Language and Slang

South African Slang

South Africa has a rich culture of slang, and over the years, popular words and phrases across all language groups have become commonly used by locals, and widely misunderstood by wide-eyed tourists. This is just a small selection of the country's most popular slang, words and phrases:

• bakkie - a utility or pick-up truck

• bergie - from berg, meaning mountain, this term originally referred to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain; it has since become a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants, especially in Cape Town. While many may use the term endearingly, it can often be somewhat derogatory 

• biltong - dried meat, usually beef or other wild game, similar to jerky

• boerewors - direct translation is farmer-sausage, it is a spicy sausage usually cooked on a braai (see below)

• bottle store - where you go to buy bottles, and cans, of an alcoholic nature 

• braai - a method of cooking over hot coals or wood, similar to a barbeque (but infinitely nicer)

• bru / bra - a shortening of the word brother, usually used as a purely heterosexually  affectionate term between males

• costume - particularly useful to know if you're heading to the beach or a pool party, costume is not of the dress-up variety, but rather for swimming in. i.e. Boardshorts or bikinis

• china - friend or mate, from Cockney rhyming slang china (plate) - mate

• gatsby - impracticably large roll filled with french fries and a variety of secret sauces

• howzit / hoezit / hoesit - possibly the most common of South African greetings, howzit directly translated means 'how is it?', however locals typically use it as a replacement to 'hi'. An adequate response could be either 'Hi', 'Good thanks, you?', or, simply, by saying another 'howzit' right back

• ja - (pronounced yar), is afrikaans for yes and used commonly across most language groups

• jol - to have a party, fun

• lekker - nice

• lift - elevator

• robot - traffic light

• shebeen - illegal drinking establishment, typically located in informal settlements or squatter camps (see below)

• shot - not only of bullet origins, the term shot is also used to say thanks. Shot my bru.

• squatter camps - informal housing communities, typically set up on the outskirts of major city centres, are the result of Apartheid era restrictions governing where black people were allowed to reside

• sundowner - the act of consuming a beverage (typically alcoholic) while watching a (typically incredible) African sunset

• yebo - also meaning yes