South African Slang
South African slang mixes English with Afrikaans, Zulu and other local languages, so an ordinary sentence can sound like “Howzit, bru, ja, the braai was lekker.” If you’re visiting, working with South Africans or just watching a lot of South African YouTube, these are the words you’re most likely to hear. Each one has its own entry with examples and origins.
Greetings, yes and friends
- Howzit: hello, how’s it going.
- Ja: yes, pronounced “yah.”
- Yebo: yes, borrowed from Zulu.
- Bru: bro, mate.
- Boet: brother, or a close friend.
Reactions
Now, now now and just now
Timing is where South African English catches people out. “Now now” means soon, in a few minutes. “Just now” means later, at some point, which is close to the opposite of the American and British meaning, “a moment ago.” If a South African says they’ll call you back just now, don’t sit by the phone.
Out and about
- Braai: a barbecue, and the get-together around it.
- Jol: a party or a good time.
- Bakkie: a pickup truck.
- Takkies: sneakers or trainers.
- Robot: a traffic light.
Where the words come from
A lot of everyday South African slang comes straight from Afrikaans: lekker, braai, bakkie, takkies, ja, boet, and bru (from broer, brother). Yebo is Zulu for yes, and Collins traces eish to Zulu as well. Eina goes back further, through Afrikaans to Khoi, the languages of the Khoikhoi people. Robot is the odd one out: it’s a leftover from the early days of automatic traffic signals, which were called “robot policemen.”
South African, Aussie or Kiwi?
South Africans, Australians and New Zealanders often have different words for the same thing. A bakkie is an Aussie or Kiwi ute. Takkies are trainers, while flip-flops are thongs in Australia and jandals in New Zealand. What really sets South African slang apart is how much it borrows from Afrikaans and African languages, which gives it a sound you won’t hear anywhere else.
For more, see our Australian slang guide, New Zealand slang, British slang, or the full A–Z index.