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Only in South Africa - our colourful language
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| Ag (pronounced ach as in the German achtung) |
| This is generally used at the beginning of a sentence, either to express resignation – as in: "Ag well, I guess that's just the way it is" – or to indicate irritation, as in: "Ag no man! What did you do that for?" |
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| Babbelas (pronounced bub-buh-luss) |
| Babbelas refers to a morning-after hangover. Picture Van (see below) stumbling into work late, looking pale and holding his hand to his forehead. When asked what the matter is, he answers: "Jislaaik china, I dopped 20 dumpies last night and now I have a hang of a babbelas." Translation: "Gee, my friend, I drank 20 small beers last night and now I have a terrible hangover." |
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| Bakkie (pronounced bucky) |
| This commonly used word refers to a small pick-up truck. An example would be: "We'll use my bakkie. Then we'll be able to load everything at once." |
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| Bell |
| This comes from the Afrikaans "bel", meaning to call on the telephone. In the South African context it is used as follows: "I'll give you a bell when I get home." Translation: "I'll phone you when I get home". |
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| Biltong (pronounced bill-tong) |
| This South African favourite is dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky, although it can be made from ostrich, kudu, beef or any other red meat. It is synonymous with rugby, another South African favourite. |
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| Bloody (pronounced bladdie) |
| Used as a variation of very, as in: "It was bladdie difficult." |
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| Bobotie (pronounced buh-boor-tee) |
| This dish is of Malay origin and is made with minced meat and curried spices. An egg sauce is poured on top of this and it is then baked. |
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| Boet (pronounced like book) |
| Boet is the Afrikaans word for "brother". Once again it is used as a term of affection, as in: "This guy is my boet!" Beware, however, when a huge Neanderthal says to you: "Hey boet, don't tune me grief." Then it is probably time to leave. |
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| Braai (pronounced br-eye) |
| This is the popular South African version of a barbecue where meats such as steak, chicken and boerewors (boo-ruh-vorss) are cooked. Boerewors is a traditional spicy South African sausage made of beef or lamb and is also referred to as wors (vorss). Chances are that you will also be introduced to pap en sous (pup en sohss) at a braai. Pap is boiled corn meal, and sous is the sauce it is covered with, usually featuring tomato and onions. A South African might also indicate that he is feeling physically run down by saying "I'm pap." Translation: "I am feeling weak." |
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| Bru (pronounced brew) |
| A term of affection used among men, meaning "brother". An example would be "Hey, my bru, howzit?" |
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| Bredie (pronounced brear-dee) |
| This refers to a traditional South African dish, first brought to the country by Malay immigrants. It is a type of mutton stew. |
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| Buck |
| This does not necessarily refer to a wild animal. South Africans often use the term to refer to their currency, as in: "I only have 10 bucks on me", meaning "I am only in possession of 10 rand". The plural of rand does not become rands. |
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| Café (pronounced kaf-ay, kaffee or kayff) |
| This refers to the ubiquitous small convenience store, often found on a street corner and stocking items such as cigarettes and cold drinks. |
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| Car words |
| South Africans put petrol in their cars, not gasoline. Trunks are referred to as boots, while hoods are called bonnets. |
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| China |
| To most people China is the country with the largest population in the world, but to a South African it can mean something entirely different. "China" is a term of affection meaning good friend, as in "This oke's my china". It is term used in casual conversation, and would not be appropriate in more formal surroundings. |
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| Cooldrink, colddrink |
| This is the common term for a soda. Ask for a soda in South Africa and you will receive a club soda. Coca-Cola is a colddrink or cooldrink, as is Pepsi. |
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| Deurmekaar (pronounced deer-muh-carr) |
| This Afrikaans word is used to mean confused, as in "He's a bit deurmekaar", meaning he can't think straight and constantly makes mistakes. |
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| Dinges (pronounced ding-us) |
| Used when someone can't immediately remember the name of a person or object. For instance: "When is dinges coming around?" or "Please pass me the dinges behind you". Comparative words are "whatsizname" or "whatchamacallit". |
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| Doek (pronounced like book) |
| A head scarf worn to protect a woman's hair on a blustery day and popularly worn by domestic workers when cleaning the house. |
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| Doll |
| This colloquialism is popular among kugels in Johannesburg's northern suburbs and is an expression of affection usually between female friends, as in: "Hi doll, where have you been? I've missed you." It can be used interchangeably with "dollface". |
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| Donner (pronounced dor-nuh) |
