A

Ag shame - used to express sympathy or pity, e.g. "Ag shame, sorry to hear that".

Afrikaans -  a language spoken by mostly white South Africans of Dutch origin, coloured people of the Cape and some black people. It is not an African language.

Amarula - a cream liqueur made from the fruit of the maroela tree.

amasi - a popular drink of thick sour milk. From the isiZulu language.

apartheid - was the policy of separate development implemented by, the then ruling party, the National Party from 1948 - 1990.

Aweh - Great, awesome.

B

babbelas - a hangover.

bakkie - a small pick-up truck.

biltong - dried, spiced and salted meat, similar to beef jerky.

bobotie - a dish of Malay origin, made with minced meat, an infusion of spices, dried fruit, topped with beaten egg and baked.

boerewors - a savoury sausage developed by Boers (Farmers) - today's Afrikaners - some 200 years ago. Traditional fair at its best.

boet/bru - brother, not necessary family.

boma - an outside area where one can sit around a fire - sometimes with a thatched roof.

braai - outside barbecue, a must when visiting.

bra - friend / mate.

bunny chow - an Indian curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread.

bushveld - the bushveld is a terrain of thick scrubby trees and shrub, with grassy ground-cover between.  This is where you will find our game.

C

china - a buddy, good friend, not the country.

ching - money.

chommie - from the English chum.

D

deurmekaar - an Afrikaans term meaning confused, disorganized or stupid.

dinges - a thing, whatzit, whachamacallit or whatsizname.

dop - a alcoholic drink of any kind. "Can I pour you a dop with dam?", a drink with water.

dorp - a small town.

droewors - a thin sausage, wind-dried, eaten as a snack, like biltong.

Durbs - city of Durban, capital of KwaZulu-Natal.    

E

eina - ouch! or sore

eish - used to express frustration, wonder or 'I don't really know'.

Eita - Hello.

F

frikkadel - a traditional meatball.

fundi - expert, knowledgeable.

fynbos - a vegetation unique to the Cape Floral Region - some 6 000 species, including many types of protea.

G

gatvol - fed up - I've had enough.

gogga - insect, bug.

gogo - from isiZulu, grandmother or elderly women.

H

hokaai - hold it! or slow down.

howzit - hello or "How are you?"

I

indaba - a meeting, from the isiZulu.

inyanga - a herbalist or traditional healer.

izit - is it, often used in conversation "really", "is that so?"

J

ja - yes.

jawelnofine - "yes well no fine", 'How about That?"

jislaaik - expression of surprise.

jol - having fun or "We are partying". 

Jozi - the city of Johannesburg, also known as Jo'burg, Joeys or Egoli.

just now - sometime later, not now but in the future.

K

khaya - home, from the Nguni languages.

kif - cool, neat or great.

koesister -

koeksister - a traditional platted dough dipped in a sticky syrup. From the Dutch "koekje". 

kraal - a village of huts or enclosure for livestock.

kwaito - music of the urban black youth.

L

laduma! - used when celebrating a goal scored in soccer, from the isiZulu for "it thunders".

lekgotla - a brain storming session.

lekker - nice, great, tasty or cool.

M

Madala -  An old man; an 'old one'. Used as a term of respect.

mahala - free, cheap, costs nothing or almost nothing.

mampara - an idiot, a silly person, from the Sotho language.

mampoer - a potent drink made from distilled fruit, similar to moonshine.

mealie - corn. Mealie meal is maize meal or pap.

melktert - "milk tart". A sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar and egg.

moegoe - a buffoon or unsavory  person.

muti - traditional African medicine.

Mzansi - a popular word for South Africa.

N

nê - really? Is that so?

now-now - shortly, in a bit.

O

oke - guy, bloke.

ou - guy, bloke, from Afrikaans.

oubaas - old man. Sometimes used for sir.

P

pap - local staple food, a thick porridge made from maize meal. 

pavement - sidewalk.

platteland - farmland, countryside from Afrikaans meaning flat land.

"Plastic?" - when asked this question, the person wants to know if you want to buy a plastic bag for your shopping. 

potjie - a three-legged cast-iron pot used on an open fire.

potjiekos - a traditional stew cooked on a fire. 

R

robots - traffic lights in South Africa.

rooibos - a tea made from the Cyclopia genistoides bush (red bush), popular for its health benefits.

rusks - a biscuit served to be dunked in morning coffee, the traditional way to start a day. Balls of dough are packed into loaf tins and baked in the oven. Once cooked, the risen balls are then separated and dried out completely in a warm oven for a couple of hours.

S

samoosa - a small, spicy, triangular-shaped pie deep-fried in oil. From the Indian and Malay communities.

sangoma - traditional healer or diviner.

sharp - used as a greeting, a farewell, for agreement, often doubled up as sharp-sharp.

shebeen - a tavern, usually in a private house in a township. 

shongololo - large brown millipede, from the isiZulu "to roll up".

sjambok - a stout animal hide whip.

slap chips - french fries, soft and oily, drenched in vinegar with lots of salt.

sosatie - a kebab. Meat, peppers, onions and sometimes dried fruit on a stick grilled over an open fire.

spaza - informal shop anywhere.

T

taxi - a minibus, the most common way to transport people, 16 passengers at a time on a set route. The conventional metered taxis are also available.

tom - money.

toppie - old man.

township - low cost housing suburbs outside cities and towns.

toyi-toyi - a form of dancing used during protests.

tsotsi - hoodlum or gangster.

U

ubuntu - South African philosophy that holds as its central tenet that a person is person through other persons.

V

veld - grassland. Afrikaans for "field".

vetkoek - "fat cake", a dough that is deep-fried and served with jam and cheese or a savory mince.  

voetsek - buzz off, go away, normaly used for dogs.

vrot - rotten, not nice.

vuvuzela - a colorful plastic trumpet with the sound of a foghorn, made famous during the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

W

windgat - show-off. Taken from the Afrikaans, literally "wind hole".

witblitz - "white lightning" from the Afrikaans, home-made distilled alcohol.