yebo

Yebo is a South African word for “yes,” borrowed from Zulu. It can be a simple yes, enthusiastic agreement, or a friendly greeting.

What yebo means

In Zulu, yebo means yes, I agree, and that’s how it’s used in South African English: “Coming tonight?” “Yebo!” It often has a warm, upbeat feel. In Zulu greetings, “yebo” is also the standard reply to “sawubona” (hello), so you’ll hear it as part of saying hi.

Examples

• “Do you want another plate?” “Yebo!”
• “Yebo, that’s exactly what I meant.”
• “Sawubona!” “Yebo, sawubona!”

Where it came from

Collins traces yebo to Zulu, where it means “yes, I agree,” and Wiktionary lists it as South African English for yes. It’s one of many words South African English has taken from the country’s other languages, alongside eish and indaba (a meeting).

Related terms

• Ja: the Afrikaans-derived “yes.”
• Bet: the Gen Z “okay, deal.”
• Howzit: hello.
• Lekker: great.

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