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
* Droëwors - (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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