Brush up on your South Africanisms – The Travel Dictionary

Those visiting South Africa for the first time are often left confused when speaking to South Africans for the first time. Plenty of “what did he say?”, blank stares, and a flurry of typing words into Google translate are no way to try and master the language of the Saffa. Brush up on your South Africanisms with our trusty Travel Dictionary.

 

• Awkward [ohrk-wid]

Meaning: This word can be used to describe anything strange or out of the norm, or an uneasy situation. It can also be shortened to awkies.

Usage: She tripped up the stairs in front of the whole class this morning. That’s so awkward!

• Big Five

Meaning: The African lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard. You may spot them on safari!

Usage: Keep an eye out for the Big Five when exploring the bushveld.

• Biltong [bil-tong]

Meaning: A tasty snack made out of dried and salted meat.

Usage: We must definitely pack some biltong to take along for our braai.

• Bliksem [blik-sim]

Meaning: To beat someone up. It can also be used interchangeably with donner.

Usage: That guy better not mess with you or I will bliksem him!

 

 

• Boerewors [boo-rah-vorrrs]

Meaning: A type of sausage that South Africans can’t live without. Make sure you pronounce that rolling “r”!

Usage: When you visit a friend’s braai, there’ll very likely be boerewors (or boerie) on the grid.

• Braai [br-eye]

Meaning: A South African barbeque.

Usage: Dop and braai are two words you need to learn if you’re visiting South Africa to have a jol!

• Bunny chow

Meaning: Curry served out of a loaf of bread.

Usage: Grab some bunny chow when visiting Durbs.

• Bushveld [bush-felt]

Meaning: A type of vegetation made up of low-growing thorn trees and bush.

Usage: Game drives are the best way to spot wildlife in the bushveld.

 

 

• Chommie [choh-mee]

Meaning: A friend or mate.

Usage: I invited all of my chommies to the braai.

•  Dodgy [dod-jee]

Meaning: Something dangerous or suspect.

Usage: Don’t walk around late at night in a dodgy area.

•  Dop [dohp]

Meaning: A drink. Not to be confused with dorp [doh-rp] which is a small village.

Usage: Let’s go out tonight and have a dop with the boys!

•  Durbs [derbz]

Meaning: Durban

Usage: Durbs has plenty of lovely beaches.

 

 

•  Eina! [ay-nah]

Meaning: Ouch!

Usage: Eina! That oke really donnered me.

• Eish [ay-sh]

Meaning: This isn’t so much a word as an expression, and can be used to express surprise or anger.

Usage: Eish! That was eina!

• Fundi [fuhn-dee]

Meaning: An expert.

Usage: He is a real fundi at blowing his vuvuzela.

• Fynbos [fayn-bos]

Meaning: Natural shrubland vegetation mainly found in the Western Cape.

Usage: Keep an eye out for fynbos on your hike.

 

 

• Gatvol [ghat-fohl]

Meaning: Fed up.

Usage: I am gatvol of all the traffic in Jozi this weekend.

• Gogga [ghor-gha]

Meaning: An insect.

Usage: You may see lots of goggas on your hikes through the fynbos.

• Is it [iz-it]

Meaning: Is that so/really?

Usage: Person 1: That jol last night was off the hook, my chomma. Person 2: Is it?

• Ja-nee [yar-near]

Meaning: Yes-no. It usually means the affirmative.

Usage: Person 1: Did you see the game on Friday? Person 2: Ja-nee, it was a hectic one hey!

 

 

• Jol [johl]

Meaning: A party or to party.

Usage: We are going to have a jol!

• Jozi [jo-zee]

Meaning: Johannesburg.

Usage: Jozi is the provincial capital of Gauteng.

• Just now

Meaning: If a South African tells you they will be ready “just now”, “soonish” or “now-now”, this could mean anytime in the foreseeable future (basically any time other than right now), and you may want to take a seat. You’ll be waiting a while.

Usage: I’ll be there now-now.

• Koeksister [kohk-sis-tah]

Meaning: A traditional sweet made from twisted dough, dipped in syrup.

Usage: Koeksisters make a lekker dessert

 

 

• Koppie [koh-pee]

Meaning: A small hill.

Usage: I’m hiking up that koppie to see some fynbos. 

• Kwaito [kw-eye-toe]

Meaning: A mixture of South African disco, hip hop, R&B, house, and reggae.

Usage: You may hear kwaito music when you visit a friend’s pozzie.

• Lekker [leh-kah]

Meaning: Used to show approval.

