South African slang everyone should know

Ag, man! [ach—mun]
It might be translated as “Oh, man!”, but is used to express pity, resignation or irritation.

Aikona! [eye-koh-na]
A Zulu term used to express shock or disbelief.

Babbelas [bub-ba-las]

Derived from the Zulu word ‘ibhabhalazi’, it is used to describe a bad hangover.

Biltong [bill—tong]
Our equivalent to beef jerky... but it is so much better!

Bobotie [buh-boor-tea]
A Malay-type baked dish that is made with spicy-sweet minced meat and raisins with an egg custard topping.

Bliksem [bluhk–sim]
A derogative term, meaning to hit someone, but often used as an expression of surprise too.

Boet [no other way to say it but for "boet"]
This term is usually used in reference to a male friend by another—technically meaning "brother".

Boerewors [boor-uh-vors]
Literally meaning ‘farmer’s sausage’, this is a savory sausage that is often braaied (or barbecued) and then eaten as a variation of a hot dog.

Bra / Bru [brah and brew]
Used to call a friend, pal or buddy.

Braai [brr-rye]
If you're not South African, you probably call it a barbecue. But a braai is much more than a barbecue. It's a whole cultural experience, usually happening during a sports game, or just as an excuse to hang out.

Eina! [ay-na]
An expression for when someone experiences pain.

Eish! [ay-sh]
A Khoi-San expression for when someone experiences surprise.

Fundi [foon-di]
Used to describe someone who is an expert, or a teacher.

Gatvol [ghut-foll]
Literally meaning ‘filled to the brim’, this is used to describe someone who is very angry or tired. "He's gatvol!" could mean "He's had enough!".

Hayibo! [hi-boh]
This Zulu word is usually expressed for something unbelievable.

Ja, Nee [ya—nee—ah]
Technically it means "Yes, no". The phrase is used to express agreement or confirmation with someone or something.

Jislaaik [yis-like]
This is said when trying to express shock.

Jol [jorl]
To have a good time. To party. To have fun. To dance. To enjoy each other's company.

Laat-lammetjie [lot–lumm–ah–kie]
The name given to a child born long after their siblings. 

Laaitie [light-e]
Describes someone young.

Laduma! [laa-doo-maa]
Screamed out when a soccer team scores a goal. All. The. Time.

Lekker [lack-err]
An Afrikaans word that really could mean anything, but always has a good connotation. Generally, it means "nice" or "good".

Padkos [putt–koss]
Travel food.

Sarmie [saam-ie]
A shortening of the word "sandwich".

Shongololo [sh-ong-o-loh-loh]
This is what we call large black-brown millipedes.

Ubuntu [oo-boon-too]
It literally means “I am because we are”. It is an ancient African word that describes a common philosophical feeling of humanity and family. There is no single word to translate it as.

Yebo [yeah-boh]
It means "yes", but it is used as an extremely expressive form of the affirmative. It's often used as a double positive, saying "Yebo yes!".