For PT........a dictionary of South African slang

AlphaTroll

New Member
Well, judging from the convo in the shoutbox, it may be easier for me to just give you a list of SA slang & colloquialisms..........who knows, it may lead to better understanding between the nations....first step in the move to the great global village ;)

Feel free to post whatever slang words you guys use that may be of interest.

Ag
Pronounced like the ach in German, but with a 'g' on the end. Roll that 'g'! "Ag, no man" - sign of irritation. Many purposes.

Aikona
Never, not on your life.

Aita! ('ai-tah')
A greeting: "Aita brah!" - Originated in the townships among the youth, and is still used.

Babbelas ('Bub-be-las')
A hangover. Normally a pretty damn bad hangover!

Baff
Fart

Baggies
Certainly not "swimming trunks" or even worse: "bathing suit!!", but means the same.

Bakkie ('Buk-ky')
Pickup truck

Ballas
Balls (ie: privates..)

Barnie
Fight, punch-up.

Befok, bef*ck
Wild, crazy, excellent, great! This is used two ways: "he went befok" (he lost it completely!) or "that's bef*ck!" (that's awesome!)

Bergie
A hobo who hangs out on the streets of Cape Town. The term Bergie originates from the Berg (Mountain), and has connotations, according to prejudice, that Bergies are members of inbred hillbilly clans. This is not really so. It has more to do with alcoholism and tragic social circumstances such as poverty and homelessness.

Biltong
Jerky in the US, only much better!. This is specially prepared dried raw meat, made from beef, venison or ostrich.

Biscuit
Cookie in the US. In America, a biscuit is a scone with no sugar. In South Africa, it's a cookie. Some favourites are Marie Biscuits, Romany Creams, and Eet Sum Mor. Also someone who is rather amusing / funny / well liked / has done something good "You biscuit!"

Bliksem
Strike, hit, punch: "I'm going to bliksem you!" Can also be used as follows: "Bliksem! (Damn!) That was a befokde game of rugby!"

Boere
Term that refers to the police - "Die foken boere se moer, man!".

Boerewors
Farmstyle sausage or "wors". (Literally, "Farmers Sausage"). It is consumed in vast quantities on braais all over the country.

Bok
To be keen.

Bokkie
Used mostly in the Afrikaans circles - a young, pretty lady; or girlfriend.

Bos
The bush; a term that became especially popular during the period of "bush-warefare" during the Angolan war.

Bossies or Bosbefok
Going totally whacko, going bush crazy - "He went bossies after spending 3 months in Angola".

Boykie
Little boy, or can be used as in: "He's quite a boykie" - (he's quite the guy!)"

Braai
Barbecue (US) or Barbie (Aus). Extremely popular SA occupation. Men take great pride in preparing this event; and is probably the only time the average South African man does something around the house!

Brah
Buddy, associate, peer, colleague, friend, etc... Most often used amongst the "rookers" (pot-smokers) - "Hoesit, my brah!"

Catch a Tan
To suntan.

Check
Nothing to do with money! Look, do you see? - "You check?" or "Check this, china!!" - Look at this, dude!.

Chick
Yet another typically South African sexist term for a woman!

China
A friend, buddy, mate. Very popular term, mostly in Cape Town area and Durban. Can also be used aggressively, as in: "Are you tuning me kak, China? - are you giving me sh*t, mate?".

Chips
Means 'look out!' A warning.

Chuck
Depart, leave, go

Crash
Go to sleep - "Do you want to crash out at my place? - Do you want sleep over at my place?"

Dagga ('Dag-gah')
Marijuana, dope - the South African word for dope.

Dankie
Thank you

Dinges ('Din-gus')
Thingamabob, a wotzit or a whatchamacallit.

Dit ruk
It's happening!.

Doff
Stupid, idiot. It can also be used as a noun. "You doffie" - you stupid dumb*ss!

Dop
Alcohol, or to fail school.

Drol
Sh*t.

Duidelik
Means it's cool. Eg: Hoesit my brah. Naai, is duidelik!!!

Durban Poison
Dagga - marijuana - grown in KwaZulu Natal - of excellent vintage!

Dutchman
Derogative term for Afrikaner (especially when referring to people from the Tappet Triangle in the Eastern parts of Gauteng)

Dwaal
The blank, state a person gets into sometimes, walking around like a zombie.

Eina(aynah)
Ouch! Widely used. Derived from Afrikaans.

Flip
(Expletive) "Flip!" (Oh no! or Sh*t!)

Gatgabba
Moffie (disgusting reference to gay people)

Gesuip ('Ge-sayp')
Drunk

Graunch
Make out - "during the film, my boyfriend and I graunched in the back row" - during the movie we french kissed, rubbed, etc....

Graze
Unfortunately a pretty common word that means to "eat"!. "Let's go get something to graze".

Half-jack
A half-bottle of spirits.

Hap ('Hup')
A bite - this Afrikaans word is commonly used by English speakers. "Do you want a hap of my biscuit?".

Hey
Used for emphasis. "So let's graunch, hey?"

Howzit (also hoesit")
The famous, and one of the most typical, South African greeting. Short for "How is it?"

How's your mind?
"Are you mad?!"

Hum
1) Busy - "The disco was humming, there were chicks everywhere, and they were lekker on their pluck!" - the disco was a blast; there were girls everywhere and they were pretty drunk!
2) Stink - "Damn, it hums in here! Who baffed?"

Isit? (Izzit?)
This conversational word is used widely and in response to just about anything. Used in place of "really??"

Jammie
A car

Jawl - Jorl (Jol)
The word jawl is a generic South African - it refers to having a good time and can be used in any context. "I am going on a jawl (party) - I am having a jawl (good time) ...".

