South Africa is a land of incredible beauty, but it is also lucky to be blessed with such a diverse population. With 11 official languages this allows for a complete melting pot of eclectic styles and super slang (colloquial) styles to originate!
I thought I would share some of the most colourful ones with you, in the hope of immersing you in a fun and unique South African culture!
You really have to get into the swing of things and pronounce your words with a more guttural roll to your voice to be a true “Saffer”.
Many of the words can be spelt differently, it all really depends on where you come from, but they all essentially mean the same thing.
I have tried to chose only well know phrases that are quintessentially “South African” and make me laugh, but if in the process I offend anyone, I apologise. It is all meant to be light hearted fun.
So, China, after reading the page just now, I hope you are lus for South Africa. But, in order to tune the locals lekker and have a jorl, you might need to suss out the slang so that you can charf like you are a saffer!
Ag
This little word is truly versatile and flexible. Pronounced like the ach in German, but with a 'g' on the end. Roll that 'g'! "Ag (ggghhh), no man" – is a sign of irritation. This fantastic word has many purposes. It usually starts a sentence. “Ag check here!” and it makes a classic phrases… “Ag shame!”
Aikona
Never – not on your life. A township word that has become popular!
Arvie
Afternoon. as in – “lets meet this arvie!”
Babbelas ('Bub-be-las')
A hangover. Normally a horrifically bad hangover! Cure? Drink a Bloody Mary!
Baggies
Why say "swimming trunks" when you really mean baggies?
Bakkie ('Buk-ky')
Pickup truck, referred to as a UT in Australia.
Barnie
Fight, punch-up. Make sure you don’t get into any barnies in SA China!
Bergie (bur-ghee)
These are traditionally homeless people in Cape Town. The word comes from the ‘Berg’ (Mountain) of Table Mountain, where bergies lived under bushes or in caves. Many stay in the city now. You might see them wrapped in a blanket wrapped around a bottle of booze in a doorway. They are a colourful people, with their own subculture. Bergies are infamous for their use of bastardised Afrikaans obscenities!
Biltong
Jerky in the US, only much better!. This is specially prepared dried raw meat, made from beef, venison or ostrich. Heaven on earth really!
Biscuit
Cookie in the US. In America, a biscuit is a scone with no sugar. In South Africa, it's a cookie. Some favourites are Marie Biscuits, Romany Creams, and Eet Sum Mor. However, this term can also be used as a term of expressing idiocy! “You biscuit!” meaning you twit!
Bliksem
Strike, hit, punch: "I'm going to bliksem you!" So, if you are in a Barnie, make sure you Bliksem your opponent well!
Bobotie (buh-boor-tea)
Traditional Malay dish made with spicy mince, baked in the oven with an egg custard topping, and served with yellow rice and raisins. Delicious!
Boerewors (boor-ra -vors)
Farmstyle sausage or "wors". (Literally, "Farmers Sausage"). It is consumed in vast quantities on braai’s (barbeques) all over the country
Bok
To be keen.
Bokkie
Used mostly in the Afrikaans circles - a young, pretty lady; or girlfriend. i.e. “Me and my bokkie are coming to the jorl tonight!”
Booze
Alcohol!
Bossies
Literally it means going “Bush Crazy” and was used often in relation to soldiers who fought on frontlines. Now it just refers to going totally whacko! “Ag Man, he went totally bossies after sitting in a traffic jam for 3 hours!
Boykie
Translation - Little boy. But today it really means you are the main man! As in "He's quite a boykie" - (he's quite the guy!)"
Braai
Barbecue (US) or Barbie (Aus). This is probably one of South Africa’s undeclared national sports. It is an extremely popular SA occupation. Men take great pride in preparing this event as it has to be a true masterpiece! The skill of how to “Braai” is passed on from father to son!
Brah
Buddy, associate, peer, colleague, friend, etc... Most often used amongst the "rookers" (pot-smokers) - "Hoesit, my brah!"
Broe
Derives from the Afrikaans translation meaning “brother”, but today it is used to say hello to friends too – “Howzit Broe!”
Catch a Tan
To suntan. Many South African catch a tan on Camps bay beach!
Charf
This has a double meaning and can be used in many contexts!
1. Flirt, court, seduce.
2. Pretend, lie.
Check
No, this has nothing to do with money! It means Look, do you see?/ Understand - "You check?" or "Check this, china!!" - Look at this, dude!
