AFRICA TIPS FOR TRIPS
South Africa 2010 trip (continued)
Afrikaans
Yes – Ja pronounced Yah
No – Nee pronounced kneer
Thank you – Dankie pronounced dunkey
Please – Asseblief pronounced asserbleef
Goodbye – Totsiens pronounced totseens
Zulu
Hamba Kahle – go well, good bye; see you ( Kahle is pronounced kashle)
Sawubona – Hello
Ukudla – food
Isiphuzo – drink
thenga – buy
thank – bonga
Slang and similar
Even English-speaking South Africans have words that are only used in South Africa: A traffic light is known locally as a “robot” and a barbecue is called by the Afrikaans word “braai”. If something is really nice the Afrikaans word “lekker” is used, usually pronounced as “lekka”. A common greeting is “Howzit?” and if something is going to be done fairly soon, it’ll be done “now now” while “just now” is a little later on.
Another word often used in South Africa is “shame” which can mean anything from “oh cute’ – usually said “ag shame”, to “you poor thing” to “I feel sorry for you”. An elevator is called a “lift” and “sms” are used instead of a “text” An ethnic word being used by many and really great to say is “eish”, it means lots of things usually when you would like to say “oh no….” or “goodness me” or something to that effect. “eish but the traffic is bad today”!
A flash light is known as a torch, your best friend is refferred to as your brah, or broe,( pronounced brew ). A good meal is known as a “lekka chow.”
AG: An exclamation of irritation
BILTONG: Dried meat
BOER: Farmer
BOEREWORS: The traditional sausage
BOTTLE STORE: A retail outlet selling liquor
BUNDU: Wild remote country
BUSHVELD: Lowveld, usually Mpumalanga or northern Province
CAPE DOCTOR: A South East wind – Cape Region
CAPE DUTCH: Architecture of the early Western cape
EGOLI: A common name for Johannessburg
FUNDI: Expert
GOGGA: An insect
HAMBA KAHLE: Farewell or goodbye
HOEZIT: A greeting
KOPPIE: A small hill
LEKKER: Pleasant
MEALIE: corn on the cob
MUTI: African medicine
ROOIBOS: A herbal tea
SAFARI: A bush tour
SAMOOSA: A triangular Indian curried delicacy
SANGOMA: A witchdoctor
SAWUBONA: Hello-a universal South African greeting
SIS: An exclamation of disgust
SPOOR: The track or footprint of man or animal
STOEP: The verandah of a house
TOY! TOY!: Picketing, Protest
TSOTSI: A criminal gang member
VELD: South African countryside