Just now
A immense source of amusement for foreigners - it means "very soon", "eventually"; or "never". If someone says he will do something "just now" it could be in 10 minutes or tomorrow. Or maybe he won't do it at all.

Kak ('Kuk')
Sh*t... and used in the same way.... "Don't talk kak - Don't give me kak".

Kief
Cool, or something that's very nice.

Klap('klup')
Slap - "Give him a snot-klap if he gives you kak".

Kus
Exhausted or tired

Lank
A lot - "There are lank people at this jawl tonight, hey China??!!"

Larney
Fancy, designer clothes, snob - A number of variations on a word denoting someone who is well-dressed, or designer clothes, or a well-to-do function. The person can be larney, or clothes.

Lekker
An Afrikaans word meaning nice, this word is used by all language groups to express approval.

Lightey
Youngster.

Lights out
Unconscious - "After being klapped for calling him a 'rock spider', little Johnny was completely lights out"

Lomp
Lethargic.

Lummie
A welt - A lummie is a particular kind of welt caused by hitting someone with the middle knuckle of your middle finger. School kids give each other lummies, usually on the forearm. A proper lummie becomes a bump immediately.

Mampara
A fool

Moffie
Wimp, pansie, naff, weakling

Nooit('Noy-t')
No way - Another way of saying no, but also a sign of incredulous response. (you have to say it correctly otherwise it just sounds naff "Nooit china, I can't believe that kak")

Nought
No - Used in similar situations to nooit. ("Nought hey!" when someone tells you something rather incredulous, if done right they'd never know if you were being sincere or sarcastic)

Oke (ou)
Guy, chap, bloke.

Padkos
Food to be eaten in the car, for a trip; on the road.

Park off
To chill out - sit down and relax - "Let's go park off at the beach tonight. Maybe we can graunch a little!"

Pavement
In South Africa this is the sidewalk.

Pikkie or Pikaneen
A small child.

Pluck
Can only be explained in an example: "What's your pluck, china?? You looking for kak? Don't make be befok; I'll klap you hard!" - what's you problem...etc..

Polisiekoffie (Police Coffee)
Brandy & Coke - staple drink of all Tappet Dutchmen (1 litre brandy, 2 litre coke & a 3 litre Ford in the garage)

Robot
Yes, it's a traffic light!

Rock Up
To arrive - "What time should we rock up for the jawl? Should be bring any dop?"

Rock Spider
An english speaking South African term for an Afrikaner - Hey, you rock spider! Who you calling a 'soutpiel'? Come here and I'll klap your lights out!"

Rooineck
Afrikaner name for an Englishman, or an english speaking South African.

Snot-klap
To hit someone hard.

Soutpiel, or soutie
Another Afrikaner name for an english speaking South African - comes from the image of the "English" having one foot in South Africa, the other in England, with something hanging in the middle (in the saltwater, sout = salt, soutpiel = saltpr*ck)! - "Hê soutie, who you calling a 'rock spider'? Come here and I'll skop your ballas in!'

Scale
To scale something is to steal it. (A scaley oke is one of dubious character)

Shame
Very typical South African expression; also found amusing by foreigners. "Ag shame, look how cute that baby is!", or "Shame, stop making kak with the chick, man, she's lekker", and "Shame, that's really sad". ("awe, shame hey! 'stru?")

Sif
Description of a disgusting thing.

Skeef
Crooked; provocative. A classic saying heard in bars around South Africa is "Are you checking me skeef, China?" - Are you looking at me funny, brah?

Skelm
A crook or thief. A street-wise operator who deals in petty crime.

Skinner
Gossip.

Skolly - ('skaw-lly')
Ruffian. Can be used almost affectionately when talking about a roguish friend.

Skop
Kick.

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 (and drenched in salt & vinegar - best slap chips are bought at Greek cafe's) Also, slap chips are used to make bunny chow (hollow out a third of a loaf of fresh bread, then pack the slap chips in it, NB the chips have to be covered in masala, and the squash it all together & have a feast! For variation some shops add spiced mince or chicken to the bunnies)

Spook and diesel
Cane spirits and coke - A favorite mixture of a pale liquor and dark Coca-Cola.

Stoep
Verandah

Stroppy
Cheeky

Stukkie
Sexist term for a woman.

Takkies
Sneakers, trainers, running shoes.
Tappet
Low class, stupid, in-breaders etc (used behind the backs of such people and only in jest to their faces & then only when you know them rather well)

Tokoloshe
Evil spirit

The moer in - (roll the r)
Very angry - "You make me the fokken moer in!".

Tune ('Choon')
To tell, to talk, to provoke - "Don't tune me grief, ou; or I'll (yes, again!!..) klap the kak out of you!"

Vasbyt
Hang in there, be tough - "Vasbyt, china; it kak will soon be over!"

Voetsek
Get lost, buzz off..."Voetsek, jou sleg moer!"

Vry
Similar to graunch - to kiss, pet, court..

Zak
Money, cash

Zamie
Sandwich

:lol: - maybe the Toll willmake more sense to you okes no hey?
 

AlphaTroll

New Member
Nope - got it off a South African ex pat's website, just added here and there ye know, if people haven't been living in the country for a while they kinda lose touch with things.
 

unclehobart

New Member
Thats too much to memorize. I'll just stick to playing dumb and nodding like I know what in the hell you're talking about. :nerd:
 

AlphaTroll

New Member
:hmm: I think we are a step closer to understanding where yer line got crossed and ye ventured into the land of 'Too'.......
 

Arris

New Member
China....

China Plate = Mate....

You gotta hate the British for giving you some truely pish slang words.... :D

This all stemmed from Lorrie didn't it AT ;)
 
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