bitch-fit" when she doesn't get her way. "Jy gaan soos 'n viswyf tekere!".
• voertsek, voetsek – get lost, buzz off, go away, run, scram, stuff off, bugger off – usually used when referring to an animal. From the Dutch "vort, zeg ik" – used with animals, meaning "Go away!" or "Get moving". Voetsek is considered to be far more assertive than its English counterparts.
• voetjie-voetjie – lit. a game of footsie
• voël - lit. "bird". While the original meaning remains intact, it also refers to a penis, due to "eiers" being another nickname for testicles.
• voshaarnooi – lit. "a red-headed girl". Derived from the song of the same name, by Afrikaans singer Louis Van Rensburg, the song describes the beauty of a young fiery red-headed girl. The original Afrikaans term for a "red-head" is a rooikop.
• Volksie - Is the local name of the Volkswagen Type 1 "Beetle". It essentially translates to "little Volkswagen". Also known as a "Volla".
• vrek – Afrikaans, meaning an animal dying. Possibly from Dutch verrekken to dislocate? Is considered extremely rude when used to refer to a person that has died, as the person would be likened to a mere animal.
• vroeg ryp, vroeg vrot - lit. "the quicker the fruit ripens, the quicker it will rot". Refers to anything that is being rushed, and will be ruined because of it, thus enforcing the ideology of thinking things through before big decisions are made, or as couples would call it: "taking it slow". It often serves as a verbal warning against young couples having intercourse or couples that have a whirlwind romance at first and then deciding unwisely, and without hesitation, to enter a doomed marriage.
• vrot – bad, rotten, putrid, sometimes drunk
• vrotbek – someone who swears a lot or is swearing a lot at the moment, as well as someone with bad breath.
• vry – to make out or courting
• Vrystaat vernier – shifting spanner
• vuilbek - lit. "dirty mouth", refers someone who swears a lot or is swearing a lot at the moment.
• waai – Afrikaans for "wave hello/goodbye". Slang for "to go". Durbanites like to say "Hey, let's waai pozzy." = "Let's go home." Also refers to the blowing of wind.
• dis n Weber dag/maand/koffie - Afrikaans slang to describe a good day or thing, using Weber. Originated from a High School teachers attitude and the students adopted it.
• waar val jy uit die bus uit/van die bus af? - lit. "Where did you fall off the bus?". Is a question usually asked when the person you are talking to, wasn't paying attention to the topic changing when they joined the discussion, and as a result they usually interrupt the discussion with an off-topic question.
• watookal – lit. "whatever"
• wakkerslaap - despite its original Dutch meaning "worry", it can also be used to verbally "wake-up" a drowsy person.
• windgat – lit. "wind-arse". This is a man who is misbehaving yet manages to get away with it by utilizing a charming personality, even though he can gain an inflated ego from it. It can also refer to people who regularly drive faster than the speed limit.
• woes – wild, untidy, unkempt or irreverent. A general term pertaining to either a person, behaviour or situation. Also could mean angry, in a rage, or sexually aroused.
• word wakker, word wakker die dag word al swakker! - lit. "wake-up sleepyheads, the day is getting weaker and weaker!". A literal wake-up call in military fashion, usually is accompanied with loud banging on the door.
• wys – multiple meanings – to insult or to say e.g. "Yoh, John wys me after I told him to shut up!". Also refers to "wysheid" in a sarcastic tone: "O jy dink jy's wys né!
• yoh – an expression of surprise e.g., "Yoh, that was rude" "Yoh, you gave me a fright!", "They should look at our men and say "yoh!".
• ysterperd - "iron-horse", describes a motorcycle, specifically a Harley-Davidson-style "full-size" motorcycle. Is derived from the fact that a motorcycle, with all its uses, is the modern day equivalent of a horse-and-rider.
• ystervarkie – lit. "iron piglets". Also known by their English/Australian name "Lamingtons", these are small cubes of sponge cakes dipped in chocolate syrup and covered in desiccated coconut. It takes its Afrikaans name from the ystervark due to its resemblance to the animal.
• zap - while the original English usage remains intact, though the term "to shock" is preferred, it also refers to one's obscene usage of the middle finger, while a "double-zap" would be where both middle fingers are extended at the same time.
• zef – from the Ford Zephyr car, cheap to tune up; cool, rough guy; common person; kitsch, trashy
• zol – a homemade cigarette rolled with old newspaper or rizlas joint

  Words from Khoi languages

• aitsa – is usually used when exclaiming agreement like you would when saying "sweet!", "nice!", "lekker!", and "got it!".
• buchu – name applied to a range of medicinal plants.
• dagga – marijuana
• eina – exclamation of pain, as in ouch
• goggo – bug
• kaross – garment made of animal skin
• kierie - a walking stick, or cane, usually made of wood. Primarily used by the elderly as general usage of a cane fell out of fashion among younger generations, though people still have a habit of when carrying a stick to use it as a walking stick, even though they don't necessarily need it.

