Browse African Slang

Rubbish / nonsense.

Short neat haircut style.

Crap / nonsense / bad.

Crass Afrikaans saying meaning "sh*t and pay." It's used when you're frustrated about having to cough up money (often fo...

An Afrikaans phrase literally meaning "shit and done," used to indicate something is completely over or settled, often a...

An exclamation roughly meaning "Oh, come on, that's nonsense!" or "You're talking crap!" It's a way to call out somethin...

A lot / very much.

Overdoing authority.

But / yet / actually.

Township / hood; style.

Unique township style/spice.

Local gossip roundup.

Alternate spelling of kasi.

(Sesotho/Setswana) 'I love you' (said to one person). A direct love declaration in Sotho-Tswana languages. Response: Le ...

Noise. Slang: “making *kelele*” means causing a stir.

Slang (Shona) for “hunger” (especially extreme hunger – *kena* is to be very hungry).

Expression of surprise or “by the way.”

Head (used teasing).

Escort / accompany.

Someone always tagging along.

Cover / hold down for.

Old respected man.

Right now / currently.

Grow up / mature.

Sneakers.

Cool, awesome. Surfing community slang that went mainstream.

Very good / excellent.

“What’s the matter/why?” often to express frustration.

Nice / generous (Afrikaans influence).

To smack or hit. Afrikaans origin, used in English as well

"To klap a jol" means to have an epic party or great fun night out. Klap means hit/do vigorously, and jol is party/fun –...

Clever / sharp.

A **streetwise person**, clever in the streets (can be positive or negative). (Origin: Tsotsitaal, from English “clever”...

A wise guy or clever street operator.

R100 (in some contexts).

A minibus taxi (public transport van).

Head / brain (Afrikaans).

Nickname for a very dangerous area or hotspot (after the war-torn region). (Origin: Township slang)

Pessoa mais velha / termo de respeito (Elder / term of respect)

Means “all good” or “hundred percent” (as in *I’m feeling like a million bucks*). (Origin: Tsotsitaal)

It's tough / difficult.

It was epic / great.

“Play low,” meaning to be discreet or humble.

Nice / beautiful.

Means “to be hot” in Shona – slang usage can mean *to be trending/popular OR to be dangerous (like hot to touch)*.

A casual greeting in Shona meaning “How are things?” (literally “How is it burning?”).

Shona for “to be left behind.” In slang, used to say someone is *out of touch or missing out*.

Urban slang meaning *to chill idly or loaf around* (possibly from “zombie” – doing nothing with blank mind).

Literally 'angry' in Afrikaans, but slang-wise it means 'cool,' 'excellent' or 'rad.' Calling something kwaai in Namibia...

"Kwaai" in Afrikaans originally means angry, but slang-wise it has come to mean "cool" or "excellent." So "kwaai vibes" ...