south african
babbelas (bub-buh-luss) – A hangover.
bakkie (buck-ee) – A pick-up truck.
biscuit – In South Africa a cookie is known as a "biscuit". The word is also a term of affection, as in, "Hey, you biscuit".
blooming (blimmin) – A variation on "very", as in, "That new bakkie is blimmin big.
boet (like "book", with a t) – A term of affection, from the Afrikaans for "brother".
braai (br-eye) – An outdoor barbecue, where meat such as steak, chicken and boerewors are cooked, served with pap and bredie.
bru (brew) – A term of affection, shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother". An example would be, "Hey, my bru, howzit?"
café (kaf-ay, kaff-ee or kayff) – The ubiquitous small neighbourhood convenience store, often found on street corners and stocking cigarettes, cold drinks and newspapers.
china – To most people, China is the world’s most populous country, but to a South African it can mean something entirely different. China means "good friend", as in, "This oke's my china". It's one of the few Cockney rhyming slang words to survive in the country, coming from "china plate" = "mate".
dinges (ding-us) – A thing, thingamabob, whatzit, whatchamacallit or whatsizname, as in, "When is dinges coming around?"
dop (dawp) – An alcoholic drink: "Can I pour you a dop?" It can also mean failure: "I dopped the test."
flog – No whips implied. South Africans use flog to mean "sell", as in "I think it's time I flogged this old car."
graze – Eat.
howzit – A traditional South African greeting that translates roughly as "How are you?", "How are things?", or simply "Hello
is it (as one word: izit) – An expression frequently used in conversation and equivalent to, "Is that so?"
jol (jawl) – A versatile word with many meanings, including "party", "disco", "having fun", or just "thing".
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, as in, "I'll do the dishes just no
kif – Cool, neat, great or wonderful. From the Arabic kayf, meaning enjoyment or wellbeing.
lekker (lekk-irr with a rolling r) – Nice, good, great, cool or tasty.
oke, ou – A man, similar to "guy" or "bloke". The word "ou" (oh) can be used
interchangeably.
robots – Traffic lights.
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."
sarmie – Sandwich.
Boer - Afrikaans word for farmer
Boerewors (boerie) - spicy South African farmers' sausage
Choon - South African Indian slang for telling someone something, could also be a song
Doss - nap
Hundreds - excellent, good - Hi buddy how are you? I am hundreds
Monkey's wedding - a rain shower when the sun is out
Laaitie (Pronounces as "lighty") - a young person, usually a young male such as a younger brother or son
Larney - fancy / designer
Siff - Used in South African English to discribe disgusting, horrible or ugly - "This milkshake is siff!"
Kak Pron. Kuk, meaning crap/shit - as in "That Boerie is really Kak!"
Doos Pron. Do-is. Afrikaans for 'box"/or cunt - used to decsribe a stupid person (very rude, not to be used in poilte company) referring to a woman's genitalia! As in " Stop being such a complete doos!"
Bankie – Bank bag filled with dope
Blind – Embarrassing
Boot – Trunk
Chop – Moron
Connection – Person (Can be a friend or a vaguely related person)
Dagga (pronounced: ‘duh-ch*-uh’) – Marijuana
Deck – Punch
Fong-Kong – Fake
Full on – Absolutely
Fully – Yes
Goofed – Stoned
Half and half – Half brandy, half coke drink
Ja-nee (pronounced: ‘yaa’ ‘knee-ya’) – Equivalent of ‘I don’t know’ / sure
Johnnie Walker – Someone who doesn’t own a car
Lank – A lot
Pull in! – Come around
Scale – To steal / To jump over
Smaak (prounounced: ‘smaark’) – To like/love
Waai – leave/go |