  Words from Xhosa, Zulu and the other Nguni Languages

• abba - the act of carrying a child on you back. Is a tradition of tribal African women to carry their young hands-free on their backs by literally binding them in a sarong-like garment, emulating the pouch of a Kangaroo.
• Haikona!/Aikhona – a strong refusal/disagreement, meaning "No!"
• tjhaile/tshayile" – "time to go home"
• cava – meaning "to see:. It can be used meaning both "to see" or "to understand" as in "Did you cav that ?" or as in "Do you cav what I am saying?"
• cocopan – small tip truck on rails used in mines
• donga – ditch of the type found in South African topography. From Zulu, "wall"; this has become a mainstream word for such a feature.
• eish! – an interjection expressing resignation
• fundi – expert – used in mainstream South African English
• faka – to put from the common Nguni word meaning the same thing -faka
• gogo – grandmother, elderly woman
• hawu! – expression of disbelief, surprise. Pronounced like English "how!". From the Zulu "hawu".
• hayibo! – wow!
• indaba – meeting of the community ; has become a mainstream word in South African English in the sense of consultative conference.
• inyanga – traditional herbalist and healer
• jova – injection, to inject
• laduma! – a popular cheer at soccer matches, "he scores!"
• muti – medicine – typically traditional African
• Mzansi – South Africa, specifically refers to the South Africa.
• Ngca – an expression of appreciation or admiration, similar to "nice"
• sangoma – traditional healer or diviner
• shongololo – millipede
• Shisa Nyama - of Zulu origin, lit means to "burn meat". Is the Zulu equivalent to the braai.
• spaza – an informal trading-post/convenience store found in townships and remote areas
• tokoloshe – a dwarf-like water sprite, taken from tokoloshe.
• toyi-toyi – protest-dancing; used in mainstream South African English
• tsotsi – gangster, layabout, no gooder
• ubuntu – compassion or kindness, humanity
• Vuvuzela – a traditional horn made from the hollowed-out horns of a Kudu bull. It produces a monotonous tone and is often used as a summonings. A modernized version is made from plastic and more closely resembles a straight trumpet. The modern version is commonly used by the audience at soccer games, though usage of it has been highly frowned upon and in some cases banned because of noise-regulations, due to its incredibly loud blaring monotonous tone.

• yebo – Mbo-Nguni meaning yes
• wena – Mbo & Nguni meaning "you". Commonly used in a sentence "Haw wena''!"