Usage: The boerewors  at the braai was really lekker!

• Oke [ohk], ou [oh]

Meaning: A man.

Usage: Do you think that oke will give us some of his boerewors? 

 

 

•  Madiba [muh-dee-bah]

Meaning: An affectionate nickname for South Africa’s former president, Nelson Mandela.

Usage: We will always honour Madiba for his inspirational legacy.

•  Maak n plan [mark-a-plun]

Meaning: To develop a strategy to overcome difficulties.

Usage: I’m not sure how to get there but don’t worry, we’ll maak n plan.

•  Malva pudding [mal-vah-pudding]

Meaning: A sweet pudding served with hot custard.

•  Melktert [mehlk-tahrt]

Meaning: A sweet pastry with a creamy milk filling.

 

 

•   Mzansi [m-zun-see]

Meaning: South Africa

Usage: Melktert, potjiekos, and malva pudding are the reasons we love Mzansi

•  Padkos [put-kors]

Meaning: This literally means “road food” – snacks you will take along on a road trip.

Usage: Don’t forget to pack some lekker snacks for our padkos.

•  Pasop [puh-s-ohp]

Meaning: Beware or be careful.

Usage: Pasop! That oke looks dodgy!

•  Pavement

Meaning: A sidewalk.

Usage: Eish! I just saw that oke trip and fall on the pavement.

 

 

•  Potjiekos [poy-kee-kors]

Meaning: A meal made in a large, 3-legged pot – almost like a witches brew.

Usage: There is nothing better than potjiekos cooked on a braai.

•  Pozzie [poh-zee]

Meaning: A person’s home.

Usage: You may be invited to a braai at a friend’s pozzie if you’re a lekker oke.

•  Rand

Meaning: The South African currency; 100 cents make up one rand (R1).

Usage: Will you spare me some rand to buy some biltong?

•  Robot [roh-bot]

Meaning: Traffic lights.

Usage: Turn left at the robot and park on the pavement outside my pozzie.

 

 

•  Rock up

Meaning: To arrive, usually in a care-free manner.

Usage: She rocked up at the jol late. Awkies!

•  Rooibos

Meaning: A sweet South African tea.

Usage: Would you like some rooibos tea with your sarmie?

•  Rubbish bin

Meaning: Trash or garbage can.

Usage: Make sure you throw all the dirt in the rubbish bin and not on the pavement.

•  Sangoma [san-goh-mah]

Meaning: A traditional healer.

Usage: If you’re visiting a township after a big jol, we recommend visiting a sangoma for a hangover remedy.

 

 

•  Sarmie [sar-mee]

Meaning: A sandwich.

Usage: Some okes like to have toasted sarmies at a braai.

•  Shebeen [sha-been]

Meaning: A township bar.

Usage: Lets go to the shebeen for a dop.

• Skinner [skin-nah]

Meaning: To gossip.

Usage: I don’t mean to skinner, but she’s wearing takkies with a dress.

•  Skelm [sk-el-em]

Meaning: A person who can’t be trusted. It can be used interchangeable with dodgy.

Usage: Passop, that oke looks like a skelm!

 

 

•  Skop, skiet, en donner [skohp-skeet-en-don-nah]

Meaning: Used to describe any action movie. It literally means “kick, shoot, and beat up”.

Usage: This film is not lekker. It’s just skop, skiet, en donner!

•  Slap chips [slup-chips]

Meaning: Soft, oily, and tasty fries, usually paired with fish (vis en tjips!). The word “chips” can also be used to describe crisps.

Usage: We’re going to get some slap chips for our padkos.

•  Takkies [tak-kees]

Meaning: Trainers or walking shoes.

Usage: Wear your takkies on a hike up the koppie.

•  Township

Meaning: Low-income housing where black, coloured, and Malay South Africans were confined during apartheid.

Usage: Don’t forget to do a township tour, visit a sangoma, and have a drink at a shebeen!

 

 

• Vuvuzela [voo-voo-zeh-la]

Meaning: A plastic trumpet used by supporters at soccer matches. The word comes from the Zulu language and means “making a noise”. You will soon realise why.

Usage: Tell that oke to stop playing his vuvuzela!

•  Yebo [yeh-bor]

Meaning: Yes, to agree, or show approval.

Usage: Person 1: Have you ever been to Jozi? Person 2: Yebo!

 

 

What other South Africanisms do you think we should include in our travel dictionary? If you’re visiting South Africa, book your affordable accommodation with LekkeSlaap.co.za!

 

Main image by celso (Flickr)