Chick
Yet another typically South African term for a woman! No, South Africans are not sexist!
China
A friend, buddy, mate. Very popular term, mostly in Cape Town area and Durban. You probably won’t leave SA without hearing – “Howzit China” announced somewhere
Chips
No, not French Fries or Crisps – it means 'look out!' A warning. “Chips the cricket ball!”
Chop
My favourite. Means idiot or stupid! “Don’t be such a chop!”
Crash
Place to sleep - "Do you want to crash out at my place? - Do you want sleep over at my place?"
Cuz
Derives from cousin, but now it just relates to a friend or mate – “hey Cuz, whats up?”
Dagga ('Dag-gah')
Marijuana, dope - the South African word for dope.
Dankie
The Afrikaans word for Thank you
Doff
Means Stupid or idiotic. It can also be used as a noun. "You doffie" - you stupid ninny!
Dop
Means an Alcoholic drink – i.e. “do you want a dop?” – do you want a drink?
Dorp
Small town – a direct translation from Afrikaans. Don’t be confused when you hear, ‘Let’s go for a dop in that dorp.’ Hmmmm!
Drol
Rubbish/ Shit. “Don’t be so drol!”
Durban Poison
Dagga - marijuana - grown in KwaZulu Natal - apparently of excellent vintage!
Dwaal
The blank, state a person gets into sometimes, walking around like a zombie. “Geez man, I had no place to crash last night, so I am in a complete dwaal today!”
Eina (aynah)
Ouch! Widely used. Derived from Afrikaans for sore. If you get in a Barnie and you Bliksem someone you may be Eina!
Ek Sê (Eck-sair)
I say – direct Afrikaans translation. Used for affirmation or impact. ‘Let’s hit the jorl, ek sê.’
Flip (Expletive) "Flip!" (Oh no! or Shit!) – Most often used as “Oh Flip It Man!”
Geez
Short for Jesus or Gee Whiz…. It is an expression and often starts a sentence off. Geez man, I’m starving, let’s go get something to graze!
Gesuip ('Ge-sayp')
Drunk
Graze
Unfortunately a pretty common word that means to "eat"! Probably relates back to our herding days. "Let's go get something to graze".
Half-jack
A half-bottle of spirits.
Hey!
Not for horses! It is used for emphasis or to attract attention i.e. Hey, let’s go graze! – Let’s go eat! What do you think, hey?
Hone
Stink. ‘Your feet hone bru’! Nice one!
Howzit (also hoesit")
The famous, and one of the most typical, South African greeting. Short for "How is it?"
How's your mind?
"Are you mad?!"
Isit?
(Izzit?) This conversational word is used widely and in response to just about anything. Used in place of "really??" If someone said I went to Cape Town”, your response could be “Isit?”
Jawl or Jorl
The word jorl is a generic South African - it refers to having a good time and can be used in any context. "I am going on a jorl (party) - I am having a jorl (good time) ...".
Just now
Probably one of the most famous SA terms of slang and a great source of amusement for foreigners - it means "very soon", "eventually"; or "never". If someone says he will do something "just now" it could be in 10 minutes or tomorrow or never! So, if someone says, “ I am coming just now” don’t rely on that to be soon!
Kak ('Kuk')
Sh-t... and used in the same way.... "Don't talk kak - Don't give me kak".
Kief
Cool, or something that's very nice. Many used in the surfing crowd!
Klap('klup')
Slap – so, "Give him a klap if he gives you kak".
Lank
A lot - "There are lank people at this jorl tonight, hey China??!!"
Larney
It means fancy or snobby. It can be used in many situations and in many contexts. It denotes someone who is well-dressed, or designer clothes, or a well-to-do function. It can relate to a person, item or place – you check?
1. Shjoe they are larney!
2. I just went to a really larney hotel in Mauritius
3. Check my larney clothes, man!
Lekker
An Afrikaans word meaning nice, this word is used by all language groups to express approval. “South Africa is lekker!”
Lightey
Youngster
Lights out Unconscious – so, “If you get into a Barnie, make sure you Bliksem the oke until he is Lights out otherwise he will make you Eina!
Lus
Really want something. i.e. Boy am I lus for a dop!
Moffie
Wimp, pansie, naff, weakling
Naff
Wimp, wimpish. A naff is somebody lacking backbone. ‘That’s a really naff tie!’