  Original South African English coinages

• aswell – increasingly pronounced with emphasis on the "as"
• boykie or boytjie – meaning a young white male who is cool in the high-school stereotype kind of way. Sporty and tanned, uses a lot of slang. From English "boy" and the Afrikaans diminutive "-tjie".
• boi/boy – a young black man or a young male of any ethnicity, depending on context
• buddy - while the original English meaning stays intact, it also refers to the 500ml/440ml bottles of Soft drink, for example: "Can I get a buddy Coke?"
• baff – act of flatulence, for example: "Did you baff?"
• boney – Bicycle or motorbike
• bra – male friend
• canyon crab – derogatory term for Afrikaner
• chase – leave, go; analogous to "blow" or "duck", as in "Bru, let's chase."; "This place is dof; I'm gonna chase, boet."
• cherps or chips – "Watch out" or "Move out the way", as in "Chips chips everyone, here comes the teacher!". Also often used when something gets thrown, or to ask someone to step out the way. Compare "heads up!".
• chop – idiot
• chot – a very offensive term for a sexually active female
• clutchplate – derogatory term for Afrikaner
• cokie pen – a felt tip pen
• connection – a friend, mate, chommie
• cozzie – a swimsuit, short for swimming costume
• crunchie – derogatory term for Afrikaner
• diss – to intentionally disregard somebody else. That oke is totally dissing me
• dof – stupid. "Are you dof?"
• dop – Drink or to drink, primarily when talking about alcohol, from the Afrikaans "dop".
• duck/dip – To leave or go, primarily when talking about leaving a location, from the English "duck"."Im gonna make a duck from this party, bru"
• flip – A euphemism for the vulgar f-word. Used in various phrases to express anger, annoyance, contempt, impatience, or surprise, or simply for emphasis.
• force -when someone does something unnecessarily, too many times for the given situation or adds something to a conversation that is not necessary
• give rocks – to be indifferent. For example: I give rocks about your concerns! Can also be abbreviated to "Give rocks.", and the negative version "I don't give rocks" means exactly the same thing.
• giyn – a homosexual male
• graze – a term used in reference to food. "I'm starving, let's go get some graze."
• higher grade – a bit too complicated
• hundreds – good, fine.
• jol - party, have a good time, dance, have sex
• jukka – a lazy person or a loser
• just now, sometime in the near future or the near past, not necessarily immediately. Expresses an intention to act soon, but not necessarily immediately, or expresses something that happened in the near past. Probably from the Afikaans netnou with the same meaning.
• now now – an immediate but not literal declaration of impending action, may be past or future tense. From the Afrikaans expression "nou nou".
• Dutchman – derogatory term for Afrikaner
• isit – the words "is" and "it" put together. Short term for "Is that so?" Also, it can mean "really?"
• kiff - nice, good, cool
• lokshin – a Bantu township
• naai – derogatory for sex or have sex, from the Afrikaans "naai"
• nca – meaning something is nice
• packet or "checkers" – a plastic bag
• penalty – refers to someone tripping
• pull through – come or arrive, especially to a place/event that is amenable: "We're having a great jol here, boet. You should pull through."
• robot – traffic-light
• rockspider – derogatory term for Afrikaner. Though more well known as a national Battle of the Bands-style competition called Rockspaaider that was hosted by JIP, a teen-based lifestyle series, on the Afrikaans music channel MK.
• rop – nice, radical. Also used as a verb meaning 'to steal'.
• skipper - a t-shirt
• traffic circle – roundabout
• scheme – to think that
• schweet - a variation of the expression "sweet"
• siff – if something is gross or disgusting or ugly. "Did you see her oufit? It was totally siff!"
• slops – flip-flops
• speak goat – derogatory term for speaking Afrikaans
• soapie – a soap opera
• swak – see "swat". From the Afrikaans for "weak"
• swat – carrying out an action resulting in an undesirable or negative outcome; "when you chaffed my cherrie the other day, it was swat oke. Totally swat"; "Moderating a list of slang words is impossible and totally swat oke"; "Changing this word to swak would be totally swat oke".
• Skommel – to masturbate, from Afrikaans
• takkies – sneakers; sports shoes
• tickey – Thruppence or 3 pennies, e.g. "You could get a tickey for returning a coke bottle and three tickeys would buy you an eskimo pie". Dated, tickey-box is more recently used.
• town - the city centre, e.g. "It's too much of a headache to find parking in town, so I go to the mall instead"
• tune – to give someone lip
• voetsek – impolite way to say "go away", commonly used with animals or as derogatory term.
• saamie/saarmie – a sandwich
• zamalek – Black Label Lager, locally brewed under licence A very popular local beer because of the high alcohol content.
• "Double-up" - Simply means a "Shortcut" but usually in this case not a lot of people know about that route.

  Slang originating from other countries

• bint – a girl, from Arabic بِنْت. Usually seen as derogatory.
• buck – the main unit of currency: in South Africa the rand, and from the American use of the word for the dollar.
• china – friend, mate
• chow – to eat
• coaster – a state of affairs that surpasses cool
• pom – name for an English person originating from England
• shab short for shebeen.

