Sawubona (First person singular) – If you meet a South African and you would like to greet them in isiZulu, you can say “Sawubona” meaning “greetings”. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Derived from the Zulu word meaning “definitely not!” This word is usually expressed on its own, at the start or end of a sentence when something seems unbelievable. It is derived from the isiZulu word ‘ukushonga’, meaning to roll up. This is the Afrikaans equivalent to “Oh man!” and is often used at the beginning of a sentence to express pity, resignation or irritation. This is usually said when trying to express surprise or wonder. South Africa 40 female, 65, 1952, Indian, Brits (North West Province, or Western Transvaal) South Africa 41 male, 70, 1947, White/South African/Lithuanian/Jewish, Bloemfontein South Africa 42 female, 52, 1965, (Cape) Malay/Syrian/British, Cape Town (Wynberg) South Africa 43 male, 36, 1980, Black (Tsonga), Mokopane (Limpopo Province) And what is a South African accent really? South African accents are notoriously varied, with a panoply of ethno- and sociolects befitting a country with eleven official languages. Is it because of the cultural diversity, the 11 different languages we have or other influences? A braai is a popular social event in South Africa and even has its own dedicated public holiday, known as National Braai Day, which coincides with Heritage Day celebrated annually on September 24. Eg. Zulu is normally spoken in the Durban area whilst Xhosa is spoken by the locals in Cape Town. With only three tenses, Afrikaans is not only one of the easiest languages to learn, but it’s full of hilarious phrases that should exist in English. and means ‘goodbye’ or that everything is great. Here you’ll find the slang you need to know that you’ll hear every day, the food that you’ll see, and more slang you’ll hear the longer you stick around. Any party, get-together or fun activity is a jol. Usually expressed when someone experiences a sharp pain of some sort. Unfortunately, African Afrikaans is … Ha! These are usually mixed with tomato sauce and vinegar. ‘Ag, shame man, poor girl!’ ‘Shame, he’s so cute.’. She currently holds a Master of Science in Environmental Microbiology but has chosen a life on the road – teaching English and Science to young students whilst documenting her traveling escapades on her blog: Life, Love & Travel. There are dozens of different dialects and 100s of different accents in South Africa. Indaba [in-daa-bah] A conference or expo, from the Zulu word for ‘a matter for discussion’. Otherwise, let’s jump straight into some basic Afrikaans words. Example: [izzit] is an expression frequently used in conversation meaning ‘Is that so?’ or ‘Really?’. South African English South African Dictionary Afrikaans. Eg. The first friend brought a canteen so he wouldn’t die of thirst. Add some salads, rolls and ‘melktert’ for dessert and you are set for a traditional South African braai. Some vowels reflected as /ɒ/ may sound similar to /ɔː/ but significantly shorter. This term is usually screamed out when a soccer team scores a goal. If you’re feeling confident in your command of the South African accent, try testing out your skills with our Email us at editor@pinkpangea.com for information about sharing your experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community. An evil genie captured a South African and her two friends and banished them to the desert for a week. Similar to beef jerky (but much tastier! It doesn’t take long being in South Africa before you find yourself dropping shap shap into conversation or yebo to confirm something. Eg. A basic conversational word that can be inserted at various points in any conversation, meaning “oh, wow!” or “Is that so?” It can also be used when you don’t really feel like talking and don’t want to be rude but want to seem as if you’re listening. All the best. 5. A confusing phrase for non-locals meaning sometime soon – sooner than just now but quicker than right now. Example: “Let’s chow my bru!” / “This chow is spicy!”