| From the Afrikaans word "donder", meaning thunder, but used to mean beat up. Example: "I'm going to donner that ou." Translation: "I am going to hit that man." |
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| Dop |
| This is used to indicate a drink, usually alcoholic, as in: "Can I pour you a dop?" Alternatively, it can mean failure as in: "I dopped the test." |
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| Dorp |
| The term used to describe a small (probably very small) town, often on the platteland. This place wouldn't have more than a handful of traffic lights and farmers from outlying areas would comprise a good proportion of the people you would see walking around. |
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| Dummy |
| Don't worry, no one is being called stupid – there is probably a baby around. South Africans call pacifiers "dummies", as in "Put the dummy in the baby's mouth – that should keep him quiet." |
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| Dumpie |
| A South African beer served in a brown 340ml bottle. An example of usage is: "Hey bru, throw me a dumpie." |
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| Durbs |
| Nickname for the city of Durban. Johannesburg is called Jo'burg, Joeys or Jozi, Port Elizabeth is PE, and Potchefstroom is referred to as Potch. Cape Town is just Cape Town or the Afrikaans Kaapstad, which is sometimes changed to Slaapstad, a slur meaning "sleepy town". It is also known more respectfully as the Mother City. |
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| Dwaal (pronounced dwarl) |
| Used to indicate a lack of concentration or focus. Say a friend is talking to you but your mind is elsewhere. When the friend finishes speaking and looks at you as if expecting an answer, your response would be: "Sorry, I was in a bit of a dwaal. Could you repeat that?" Alternatively a dwaal could mean you are lost and wandering around aimlessly. An example: "I couldn't remember how to get there, so I drove around in a dwaal for a while before I found the right turning." |
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| Eina (pronounced ay-nuh or ay-nar) |
| A short, sharp expression meaning ouch. Alternatively used to mean sore, as in: "That cut must have been really eina." |
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| Fixed up |
| Used to mean "That's good" or as an equivalent to the British "sorted". Example: "I've booked a table for seven o'clock. Let's meet at the restaurant." The reply: "Fixed up." |
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| Flog – No whips implied. |
| South Africans use flog to mean sell, as in "I've had enough of this old car. I think it's time I flogged it." |
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| Frikkadel (pronounced frik-kuh-dell) |
| A traditional South African meat ball |
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| Gatvol (pronounced ghut-foll) |
| Taken from Afrikaans, this means "fed up", as in "Jislaaik china, I'm gatvol of working in this hot sun." Translation: "Gee my friend, I'm fed up with working in this hot sun." Usage advisable in informal situations only. |
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| Gogga (pronounced gho-gha or gho-gho) |
| Said out loud this word closely resembles the noise made when clearing one's throat or gargling. It refers to an insect or bug, particularly one that might look fearsome but is really harmless. So if you spotted a preying mantis or caterpillar, you might say: "Hey china, check out that gogga." |
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| Graze |
| Grazing usually implies the eating habits of herbivores, but in South Africa it can also be used in reference to people and food, as in: "Let's grab some graze before we go out." Used by friends in informal situations. |
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| Hap (pronounced hup) |
| Hap means bite, as in "Take a hap of this". At a braai, your host might offer you a sample of the cooking by proffering a piece of boerewors on a fork and saying: "Hap hap." |
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| Hey |
| The popular expression hey can be used as a standalone question meaning "pardon" or "what" – "Hey? What did you say?" Alternatively it can be used to prompt affirmation or agreement, as in "It was a great film, hey?", or as an expression of surprise - "Hey! What was that?" |
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| Howzit |
| A traditional South African greeting that translates roughly as "How are you?" or "How are things? |
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| Is it (pronounced as one word: izit) |
| An expression frequently used in conversation and equivalent to "is that so?" It is sometimes used to express mild surprise. For example: "Lucy had a baby boy today"; the reply: "Is it?" It is also a useful conversation-filler when there is nothing meaningful to add, as in: "We won our match today" - "Is it?" |
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| Jawelnofine (pronounced yar well no fine) |
| A mix of Afrikaans and English, this is similar to the rhetorical expression "How about that?" It is used to express surprise and a sense that things aren't really fine but there's not much you can do about it. For example, having been caught speeding, your reaction on seeing the size of your traffic fine might be: "Jawelnofine." |
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| Jislaaik (pronounced yis-like) |
| This is an expression of surprise, as in: "Jislaaik, I can't believe that I won the national lottery!" |
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| Just now |
| If a South African tells you they will do something "just now", they mean they'll do it in the near future - not immediately. For example, the appropriate reply to "Why don't we go shopping now?" if you wish to go a little later is: "No, let's rather go just now." |
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| Kaalvoet (pronounced carl-foot) |