  Slang terms originating from ethnic minorities

South African Indian and Colored slang

• AAP – "Girl" or "girlfriend"
• Aapedill – "Girl" or "girlfriend"
• Awe – "Howzit", "hello"; a slang way of greeting someone
• befok – "mad"; also possibly "super cool", as in My broe daai kar is befok. Pronounced \ber fork\.
• betters – "To replenish" or "refill". Example: Ekse lets make a betters with the mineral
• boss – "nice" – "that girl is boss, ek sê"
• boppin – "Very Good", example: "awe ekse my brah, howzit your side?"; in reply: "nei, eks boppin brah"
• bot – refer to gaam usually associated with a person, act or object that is either dodgy or gangster-like.
• bushie – derogatory term for a "Coloured" person. Derived from the word bushman. Bushman are predominantly light in complexion.
• guy – similar to the American English word "dude"
• bok – girlfriend
• bolt/ace out – used extensively in KZN. Means "by yourself" or "only one".
• chop – "stupid" or "pathetic" – "don't be such a chop "
• chup – "tattoo" – "cool chup exse"
• chow – "eat" or food
• chuck – "leave". Equivalent of American "to bounce". Examples: "Come bru lets chuck" or "sorry can't go to the braai i gotta chuck." If you are funny you might say, "boet, I have to make like Norris and Chuck."
• crown/kroon – "money"; can also refer to virginity.
• dowwel – "gamble"/ "nice or tasty" Examples: "He is going to dowwel all his money he earned." "That food dowwel."
• dasifouti – "no problem", lit. "there is no fault"
• duidelik – direct from Afrikaans, meaning "clear"; used to express clarity on something or excitement about something.
• eksê – from Afrikaans, translated it means "I say". Used in greeting i.e. "Whakind eksê" or in general speech.
• gaam – dodgy/gangster i.e. That person is gaam. That place is gaam.
• gam – derogatory term for Coloured people in South Africa. Derived from "Gham" or "Ham" referring to Ham in the Old Testament. It is a reference to the children of Noah's son Ham who were illegitimate and cursed into slavery by God.
• gammie – diminutive of "Gam", derogatory term for coloured people in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town.
• gatsby – large chip roll with meat and lekker sauces
• gully – "area" or "corner"
• hard up – "in love"
• Hosh – "Hello"; also used before combat. Example in combat: Hosh, jy raak wys. This gang-related word occurs inside as well as outside of prison: use at own discretion.
• jas – "horny". The first form occurs in Cape Town; the second predominates on the east coast of South Africa. May also mean "crazy" or "mad". Examples: Person A: I want to get robbed Person B: Are you jas? or Person A: Ek wil my werk verloor Person B: Is jy jas?.
• jap/jep - "steal". "They jepped that okes car" used in Gauteng.
• lekker/lukka – "nice". The first form occurs more commonly; the second predominates in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
• lappie – "cloth", "dish towel", "face cloth"
• maader – "the best", "excellent"
• meet up – Used in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region, a term usually used when saying "goodbye". For example: Lukka meet up ekse. Also a well-known coolie in the online gaming world.
• miff – "gross", "disgusting". "That's completely miff!" "Oh my god it was so miff"
• min – to be very interested or excited in something, or for something. For example, "so min for that jol" or "when you're min you win"
• mineral – pronounced 'min ral'; used by Indians as well. "Fizzy drink" such as Coke, Fanta, Sprite, etc.
• motjie – wife/woman
• naai – "sex" Also used as a noun "Jou ou naai" and used in the plural: "naaie" , meaning an undesirable person rather than the sexual act. Definitely not polite language.
• oweh – pronounced \ow where\, a way of saying "oh yes" or expressing delight.
• posie/pozzie – "home". Afrikaans-speakers tend to use the first for; English-speakers the second.
• press – "sex", as in: "I want to press my young one tonight"
• shot – "good" or "correct" or "thanks". Example for the meaning "good" – Person A: What is 3+3? Person B: six Person A: shot. Example for the meaning "thanks": – Person: A I have bought you a sweet Person B: Shot.
• sunno – initially an insult, but used amongst friends as a greeting, as in: Whakind son
• Stukkie – "girl" or possibly "girlfriend"
• Tannie – "aunt", used by Afrikaans-speakers
• Taah-nie" – "Mother", used by some Cape Townians
• tops – "excellent", "the best"
• Toppie – "old man", used by Afrikaans-speakers, can also mean 'dad', ex: 'My friend recently became a Toppie'
• Whakind – a greeting, usually used amongst guys only, and frowned upon when used in greeting women. This word can also express an enquiry about something, especially when used outside the Kwa-Zulu Natal region.
• What say/What you say/Wat sê jy – alternative for Whakind in the greeting-sense. English-speakers use the first and second forms; Afrikaans-speakers the third.
• Young one – Refer to "Stekkie"
• Skommel – masturbate
