bru

Bru is South African slang for “bro” or “mate,” a friendly way to address a guy. “Howzit, bru?”

What bru means

It’s an everyday term of address between friends, the South African equivalent of bro, dude or mate. You’ll hear it in greetings, in banter and when someone’s being reassured: “Relax, bru, it’s fine.” Collins lists it simply as another word for bro.

Online, bru is also used as a spelling of bruh, the exasperated “come on, man.” Context usually tells you which one you’re dealing with.

Examples

• “Howzit, bru? Long time.”
• “Thanks for the lift, my bru.”
• “Bru, you have to try this boerewors.”

Where it came from

Wiktionary traces bru to the Afrikaans broer, brother. It sits alongside boet, another Afrikaans-derived word for a brother or close friend.

Related terms

• Boet: brother, mate.
• Bruh: the exasperated “bro.”
• Bruv: the London version.
• Howzit: hello.

More South African words are in our South African slang guide.