Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tips on words and phrases when visiting Cape Town, South Africa.

Cape Town people are known to be relaxing, friendly and helpful, but are also considered to be the laziest province in South Africa. They have the most funniest comments and phrases that will make you crawl of laughter and just add that extra spice to make your stay an unforgettable one.

Cape Town is probably the only City in South Africa where mixing English and Afrikaans languages are common and acceptable.
Here is a short list of words and phrases that will make your stay more enjoyable and understanding our culture a bit better.



* ag man - oh man; ag as the Afrikaans equivalent to "oh", man pronounced as in English

* antie - an older female authority figure.

* aweh/awe (pronounced \AAAH-WHERE\ --> not rolling the "R") - said in excitement, as in: Aweh; my boss said I can go home early today.. The word has many meanings or uses: "hello", "goodbye", "yes". Also associated with prison use. (Greeting) "Aweh, my bru" (Hello my friend). Compare: howzit, yooit, hoesit, yo.

* babelaas babbelas - hangover (of Zulu origin)

* bakgat - cool; expression of appreciation for something very well accomplished

* bakkie - a utility truck, pick-up truck, now a mainstream word in South African English. Can also refer to a small bowl.

* bakvissie - a giggly teenage girl

* befok - really good, exciting, cool; as in "The rock-show was befok." [Do not confuse with gefok.] Can also mean "crazy" in a very strong sense, as in "Are you befok?" — derogatory(err:definitely not a polite enquiry). "Ek het daai ou befok" - meaning I cheated that guy in a transaction. Profanity - the base 'fok' meaning to have sex.

* bek - derogatory term for mouth (Afrikaans: an animal's mouth); hou jou bek - "shut up, shut your trap" (literally" "hold your [animal's] mouth"). This translates well into British English as "Shut your gob."

* bergie - from berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Table Mountain; now a mainstream word for a particular subculture of vagrants,or homeless persons, especially in Cape Town. When used as slang refers to anyone down-and-out

* bill - used to ask for the cheque; as in: "Can I have the bill, please?", identical to British English

* biltong - dried meat, similar to jerky (a mainstream word)
* blerrie/bladdy - damn

* bliksem - strike, hit, punch; also used as an expression of surprise/emphasis (rude). It derives from the Dutch word for "lightning", and often occurs in conjunction with donner. Used as a curse in Afrikaans: Jou bliksem!' (You bastard!)

* bioscope, bio - cinema, movie theatre (now[update] dated), originally a international English word that became defunct elsewhere, it has survived longer in South Africa[1] as a result of the influence of the Afrikaans cognate bioskoop. Also related to the Dutch word "bioscoop", which still[update] means "cinema" in Netherlands usage.

* boerewors - spicy sausage (Afrikaans) farmer-sausage, used as a mainstream word in South African English

* boet - male friend (synonym for broer meaning brother, see also bru and bra below); compare American English: "dude"

* bokkie - (diminutive of bok, literally meaning "goat" or "doe") a popular term of endearment, comparable to "sweetheart", "honey", etc.

* bra - male friend compare American English: "dude"

* bru - A term of affection see also "bra" and "boet", shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother". An example would be "Hey, my bru, howzit?"

* braai - a barbecue, to barbecue (from braaivleis grilled meat), used as a mainstream word in South African English

* china/chine - a friend; as in the greeting howzit china (likely origin: Cockney rhyming slang "China plate" (meaning "my mate"); from early British immigrants.
* dagga - most common word for marijuana.

* dikbek - grumpy, in a huff (literally: "thick mouth" (pout), with an image of puffed-out cheeks like a bullfrog)

* doos - literally the Afrikaans translation for " box " but the slang / derogatory version means " Idiot "

* domkop - idiot (lit. Dumbhead), same as German "dummkopf"

* dop - alcohol, to drink alcohol, to fail. For example: "Come and drink a dop (a drink) with me" or "I'm gonna dop that test." Originally refers to a tot (measure).

* dorpie - small town

* Droƫwors - (Afrikaans) 'dry sausage', similar to biltong

* gatvol - fed up, had enough. (Afrikaans - asshole-full).

* "heita" - heita, meaning "hello" or "hi".

* hoesit, hoezit, howzit - derived from "How is it going? - contracted to how's it?_In English SA context, howzit is more a greeting of "hello" rather than "how are you?", similar to SA black slang's "eta" or "ola"

* ja - yeah (literally "yes" in Afrikaans)

* jislaaik! - expression of surprise, can be positive or negative. Often used when you get a fright, but equally often during particularly exciting parts of a rugby game.

* jo - an expression of surprise e.g., "Jo, that was rude" "Jo, you gave me a fright!" pron. yo as in yonder)

* kak - Literal translation : shit. crap, rubbish, nonsense (vulgar), of very wide usage. Also used as a way of further expressing one's feeling in language, for example, instead of "that girl is pretty" one can say emphatically "that girl is kak pretty!"

* khaki - [from the colour worn by British troops] derogatory term for an English person
* kwaai - cool, excellent (Afrikaans: "angry". Compare the US slang word phat.)

* laanie, larny - (n) boss, used in a deferent tone. (adj) fancy

* lekker - nice, good, great (lit. tasty)

* oom - an older man of authority, commonly in reference to an older Afrikaans man (Afrikaans for uncle)

* pap - traditional maize porridge similar to grits; can also mean "deflated".

* sies, "sis" - expression of disgust, disappointment, annoyance, as in: Ag, sies, man.

* skelm - crook, or mistress, secret lover

* skrik - fright

* slap tjips - (pronounced as "slup chips") similar to thic-cut British chip, usually soft, oily and soaked in vinegar, usually bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp". Frennnch fries refers to thinly cut chips.Crispy potao chips are referred to as 'crisps'.

* soutpiel/soutie - derogatory term for English person, literally salty penis. Someone with one foot in England, the other in South Africa and their penis hanging in the Atlantic Ocean

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