• onetime – of course, without delay; often used as a positive reply to a question
• operate – lets perform or to have sex
• ou – a boy/man/guy, homo sapiens
• * Charr Ou/Charou/charo – Charr is from charring from the sun like charcoal derogatory word for a dark Indian person
• * Bruin Ou – a Coloured person – mixed race
• * Wit Ou – a White person
• * Correct Ou – a good guy
• * Gorra Ou – a White person
• * Darkie ou/ darky ou – an African/black person
• * Pekkie Ou – a Black African person
• * Slum Ou – a Muslim person
• * Exploding Ou – a Muslim person
• boss – a salute to an unfamiliar person, or person in authority, as in 'you know what it is boss'.
• bra – a way of addressing a friend, as in 'Howzit my bra'. 'bra' derived from 'brother'
• bung – to be afraid of someone.
• condai – bus conductor.
• graft – meaning work... "hey kazzie, im grafting at coconut grove, lakkaz ekse"
• kêrel – police man / boyfriend
• hit a luck – expression, to have met with good fortune. as in, 'hey my bru hit a luck, eee got graft at the Casino'. Also often noted in the form hit such a luck.
• choon/tune – to tell someone something.
• clips – Money, 1 clip = R100
• laanie – From the Afrikaans word meaning "fancy", but used by Indian people to mean "smart guy" or, more frequently, "boss". Compare larnie.
• lakkaz – meaning lekker from the Afrikaans language.
• late – A euphemism for dead/deceased; as in 'My daddy is two years late'.
• lets vye – lets go; Used mostly by Durban Indians. "Dave let's vye sook a betters""
• maader – excellent, very good
• min-rill – from the English word "mineral", meaning mineral water; taken to mean any fizzy drink in a bottle, normally Coke, Fanta, etc.
• plot – pursue romantically, courting
• poke – stab
• pozzy – house or home; place where one lives or hangs out.
• perrie – paranoid; "He is moerse perrie"
• pehrer – a fight.
• slaan – wear, ex "He is ge slat clothingwise"; meaning "He's dressed well"
• Vrou – my wife, as in 'Ek sê, I must first ask my Vrou'; from the Afrikaans word for 'wife"/"woman".
• vying – going, as in we vying to the soccer
• vriete – "food" from the Afrikaans word "Vreet" – "to eat like an animal". Used as a noun, ex: He must kyk sy eie vriete translated: He must find his own food
• dite – food, ex: "i smaak a dite kry"
• dite – food, ex: "ek gaan eers dite"
• speech – an argument
• stekie – girl/girlfriend
• swaai – to dance.
• swak – bad or weak
• what kind – Greeting, similar to Howzit
• what what – mostly used in arguments, meaning "this and that". Often heard as what you say what what
• spiet – to fight
• slow boat – Splif/joint – normally related to marajuana
• para/pareh – to fight/argument
• pulling moves – related to doing some sort of crime or fraud
• 100's / hundreds – relating to being ok, for example: "I am hundreds today after last night's jol"
• bust up – a big party involving abundant drugs and booze
• pull in – literally means to invite; example: "Pull in to my pozzy tonight, gona have a bust up"
• benou – – marijuana or dagga. Commonly used by Indians in Gauteng. "no benou there?"-do you have any dagga?
• koex – drink
• sharp – goodbye,
• aspriss – to intentionally do something
• gusheshe – BMW 325is.
• arrawise – greeting, derived from the English word 'otherwise'
• Wyfie – woman
• Salut – Hello, hi, as in a greeting, or "dis salut my brah "
• Ben 10 – someone dating a woman who is 1–10 years older than him or a young male partner of a cougar. The name comes from the Cartoon Network animated series of the same name.
• Blesser – This is a high level sugar daddy, but with a lot more money. He's filthy rich, and can set a lady up with clothing accounts, overseas holidays and sometimes even a car in exchange for sex benefits. The lady is expected to be readily available at all times when the blesser needs her.
• Blessee – a lady who dates a blesser.
• Bosoh – Commonly known as weed or dagga. "Jdogger roll the bosoh there. Im keen to get blazed"
• Make the thing there – This is commonly used with the word betters referring to the purchasing of a bag." Make the thing there Lyles. Make a betters for the boys"
• Chow a bean – A bean which is also known a blue boy, is commonly used at the end of a sesh to cut things before they get dangerous "We on day 4 now Cheeno. Time to call it and chow a bean."
• Beef – A small Muslim boy also known as tokoloshe.
• Gup – Indian slang for a lie. Can be used as a verb which is "gupping" or past tense "gupped". "I told Cheeno I got a backdoor into Wikipedia. That guy got gupped hard""
• Let's have it – A commonly used phrase to instigate the start of a past time activity. Can be used for anything leisure, from FIFA to a betters. "Lets have it there quick Stanosh before more owes come"
• Jux – To be horny or excited. "Ekse this betters is making me jux"
• Catch a press'' – To have sexual intercourse which lasts only a few moments due to being jux. "Bra, im so jux, lets vye catch a press said Cheens"

