SOUTH AFRICAN SLANG
Ag - Many purposes.A very short Afrikaans word to indicate frustration, signal a pregnant pause or to add emphasis.
Aikona - Never, not in a month of Sundays!
Babbelas ('Bub-be-las') - A hangover. So try saying that wor= d when youre drunk!
Baff – Fart
Baggies - Swimming trunks a= nd not the speedo variety!
Bakkie - Pickup truck, the pride and joy of may South African men!
Ballas - Balls (ie: privates..)
Barnie - Fight, punch-up
Bergie - Homeless person usually living on the street(bergie being a reference to one who hangs around the mountain) Alcohol abuse and a poor socio-economic situation make them one of the sadder features of
Meat (usually beef,ostich or venison) cut into strips and dried. Used to be a staple of those wonderful pioneers the Voortrekkers who first explored the interior.
South African version of the American cookie. Can also be used as a word of praise ie: “You biscuit!” .
Bliksem- Afrikaans word for lightning. Also used as an expletive ie:”oh bliksem!” or “if you don’t stop that, Im going to bliksem you!”
Boere- Name used for police mostly when you are actually guilty of something!
Boerewors- Directly translates to farmers sausage. No Self respecting braai would be caught without it.
Bok- To be keen or game for anything.The diminutive bokkie used as a term of endearment for a loved one.
Bos- The bush, used especially during the South African bush war. The diminutive, bossies, is the word used to describe someone who has lost he plot!
Bossies or Bosbefok- Going totally whacko, going bush crazy - "He went bossies after spending 3 months in
Boykie- Little boy, or can be used as in: "He's quite a boykie" - (he's quite the guy!)" Little boy or used as a complement meaning “you are quite the man!”
Braai-
Brah- Buddy or associate usually involved in some nefarious dealings!
Catch a Tan - To suntan
This has nothing = to do with money and is used as a way getting someone to look at something ie: “Check this out!
ChickOne of the wide selection of sexist terms for a woman!
Used as a warning to indicate unwanted arrivalsie: “Chips the head master is coming!”
To go, put the wo= rd up in front of it and you have vomit!
To sleep over ie” Do you want to crash at my house”
Dagga ('Dag-gah') - South African word for marijuana
Dankie - Thank you
Dinges ('Din-gus') - An article wh= os name you have temporarily forgotten. Also used as a word for your bottom.
Dit ruk- It's happening!.
Most expressive word for someone who is dim witted
Dop - Widely used term for alcohol, also means to fail a school standard in Afrikaans
Duidelik- Another word for really cool!
Dwaal- Not paying attention to your surroundings or wandering around aimlessly
Eina(aynah) - Afrikaans word used as an expression of pain by all South Africans
Flip - An expletive meaning Oh damn or “Oh no”
How's your mind? - "Are you mad?!"
Hum - Has a dual meaning, either that something is stinks ie:”That dustbin really hums” or to describe a really good vibe ie:”The club was really humming!”
Isit? (Izzit?) - An appropriate response for just about anything. Used in place of the word really
Jol- Word used to describe having a good time ie: “We had such a jol on Saturday night!
Just now - A source of much amusement to foreigners, a very broad term which means anything from now, later or never
Kak ('Kuk') - An expletive meaning faeces but used in just about any context ie:”Dont talk kak”
Kief- A word used to describe something very nice ie: “The graze was very kief”
Klap('klup') To slap someone
Kus- Extremely tired
Lank - Lots and lots!
Larney - Fancy. Can refer to a person or thing
Lekker - Probably one of the most typically South African words meaning nice and used by all language groups
Lightey- Youngster
Lights out - Knocked unconscious usually by someone!
Lomp- Uncoordinated
Lummie- A punch administered directly to the muscle using the middle finger knuckle. A good lummy immediately rises to the occasion
Mampara - an idiot
Moffie- Derogatory word for a homosexual
Nooit('Noy-t' ) - Means no but is also used to express disbelief
Oke (ou) - Guy, chap, bloke
Padkos- Food taken on a road trip
Park off - To sit back and relax
Pavement - In
Pluck - What is your attitude, usually the question asked just before the first punch lands!
Robot - Yes, it's a traffic light!
Rock Up - To arrive
Rock Spider - English word for an Afrikaner and not very flattering at that!
Rooineck- Derogatory word for an English speaking South African
Soutpiel, or soutie - Another Afrikaner name for an English speaking South African
Scale - To scale something is to steal it. Someone who is scaly is suspect
Shame - A widely used South African expression. Used when making references to babies and puppies and also as when sympathy is called for
Sif - of a disgusting thing. Word used when something disgusting needs describing ie: “The bergie was really sif”
Skelm- A crook or thief
Skinner - Gossip
Skolly - ('skaw-lly') - Ruffian. Can be used almost affectionately when referring to a hooligans friend
Skrik - A fright
Slap chips - When French Fries are thick and long and don't go crispy in the oil - they are soft and stodgy
Spook and diesel - Cane spirits and coke - A favorite mixture of a pale liquor and dark Coca-Cola.
Stoep- Veranda
Stroppy- Cheeky
Stukkie- Sexist term for a woman
Takkies- Sneakers, running shoes
Tokoloshe- Evil spirit
Tune ('Choon') - To tell, usually used aggressively
Vasbyt- Hang in there
Voetsek- Go Away!
Vry - To make out