Example: “That new movie is lekker!” / “That bunny chow was lekker!” / “I’m lekker, bru!”. This one is confusing, since it sounds like the English word “clap.” But it’s actually referring to a “slap,” or hitting someone/something with the palm of your hand. Have you traveled to South Africa? However, English is understood by most South Africans in urban areas and you’ll hear English on South African TV and other media. The South African Indian equivalent of "Hey dude!" It’s an affectionate term of endearment. Example: “Hey my boet, see you at the game tonight!”. Whether you’re planning to travel there or are just curious about all the local slang and dialects of English, you’ll want to know some of these terms. Biltong is a favorite South African snack made from dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky. South Africa’s most common word for a man or guy and is similar in meaning to ‘china’, ‘bru’ or ‘boet’. We also participate in other affiliate advertising programs for products and services we believe in. Click here to get a copy. Thanks for subscribing! FluentU brings English to life with real-world videos. Example: “Oh, my gosh! But first, it’s time for a history and culture lesson. How?!”. An ancient African word used to describe common philosophical feeling of humanity and family, meaning “I am because we are”. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Sign up for our weekly blog newsletter for a chance to win a free FluentU Plus subscription (value $240), Get regular language learning tips, resources and updates, starting with the "Complete Guide to Foreign Language Immersion" e-book. Also “bliksem” can be used as a term for someone, for example: “He’s a bloody bliksem!” Meaning he’s naughty or causes trouble a lot. The automatic light-changing function of a traffic light resembles that of a robotic machine, hence the slang term. Boerewors [boor-uh-vors] is an Afrikaans term for ‘farmer’s sausage’ — a traditional South African meat often enjoyed at a braai. In South Africa, ag [agh] is not short for aggressive or agriculture — it’s a filler word to express irritation or resignation. You’ll find many different types of English in the FluentU English video library. Am not from south africa, but i visited SA for a business trip when i heard some guys saying ”Bru” i really like that slang when i understands it means brother. South African accents share the short I sound of New Zealand. Make sure you roll the ‘r’ when pronouncing this word. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you ‘We’re having a braai tomorrow.’ ‘We braaied the meat yesterday’. It’s a unique word because it doesn’t just express surprise—it can also express excitement, disbelief or anger. Shebeen [sha-bean] is an illegal tavern derived from Irish (sibín). A commuter wanting a ride to a destination close by will say ‘Sho’t left, driver,’ meaning ‘I want to get off just around the corner.’, Thanks to the variety of languages spoken in, Orlando Towers, Johannesburg © Adamina/Flickr, Zulu tribesman traditional dancing, South Africa, South African football fans at the World Cup. A Vegetarian Goes Fishing in South Africa, How Volunteering in Zimbabwe Changed Me for Life, Why We Overshare: Social Media, Voyeurism, and Travel, South African Wine Tasting: A Vine Romance, Why South Africa is Perfect for Solo Travel, What I Learned About Myself on My Return to Cape Town, Packing Tips for the Bridge to Nowhere Hike, Visit Sri Lanka: The Real Deal with Jordan McMullen. In South Africa, every cup of tea, meal, game drive, wine tasting or other experience I tried was accompanied by the invitation to ‘enjoy’. A basic conversational word that can be inserted at various points in any conversation, meaning “oh, wow!” or “Is that so?” It can also be used when you don’t really feel like talking and don’t want to be rude but want to seem as if you’re listening. Example: “I’m going to a jol tonight!” / “I’m having a jol!” / “It was such a jol!”. South Africa is rich in various official languages other than English, including the following (sometimes spelled different ways): English is currently only the fourth most spoken language in South Africa, with less than 10% of the population actively speaking it. Example: “Let’s chow my bru!” / “This chow is spicy!”. So you can see the intermingling of the accents. A confusing phrase for non-locals meaning sometime soon – sooner than just now but quicker than right now. © Copyright 2009-2020 Pink Pangea, All Rights Reserved. Example: “Last week we went on a game drive! You don’t want to be saying this to a local or worse, if a local says this to you – you’ve really angered them! Never saw them written down so didn’t even think of how they were spelt… Always thought it was footseck or something… LOL, Voetsek!! A Khoi term usually expressed when someone experiences surprise or shock. How to use the South African saying, Shame: Me: This shop is selling Keep Calm and Carry On merchandise. 3 Enjoy! It can also mean ‘to fail an exam’. For example, ‘The food was lekker’, or ‘We had a lekker day.’, Kief [kif], derived from Arabic (kayf), means cool, great, awesome or neat. Example: “We’re going to the beach now now!” (But first we have to pack our swimming gear, stop at gas station and maybe get some snacks…). ‘Ag, no man!’, or ‘Ag, let’s go.’ Eg. Apartheid, not dissimilar from Segregation in the U.S., was a policy and attempt for white South Africans in the 1940s through the late ’90s to rule over native South Africans. This term is usually used in reference to a male friend or companion. Don’t use this if you want to make a professional impression! Bradley: “I found out today that daddy long legs aren’t even spiders.”, Anna: “I could really go for a sarmie right about now.”. If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos. This term is used to describe a male in his teens or early twenties. This shortened version of “how’s it going?” just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? We’ll compare them to similar American English terms you might recognize. When you visit South Africa, don’t be confused about the robots in the road. Eg. Sho my bru! An Afrikaans word that has multiple meanings and which can be used in various contexts to describe many things from people to food to inanimate objects. ‘Don’t skinner about me.’, Lekker [lek-uh] is a widely used term indicating that something is ‘great’ or ‘nice’. “Eina! mooing – to flirt. Slap chips [slup chips] is a slang phrase for deep-fried potato chips sold at takeaway seafood shops, grocery stores and restaurants. Usually expressed with respect. There are videos from across the English-speaking world. You won’t see a human-like machine walking past the cars. This filler word is often used to express frustration, but it can also be used in pretty much any situation at the beginning of a sentence. We’d love to know if there’s any important information you recommend adding to this list. In South Africa, ag [agh] is not short for aggressive or agriculture — it’s a filler word to express irritation or resignation. Absolutely delicious! Derived from the Arabic kayf, meaning enjoyment or well-being, kiff or kief is most often used to convey similar feelings of nice, cool, great. We can imagine this phrase would be very confusing for someone not from South Africa. The first truly African, native English accent in South Africa evolved in the speech of the children of the 1820 Settlers who came to the Eastern Cape with parents who spoke many English dialects. Make sure to roll the ‘r’ when pronouncing the word. You domkop! Similar to the German “dummkopf” or Dutch “domkop”, this term literally translates to “dumb head” and is a derogatory term used to describe someone who you think is stupid. nana – grandfather (Not a slang words, but a Hindi and Urdu word meaning maternal grandfather) !” / “Haikona, when?! For example, ‘Pour me a dop,’ or ‘I’m gonna dop that test’. “I ought to klap you for saying that nonsense!”. If you plan on travelling to South Africa, be sure to study up on these words and phrases!
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