| Stolen from Afrikaans, this means barefoot and is more widely used on the platteland than in cities. In South African schools, young boys usually play rugby "kaalvoet" until they have finished primary school. Once they reach high school they graduate to wearing rugby boots for the first time. |
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| Koki (pronounced koh-key) |
| A coloured marker or felt-tip pen. |
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| Koppie (pronounced kor-pie) |
| A small hill. During the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 it was a favoured tactic of the Boers to lie in ambush on koppies, waiting for British units to pass below before attacking them from above. |
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| Kos (pronounced kor-ss) |
| The Afrikaans word for food. Example: "Jislaaik, that place has lekker kos." Translation: "Wow, that restaurant serves good food." An informal term that should not be used to find out what's on the menu. |
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| Lappie (pronounced luppie) |
| A cloth used for various cleaning purposes. It might be a kitchen cloth or the oil rag that your china is using while he works on his car. |
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| Lekker (pronounced lekk-irr with a rolling r) |
| Afrikaans word meaning nice. It is often used in association with food, as in: "That wors is lekker." |
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| Madiba (pronounced muh-dee-buh) |
| The name used by many South Africans when speaking about former president Nelson Mandela. It is used affectionately, but is actually the name of his clan. It is so widely used that even the media refer to Mandela as Madiba. |
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| Marmite |
| A popular spread made from a salty vegetable extract and used on bread or toast. As popular among South Africans as peanut butter is with Americans. |
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| Naartjie (pronounced nar-chee) |
| The South African name for a tangerine. This fruit is favoured by rougher elements in the crowd at a rugby game because it is a handy size for throwing and explodes on impact when it strikes the referee. The practice of throwing naartjies at referees is not encouraged, however, and could get you thrown out of the ground. |
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| Nappy |
| A baby's diaper, used as in: "John's nappy needs to be changed." |
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| No way |
| An expression of surprise and disbelief, as in "We won the game!" - "No way, I can't believe it." |
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| Now now |
| This is not intended to comfort but means shortly, as in: "I will be there now now." |
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| Oke, ou |
| A colloquial reference to a man, similar to "guy", "chap" or "bloke". For example: "Do you know that oke?" The word "ou" (pronounced oh) can be used interchangeably. |
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| Pasop (pronounced pus-orp) |
| This Afrikaans word means "Beware" or "Watch out". Depending on context it can mean different things. If a huge Neanderthal tells you to "pasop", it is wise to leave. Alternatively, it might be used when someone is moving a heavy object and is warning people to keep out of the way in case they drop it. |
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| Pavement |
| South Africans walk on pavements and drive cars on the road (at least that's the idea). The pavement is the sidewalk. For example, a sign might prohibit the use of skateboards, roller blades and bicycles on the pavement. |
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| Platteland (pronounced plutt-uh-lunt) |
| Countryside where small town or dorps are found. The term is taken from Afrikaans and literally means "flat land". However, in English it could be used to describe areas of the Cape winelands, for example, which might be hilly or even mountainous. |
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| Robots |
| South Africans refer to traffic lights as robots. Sometimes they pronounce the word "row-bow". An example of usage would be when giving directions: "Turn left at the second robot." |
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| Rock up |
| To arrive somewhere unannounced or uninvited. It's the kind of thing friends do: "I was going to go out but then my china rocked up." You wouldn't rock up at a formal occasion - chances are you would be denied entrance. |
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| Rooibos (pronounced roy-borss) |
| A popular South African tea made in the Cape from the Cyclopia genistoides bush. Rooibos is an Afrikaans word meaning "red bush". When people speak of rooibos they are referring to rooibos tea. |
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| Rooinek (pronounced roy-neck) |
| Taken from the Afrikaans this translates as "red neck", but does not mean the same as it does in the United States. It was first used by Afrikaners many decades ago to refer to Englishmen, because of the way their white necks would turn pink from sunburn. Today it is often used by Afrikaans speakers as a term of affection towards English speakers, as in: "Hey rooinek, how are you? I haven't seen you for a long time." |
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| Rubbish bin (alternatively dustbin or dirt bin) |
| The name for a garbage can, a term you will not hear used in South Africa. |
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| Samoosa (pronounced suh-moo-suh) |
| A small, spicy, triangular-shaped pie that has been deep-fried in oil. Made by the Indian and Malay communities, samoosas are popular with South Africans in general. |
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| Sarmie |
