List of South African slang words

This list of "Afrikanerisms" comprises slang words and phrases influenced by Afrikaans and other African languages. Typical users include people with Afrikaans as their first language but who speak English as a second language and people living in areas where the population speaks both English and Afrikaans. Many of these terms also occur widely amongst ethnic/native South Africans, and others living in neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia etc. These terms do not occur in formal South African English. Note when the letter "g" is either the first or last letter of the word, it is pronounced as an unvoiced velar fricative. Note, the English term "slang" is used strictly in its English pronunciation, as the Afrikaans word of the same spelling (though pronounced as "slung") translates as "snake".

Fanakalo (fanagalo) also refers to when people of non-Zulu origin attempt to speak Zulu without the proper pronunciation and throat sounds. Fanakalo in Zulu literally means "same as this" – (fana – same, ka – as, lo – this).

The following lists slang borrowings from the Nguni Bantu languages (which include Zulu and Xhosa). They typically occur in use in South Africa's townships, but some have become increasingly popular amongst white youth. Unless otherwise noted these words do not occur in formal South African English.

The following slang words used in South African originated in other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations and subsequently came to South Africa.

The majority of Coloureds in South Africa speak Afrikaans. Those who speak English use the equivalent English words as slang.

Many of these terms occur in the Cape Town and Durban areas, and few in Indian areas in Gauteng. Some words are shared with Coloured slang, such as pozzie (in Durban) and let's waai.

Slang developed in the 1970s to allow the speakers to converse in public without drawing attention – usually referring to girls' names often with the first letter in common with the intended meaning:

Jinne man, just put on your tekkies and your costume, don't be dof! We're going to walk to the beach and then go for a swim, if you want to come with you better hurry up, china. Ag nee, I stepped on a shongololo, I just bought new tekkies the other day! You know what, lets just forget about the beach and have braai instead, all we need is some meat, mealiepap, some cool drinks, maybe a brinjal and some other veggies. And if someone can bring some biscuits for a banofi pie that would be great. Hey bru, it's lekker day today for a jol ek sê! I'm warning you my dad won't tolerate any gesuipery, he'll klap you stukkend! Is it? Ja, he's kwaai! He was tuning me just now from his bakkie my bokkie is a soutie and a rooinek. Eish! Well at least he's duidelik.

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