Nooit('Noy-t')
No way - Another way of saying no, but also a sign of incredulous response. 1. Nooit Man, you didn’t catch that wave! 2. Nooit man I am not going tonight
Nought
No - Used in similar situations to nooit.
Now Now
This relates to Just Now, but is faster! If someone says ‘now now’, you’re making progress. It won’t be done immediately, or instantly, but probably in less than 10 minutes, barring distractions that relegate it to ‘just now’.
Oke (ou)
Guy, chap, bloke
Padkos
Food for a car, for a trip; on the road. Don’t forget to pack your padkos!
Park off
To chill out - sit down and relax - "Let's go park off at the beach tonight!” Pavement In South Africa this is the sidewalk. Always walk on the pavement!
Robot
Yes, it's a traffic light! So, turn left at the next robot!
Rock Up
To arrive - "What time should we rock up for the jorl? Should be bring any dop?"
Rock Spider
An english speaking South African term for an Afrikaner. Can be interchanged with Dutchman!
Rooineck
Afrikaner name for an Englishman, or an english speaking South African. Derived from the Anglo Boer War when the English often lay on their tummies in defence of positions and ended up with burnt necks.
Rooker
A smoker, but it generally refers to a “pot” (weed) smoker
Soutie
Another Afrikaner name for an english speaking South African - comes from the image of the "English" having one foot in South Africa, the other in England, with something hanging in the middle (in the water)! Charming!
Scale
To scale something is to steal it. Hey, china, I went to the bar last night and I got gesuiped. In a dwaal I scaled the tot glasses!
Shame
This is a very typical South African expression; also found amusing by foreigners. "Ag shame, look how cute that baby is!", or "Shame, stop making kak with the chick, man, she's lekker", and "Shame, that's really sad". It is a truly expressive word!
Sif
Description of a disgusting thing. “Man that’s sif!”
Skeef Crooked; provocative. A classic saying heard in bars around South Africa is "Are you checking me skeef, China?" - Are you looking at me funny, brah?
Skelm
A crook or thief. A street-wise operator who deals in petty crime. Don’t go near him man, he is a real skelm!
Skinner
Gossip. There is nothing better than to have a good skinner at a lekker braai!
Skolly - ('skaw-lly')
Ruffian. Can be used almost affectionately when talking about a roguish friend. Geez he is a real skolly!
Skop
Kick. Skrik A fright. Geez you gave me a skrik!
Slap chips
A South Africa classic. Stodgy French fries coated in vinegar! Yum!
Spook and diesel
Cane spirits and coke - A favorite mixture of a pale liquor and dark Coca-Cola.
Stoep
Verandah
Stroppy
Cheeky – hey, don’t get stroppy with me or I’ll klap you!
Takkies
Sneakers, trainers, running shoes.
Tokoloshe
Evil spirit. The Zulus are big believers in the Tokoloshe and often raise their beds on bricks so that he can’t reach them at night when they are sleeping!
The moer in - (roll the r)
Very angry
Tune ('Choon')
To tell, to talk, to provoke - "Don't tune me grief oke!”
Vaalies (vaah-lees)
Originally these were holidaymakers from the former province of Transvaal. Now also called Gauties, from Gauteng. People who live at the coast (and surfers especially) consider them to be a lesser breed of person – more interested in making a living than parking off on the beach and checking out the waves.
Vasbyt
Hang in there, be tough - "Vasbyt, china; it will soon be over!"
Voetsek
Get lost, buzz off..."Voetsek!"
Wobbly
Panic attack, fit of rage, nervous breakdown
Woes (voess)
Vicious, wild, pissed off (Afrikaans). Wow that Elephant looks woes!
Wuss, Wussy (woess, woes-see)
Wimp, pansie, naff, weakling. ‘Don’t be a wuss, it’s only a bungi jump!”
Yislaaik (yuhss-like)
A variation of yissus.
Yissues, Yussus (yuh-siss)
Expression of surprise. From the Afrikaans pronunciation of ‘Jesus’. The same as ‘My God!’ ‘Oh Lord’. An expression of surprise, fear or shock. So, Yissus you gave me a skrik!
Zonked
Exhausted! Or it can refer to being completely stoned
I hope after this, you now completely understand the South African way of life… !
Thanks to everyone who helped contribute their favourite "saffer slang" for this article. If you think I have missed any off, then I would love to hear from you! Or, if you think you have any funny slang terms please share them with us! Give us a laugh!