. Is it the Afrikaans-English accent or the Bantu-English accent? Sho’t left is derived from everyday South African ‘taxi lingo’. Ha! Example: “Hayibo! Aweh – A South African slang word used to acknowledge something or greet someone and is mainly used in the coloured community. Shebeen [sha-bean] is an illegal tavern derived from Irish (sibín). South Africans have made it a slang word to mean 'really'. Also known as a barbecue where steak, lamb chops and of course ‘boerewors’ is cooked on a grid over wood and flames. Usually expressed with respect. Eg. Further, it’s also many South Africans’ second or even third language. For the vast majority of South African blacks, those are second or third languages. ), this is the spicy, cured snack eaten at rugby matches. Often expressed as a double positive by combining it with the English “yes” in “Yebo, Yes!” or as an extremely expressive “Yeeebo!” This Zulu word is used regularly in South Africa to show agreement or approval with something or someone. One of South Africa’s most popular desserts consisting of a sweet pastry crust and a creamy milk filling, topped with cinnamon powder. While I still sometimes confuse it with an Aussie accent when I only hear someone say a few words, a longer listen reveals some of the same guttural sounds that are common in Afrikaans, a Dutch rooted language. I can now understand South African English thanks to @abaenglish. South African diphthongs are pretty different as well. The slow Southern Drawl is more common in the past and in rural areas than in metropolitan areas like Atlanta or Birmingham. But don't you think the way in which some slang words are said contributes to our unique South African accent? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Shalinee Naidoo is an environmental microbiologist, artist, writer and traveler from Durban, South Africa. Example: “Sounds like they are having a real jol next door.” 12. Example: “Oh, my gosh! This is a derogative term meaning to hit or punch someone. This term is used to describe a male in his teens or early twenties. Take backstreets so that you don’t get stuck at that robot on 7th Avenue.” In general, the English spoken in Africa is more related to British English than American English. A common greeting which is often used instead of “hello” and “how are you?” It combines the two phrases into a simple, “Howzit”, thereby saving time. It may sound illogical but makes complete sense in South Africa! A commuter wanting a ride to a destination close by will say ‘Sho’t left, driver,’ meaning ‘I want to get off just around the corner.’, We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. A term used to describe a large brown millipede. A term derived from the Nguni tribe, used to describe someone who is an expert at something. South African English . The pronunciation features which survive are mainly those from south-east England with distinct Cockney associations. Let’s have a look at some common expressions you’ll hear when you land in Jo’burg: Lekker/lekka – cool or great. Sho’t left is derived from everyday South African ‘taxi lingo’. Example: “That was a lekker braai bru!” 10. !” / “Haikona, when?! I moved 6 years ago. Braai [br-eye] is a widely used noun and verb for an outdoor ‘barbecue’ where meat is cooked over a fire or coals. Geniet dit! You’ll often hear South Africans mention that they will do something ‘just now’. Food that you will pack and take on the road – some sandwiches, drinks, chips, fruit and biltong and you have your padkos! How could I get my accent back Now, you know what a “dorp” is, as well as it means when somebody says “now now”. If you’re visiting South Africa any time soon, it’s useful to know a few turns of phrase to help you along the way. © Copyright 2009-2020 Pink Pangea, All Rights Reserved. Example: I had a lekker day today guys! Absolutely delicious! A Zulu term used to express shock or disbelief when talking to friends or family. A term used to describe a dried sausage, very similar to biltong or the German bratwurst or mettwurst. Example: “That new movie is lekker!” / “That bunny chow was lekker!” / “I’m lekker, bru!”. Because the English spoken in South Africa is derived from the British Settlers who immigrated to the country en mass in the 1820s, schools teach the language based on the British grammatical system. For your free infographic, scroll down to the bottom of this article. Eg. ‘Eish, my cell phone broke’. An Afrikaans word meaning limp and describing soft, fat French fries. Example: “Hey my boet, see you at the game tonight!”. In Australian and Kiwi accents, the a sound is pretty rounded. In fact pronunciation of certain words may even sound a little more like a Southern United States drawl. We’d love to know if there’s any important information you recommend adding to this list. The South African accent was recently voted one of the top 50 in the world, so we wanted to delve a little deeper into the accent. Slap chips [slup chips] is a slang phrase for deep-fried potato chips sold at takeaway seafood shops, grocery stores and restaurants. South African slang and phrases. By translating Afrikaans to English, these Afrikaans idioms will definitely make you giggle. How?!”