Browse African Slang

To be honest

Sneakers or athletic shoes.

Auntie in Afrikaans, but widely used to politely address or refer to any older woman

Plugged in / crazy (context).

Toyota Tazz; symbolizes simple car.

Nickname for Tebogo; also used as any friendly alias.

Technical skill (sports/gaming).

Person profiting off tenders.

That thing / that vibe.

A local quirk in English where "there by" is used when talking about location. Influenced by Afrikaans "daar by", you'll...

We / us (Zulu).

Find / get.

Rugged style person.

Carry / host.

A nickname for the R10 note (in older township slang). The old brown R10 note was sometimes called a tiger, and half of ...

“Thing” or a girl (contextual).

Knock off / finish work.

End of workday (esp. on Friday), time to knock off.

Exclamation of shock.

Expressing repeated surprise.

Chocolate (nickname/skin tone praise).

Pronounced 'chops,' it refers to meat chops or can affectionately mean friends/guys

A widely understood term for a bribe. Tjotjo (pronounced CHAW-chaw) is used in many South African languages to mean an i...

Cool / impressive / nice.

Onomatopoeic for intimate activity.

It has fallen / failed.

A mythical mischievous dwarf or evil spirit in Zulu/Xhosa folklore.

Take / accept.

Stop working / halt.

Toxic relationship

Trap music

A hit, success, or hit song.

Crazy / wild person.

Check / verify.

Pour (drink) / tell.

Switch sides / change stance.

Thug / hustler / streetwise.

(Township slang) Refers to a love story involving a tsotsi (a streetwise gangster). It evokes the trope of a bad-boy-wit...

Literally 'criminal language,' this refers to urban street slang that blends Afrikaans, Sotho, Zulu, English, etc.

"Get out of here" (disbelief/praise).

Continue / carry on.

To tell someone off or to talk (can mean flirt or tease depending on context, similar to SA usage).

"Tune" in South African slang means to tell or to give (especially a scolding or attitude). "Tuning someone grief" means...

To talk nonsense or insult someone (“talk shit”).

Told / said.

Expensive (Afrikaans duur).

A slang phrase referencing people pairing up as couples (like animals entering Noah's Ark in twos). Often used teasingly...

Piece of meat for the braai or playful insult meaning idiot.

To speak to or confront someone, often rudely.