  South African Portuguese slang

• maburro – slang for a white Afrikaans person, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context.
• padece – slang for a white Afrikaans person, usually derogatory but sometimes used affectionately depending on context.
• eh pá – a cry of exclamation.
• mielie – corn, sometimes specifically corn on the cob

  South African Indian slang

• cake – idiot
• cameway – to go with someone, like come with me. Used in Durban.
• Charo – a person of Indian origin. From the word "curry".
• eeuww man! – an informal way of greeting. The South African Indian equivalent of "Hey dude!"
• guzzie – friend
• Jaaver – an Afrikaner person
• kassam – serious, not joking. From Islamic meaning "oath".
• mooing – to flirt. From the Afrikaans word mooi meaning "nice"/"pretty".
• nana – grandfather
• ou – person
• * Roti Ou / Bread Ou Hindi person
• * Wit Ou – a White person
• paining – having pain
• pano – money, from the Tamil word for "money". Commonly used by all South African Indian linguistic groups as a euphemism for money.
• patla, flouie – usually refers to poor jokes. Patla can also refer to any kind of damp squib. Patla Patla often refers obliquely to having sex; imitating the sound of two bodies meeting.
• potter-marie – means a dumbass
• right – an affirmation, mostly used while giving traffic directions, as in "Go straight, Right. Turn Left, Right."
• sheila – an ugly woman
• slaat – action like hit. For example: Don't choon me what what an' all, I slaat you one time laanie.
• this thing/"dis ting" – watchamacallit
• y'all - "you all" appears across all varieties of South African Indian English. Its lexical similarity to the y'all of the United States is attributed to coincidence.

  South African Jewish slang

• chattis, khateis : approximately equivalent to "white trash". The word refers particularly to poor, white, Afrikaans-speaking communities with endemic social problems. Sometimes used as an ethnic slur against Afrikaners in general. From Talmudic phrase Eyn bor yerey khet – a bor – is not afraid of sin. The bor-Boer assonance gives a case for : if not afraid of sin must be therefore a sinner.
• kugel: an overly groomed, materialistic woman. Older-generation Jews coined this usage as a derogatory label for Jewish women who aspired to become part of the privileged English-speaking white community. usage, often humorously intended, applies the word to any nouveau riche women in South African society who appear overly groomed and materialistic. Bagel and bagel-boy occur as labels for the male counterpart of the kugel.
• Peruvian / Peruvnik: a low-class, unmannered and unsophisticated person regardless of wealth, usually Jewish. The etymology is unclear. Yiddish corruption of Parvenu; The more assimilated and established Jews from Germany and England looked down on this group, and their descendants remain stigmatised.
• Schwarzer: Yiddish / German for "black" – a black person
• shiksa: as in other Jewish communities, this means "non-Jewish girl". Traditionally "slave-girl", from the Yiddish version of the Hebrew word for "dirty, unclean, loathsome" In South Africa, however, it has the additional meaning of a "female domestic worker".
• weisser: Yiddish for "white" – a white person

  South African Lebanese slang

• bint : from the Lebanese word for "girl"; used in reference to women in general
• drib : from the Lebanese word for "hit"
• gara : from the Lebanese word for "faeces" or "dung"; refers to something that is crap
• ghey : literally translated from the Lebanese word for "brother"; in colloquial South African refers to "a tinted-windows, lots-of-jewellery" kinda guy
• stiffle : so what: "if you don't like it stiffle!"
• uhbed : from the Arabic word for "slave" – a black person