| Colloquial term for a sandwich. If you are going on a picnic and your hosts tell you they have packed sarmies, you will at least know they have remembered to pack something to eat. |
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| Scale |
| To scale something means to steal it. If someone is scaly then he or she is not a person that you would trust. |
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| Shame |
| Unlike elsewhere in the world, this is an expression that broadly denotes sympathetic feeling. For example, when admiring a baby someone might say: "Ag shame!" to indicate that the baby is cute. |
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| Skinder, skinner (pronounced skinner) |
| Gossip, as in: "Hey china, have you heard the latest skinner?" Someone who talks behind someone's back is known as a skinnerbek. Example: "Jislaaik bru, I'm going to donner that skinnerbek for skinnering about me." Translation: "Gee my friend, I'm going to hit that guy for gossiping about me behind my back." |
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| Skop, skiet en donder (pronounced skorp, skeet en donner) |
| Taken from Afrikaans this literally means "kick, shoot and thunder". It is an expression used to describe a lively action movie - think Jean-Claude van Damme or Steven Seagal. |
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| Skrik |
| This word means fright and will often be used as follows: "I caught a big skrik." You'll catch a skrik when there is a sudden noise behind your back or if a car veers in front of you on the highway. |
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| Slap chips (pronounced slup chips) |
| French fries, usually soft, oily and vinegar-drenched, bought in a brown paper bag. "Slap" is an Afrikaans word meaning "limp", which is how French fries are generally made here. If that's not how you like them, be sure to order them "crispy". |
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| Slip-slops, slops |
| Sandals or rubber thongs worn to the beach. These usually have a thin strap between the big toe and the toe next to it. Not to be worn with socks! |
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| Smokes |
| Slang for cigarettes, as in "What have I done with my smokes?" |
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| Snoek (pronounced like book) |
| This is a popular and tasty fish, often eaten smoked. if you're lucky you may get to experience a "snoek braai" - a real South African treat. |
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| Spanspek |
| The South African word for cantaloupe. A request for a cantaloupe is likely to be met with a blank stare or bemused grin, indicating that your waitron has no idea what you are referring to. |
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| Still |
| Often used to mean "on the other hand", as in "Still ... you never know." It is also used in place of "nonetheless" or "regardless". For example, when indicating that you plan to continue on a course of action even though you have been presented with various arguments as to why you shouldn't, you might say: "Still ... it's my choice and I'll take responsibility for my decisions." |
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| Stroppy |
| Used to describe a difficult and unco-operative person. For example: "I tried to help my china to his car after a few dops too many, but he was really stroppy and refused my help, falling all over the place instead." |
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| Tackies |
| Running shoes or sneakers. Used in conjunction with the word fat, as in "fat tackies", it describes extra wide tyres. Example: "Look at the fat tackies on that motorbike!" |
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| Tannie (pronounced tunny) |
| This Afrikaans word literally means "auntie", but is used by Afrikaners as a sign of respect for any woman who is 10 or more years older than themselves. If a tannie is described as kwaai (pronounced kwhy), it means they are aggressive and not to be trifled with. |
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| Tinkle |
| If someone asks you to give them a tinkle, don't be concerned. They are simply asking you to phone them. |
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| To die for |
| An expression popular in the affluent suburbs of Johannesburg and Cape Town, denoting enthusiastic approval for an object or person. For example, "That necklace is to die for" or "Check out that hunk - isn't he to die for?" It is often pronounced "to dah for". |
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| Tom |
| Slang for money. It's the kind of word you might use when pooling your resources with a mate in order to buy something to eat while watching rugby. You'd say: "Hey bru, how much tom do we have between us?" in the hope that you could afford to buy enough biltong to last the duration of the match. |
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| Tune grief |
| To cause trouble. If you are told not to "tune grief" to the huge Neanderthal, you are being advised not to aggravate and upset him. If you tell someone not to "tune me grief", you are telling him not to look for trouble. |
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| Van der Merwe (pronounced fun-duh-mer-vuh) |
| Van der Merwe is the butt of many a South African joke, much like Paddy is in Irish jokes. Sometimes he is just called "Van" (pronounced the English way). |
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| Vrot (pronounced frot) |
| Taken from Afrikaans, this word describes something as rotten. For example, "This apple is vrot." Alternatively, it can be used to describe something as smelly. "Jislaaik china, put your tackies back on, they're vrot." |
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| Windgat (pronounced vint-ghut) |
| This means a show-off. Taken from the Afrikaans, it literally means "wind hole" and refers to a show-off blowing his own trumpet. Not to be used in polite conversation. |
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