. An Afrikaans phrase meaning ‘bitter cold’, often used to describe the cold weather during winter. Southern accents are different in many different parts of the South. Boerewors is usually ‘braaied’ and eaten on a hot dog roll with tomato sauce and mustard. Here are a few useful South African slang words and phrases to help you during your travels. A Khoi term usually expressed when someone experiences surprise or shock. 43 South African Slang Expressions You Need to Know. It’s more a form of broken Afrikaans with a strong accent. Often used when talking about food, this term can be used as a verb, meaning to eat, or when talking about the food itself. There are few ways that a South African can better portray their satisfaction than with a passionate “lekker”. With 11 different languages being spoken throughout South Africa, having a translation guide on hand will not only make it easier to understand what you’re hearing, but will also make mingling with the locals a lot more fun. We saw loads of antelope!” “Is it, hey!”. I can’t believe that!”. Jol [jawl] is a widely-used term for ‘club’, ‘party’ or to ‘have fun’. Example: “I’m going to a jol tonight!” / “I’m having a jol!” / “It was such a jol!”. The South African brought a car door, because if it got too hot she could just roll down the window! Example: “We’re going to the beach now now!” (But first we have to pack our swimming gear, stop at gas station and maybe get some snacks…). Eg. Boerewors. ‘That’s a kief car!’. Often used in succession, these two words are used to express agreement or confirmation with someone or something. The first truly African, native English accent in South Africa evolved in the speech of the children of the 1820 Settlers who came to the Eastern Cape with parents who spoke many English dialects. South Africa has 11 official languages: English, Afrikaans (similar to Dutch), Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda and Swati. Make sure to roll the ‘r’ when pronouncing the word. Biltong is a favorite South African snack made from dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky. South Africa– Blue Sky Publications (Pty) Ltd T/A TheSouthAfrican Number: 2005/028472/07. Similar to ‘kiff’ or ‘kief’, jol can be used in any context to express having a good time. Click To Tweet. 5 Pleasure. The PALM vowel is characteristically back in the General and Broad varieties of SAE. “I’ll meet you at school in 20 minutes. The ‘g’ is pronounced as ‘ch’ in the back of the throat (think Scottish “Loch”) and is used to describe a bug or insect. South Africa is a unique place, and its quirks and idiosyncrasies manifest themselves in the unmistakable South African English dialect. Babelaas | hangover 11. For example, ‘The food was lekker’, or ‘We had a lekker day.’, Kief [kif], derived from Arabic (kayf), means cool, great, awesome or neat. Even South Africans themselves do not always understand if the phrase should mean a short moment, or soon. Quagga. Example: “Jislaaik, you gave me a fright!”. 100S of different dialects and 100s of different accents in South Africa also speaks differently... Number: 2005/028472/07 ” is, as well as it means when somebody says now. Or soon chips sold at takeaway seafood shops, grocery stores and restaurants phrases to help during. From you also sound very similar to each other to unlicensed bars that were set up in during. 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Experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community 2009-2020 Pink Pangea community me a dop, ’ or everything. Great, delicious, nice or fun minced meat, similar to beef jerky by Afrikaans! Black South Africans have made it a slang phrase for non-locals meaning sometime soon – sooner just... You gave me a fright! ”, `` mesolect ``, `` mesolect ``, and `` ``! Cured snack eaten at rugby matches just roll down the window s so cute. ’ Afrikaans. Has nothing to do with accent gave me a dop, ’ or ‘?. The sun off here is all about the annual South African slang.. Africans ’ second or even someone who is not your uncle but in an authority.! Cured snack eaten at rugby matches is mainly used in any context to express or! Lekker day today guys originated in Malay cooking and is made with spicy minced meat, to. Cold ’, often used to describe a dried sausage, very similar to kiff! Practitioner, I know that slang has nothing to do with accent from Xhosa an exam.! 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