  Special-use slang

Kasi / township">Township (South Africa)">township slang

• 411 – giving someone the latest news and gossip.
• 5 Jacket, or Half clipper – R50 note
• 2 Bob – 20-cent coin
• 442 – lies or lying.
• 150 – Ladysmith/Emnambithi
• 69 – It is to pee.
• 9 – Girlfriend as in a love relationship.
• Peepee – Penis.
• 6 no 9 – "same difference". Like "potato, potatoe".
• 99 – "for real"
• ayoba – expression of excitement
• bokgata or Bo 4 – "the police"
• cake/ikuku/kuku – Vagina or a scone depends on context.
• Chalk/choc – R20 note
• chommie – More likely to be used by young girls than guys, the word refers to a friend. A music artist goes by this name.
• clipper/lkippa – R100 note
• doing a bafana – demanding more smeka for being mediocre
• doing a benni – The saying comes from the formerly much-lauded Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy's "uncharitable habit of turning his back on his country" following many instances of failing to turn up to play for South Africa's national football squad. Meaning "showing disloyalty / being irresponsible".
• eish – – Used to express everything ranging from frustration to surprise to disapproval, but also just everyday acknowledgement of things you can't change like "Eish, the traffic is bad today". Heard frequently each and every day! Also used to indicate displeasure. For example: 'At the time I was the only black guy and I used to ask myself "Eish, what am I doing here?"'
• fong kong – cheap and fake products that one can buy from vendors on the streets.
• Tiger – R10 note
• Yoh - Exclamation/reaction to something shocking or surprising
• juish – refers to nice and flashy clothes that someone has on.
• moegoe – a fool, idiot or simpleton. For example: "moegoe of the week". Related to the Nigerian term mugu, fool, fraud victim.
• mzansi – from the isiXhosa words, Mzantsi Afrika; a common term which means South Africa. List of colloquial South African place names first published in Y magazine.
• Pinkies – R50 note, because of its colour
• roogie – R50 note
• Ova – To talk
• skoon – Kaal voël steek. Generally unprotected sex
• starter pack – Refers to entry-level cars, especially vehicle-makes occurring commonly on the road and therefore less easy to spot as stolen. Thieves can "chop up" the parts at an illegal "chop shop" and used them for repairs on more expensive vehicles.
• Stena/isitina – A stack of money amounting to R1000
• umlungu – white South African or the boss of the company
• yebo – a Zulu word which means "yes".
• Z3 – refers to HIV and AIDS, because of its speed. This is a reference to the BMW Z3.
• Coconut – Referring to an African black person who is dualistic in their nature. Black on the outside and White on the inside..
• Machangura money, refers to cash
• Zaka_ Money
• pompo- Tap Water
• Dintshang ?- Whats happening?
• Ke sharp, im good
• Sati, Saturday.
• Spani, Work

  Gay slang also called 'gayle'

• abigail – abortion
• ada – backside
• agatha – a gossip
• aida – AIDS
• amanda – amazing
• annie – anus
• barbara – straight man
• belinda – blind
• bella – to hit or slap "I will bella you if you don't stop staring at that beulah."
• bertha – Hilda's big sister, after Big Bertha, the giant cannon
• beulah – beautiful, usually referring to a good looking man
• cilla – cigarette
• betty bangles – policeman
• carol – cry
• chlora – coloured person
• connie – come
• cora – common
• diana – disgusting or dead
• dora – a drink; drunk
• elsie geselsie – chatterbox
• erica – erection
• esterjie – ecstasy
• ethel – old person
• fiona – you can guess
• frieda – sexually frustrated
• fuella – furious
• gail – chat
• gayle – the name for this slang
• gonda – a vagina
• grazelda – extremely ugly
• harriet – hairy man
• hilda – ugly, usually referring to a not-so good looking guy
• iona – Indian
• jenny – masturbate
• jessica – jealous
• julia – jewellery
• lana – penis
• laura – lover
• lettie – lesbian
• lily - law
• lisa – male model
• lulu – laugh
• marie – mad
• marjorie – margarine
• mary – obvious homosexual
• mathilda – migraine
• maureen – murder
• mavis – effeminate queen
• mildred – mentally deranged
• milly – crazy – milder than mildred
• mitzi – small
• monica – money
• nancy – no
• natalie – native person
• nelly – neurotic
• nora – stupid or naive
• olga – old and ugly
• pandora – inquisitive queen
• patsy – dance, party
• polly – Portuguese homosexual
• priscilla – policeman
• reeva – revolting
• rita – rent boy
• sally – suck
• sheila – shit
• stella – steal
• trudy – someone that's beyond help
• ursula – understand/understanding
• vast – very
• vera – vomit
• wendy – white
• lodge – house
• pram – car

  Example