South African vs American ENGLISH | South African Slang | How to Speak English in South Africa
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 พ.ค. 2021
- There are SO MANY differences between South African English and American English! In this video, I share with you all the South African English and SLANG words I found to be the most confusing as an American living in South Africa. Leave me a comment below and let me know if I forgot anything :)
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South African vs American ENGLISH | South African Slang | How to Speak English in South Africa
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Just wanna add that slang changes in different provences
Hey William, yea that makes sense! I've only lived in KZN, so these have been the words that I hear the most 😊
Aweh
Thats duidlik my bra awje.
@@TheGlobalExpats in Durban?
@@TheGlobalExpats not Bokka for rugby its Bokke haha
The background looks so South African ,especially with the Castle Lite😂
And black label cap
Lol
I didn't notice until you pointed it out.
Technically, French fries are called "slap chips". So if someone asks me if I want chips, I'll say "chip chips, or slap chips?" :D
In Durban and Joburg we use crisps for potato chips and chips for slap chip (French fries)
That is incorrect.
French fries are what McDonalds chips look like.
Yes slap chips= 🍟
I'm with you on this one
@@stefanvanveenendaal5741 who are u with stefan?
A lot of "South African English" is based on loan words from Afrikaans or some other indigenous languages. "Bru" is from "Broer" or "Broeder" which means Brother. "Bro","Bru" or "Bra" are all used extensively and interchangeably although english speakers would be more likely to use "Bru" and Afrikaans speakers would be more likely to use "Bra". "Lekker" is an Afrikaans word meaning pretty much anything enjoyable from having a good time to approving of something but mainly refers to tasty food. There is wine, and alcohol free beer available in grocery stores, but they don't have a licence to sell hard liquor. "Right now" means Immediately. "Just now" means soon. "Now-now" means later, and now means at this moment. "Shame"(in South Africa) could literally mean it's a shame, I feel sorry, or I am amused depending on context. It could also be a taunt. "Pissed" could also mean that someone is angry, although they would most likely say "Pissed off". "Howsit" is litterally how is it, in other words how are things going, how are you, what's up. "Bok" is the Afrikaans word for Goat, Antelope, Deer and certain Bovidae species. "Bokke" is the plural form and "Bokkie" is the diminutive. "Bokke" is most commonly used to refer to the Springbok team (Springbok being an antelope species). "Bokkie" a term of endearment like "baby" (mostly used to refer to a female partner, but sometimes used by female persons to refer to their male partner) is derived from the term for a juvenile antelope. Men are also sometimes referred to as a "Bok"(goat) as in " 'n man is 'n bok, en 'n bok is 'n bliksem". Bakkie, as in pick up truck, is Afrikaans and refers to the loading space as containers from bowls to lunch boxes are called a "Bak" in Afrikaans. I didn't know that the term "shot" was still in use, but it is more likely that someone would say "sharp", which has the same meaning. "Trolley", "Till", and "Tomato sauce" are probably from British English. We also have opera theatre and theatre shows. "Dof" is an Afrikaans word meaning dim, or unclear. The slang version means "stupid" as in a person who is dim-witted. As for the letter Z, as far as I know, the only english speaking country to ever pronounce it as "Zee" is the United States of America. Everyone else pronounces it as "Zet". It is not peculiar to South Africa.
Now can also mean "when I get the time" or " as soon as I can"
"I'm just busy, I'll do it now"
@@abbythecat7706 which is the only "now" meaning my ten year old understands. In fact, with him, now can mean never.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Are you jas
Most of them are Afrikaans slang words, not English 🙄
I believe it's no longer English, Zulu and Sotho uses Afrikaans slang, but is no longer recognised as Zulu or Sotho
5:47 we don't usually dress up cos Halloween isn't actually celebrated here but if you do dress up for whatever reason, we do call it a costume.
When we were kids we would have a FANCY DRESS PARTY where the kids came wearing their FANCY DRESS not their "costumes" lol
"Yoh" - can also be used in different context. Same for "Eish"
Haha I can't believe I forgot about those 2! 😂 Thanks for the comment Ron! 😊
And "awe" - hello/I agree
th-cam.com/video/0qEFn8iwqsI/w-d-xo.html before you come here
No, surgery is an operation, like I'm going to do surgery/operation on my abdomen, but the surgery is performed in theatre... theatre is the actual room where the surgery is gonna be performed
I'm South African, and a Dr. You could say: "I'm back from theatre, and am doing well". In other words: I've recently had an operation, and am doing well.
Also, it is better to say: I'm going to HAVE SURGERY DONE on my abdomen.
In Afrikaans we say Bra instead of Bru and we dont use Kiff alot but siff most definitely. This is by far the best video on TH-cam that explains South African slang. Well done!
Thanks so much Pollie! 😊
Yah, siff is more for like a sies smell from like dirty laundry or off food, but I think we use sies more often... well I know I do
That's English from an Afrikaana's perspective. There's also English from vernacular perspective
And English from a Coloured perspective even a Indian one
What in the world is vernacular? But English from any one of the many languages POV is gonna be different and nevermind the different POV's from the different provinces.
@@carlagaskinsa6357 Vernacular is "local" way of speaking eg. Durban will differ from Cape Town, to Pretoria & Jo'burg.
Robots makes perfect sense for a traffic lights. It involves a huge amount of programming. Robots don't necessary need to be able to move around.
Fair point Fritz! 😂👌🏻
th-cam.com/video/0qEFn8iwqsI/w-d-xo.html before you come here
Actually some of the words you mentioned are not English but Afrikaans like 'Lekker - Nice/yummy'.
Nice content,I enjoyed it ☺
Thanks Mzabantu! 😊
Yeah but English speakers use it too, so it fits into what's called south African English as a loan word
Doctors all over the world call it a theatre. That's the older English word for it lol
Your slang represents one social group in RSA it changes depending on where you are.
Absolutely brilliant thank you for taking the time to make these clips
Love how well you have acclimatised... Slang varies from region to region... You must be in the North of the country... Cape Town is another experience.
She's not. She's in KZN.
If my assumptions are correct, they live like less than 5 KM away from my folks actually xD.
My point, slang varies from region to region as well as intra-region and intra-race.
@@Venolin1 As ex-Natal, now living in Pretoria, it looks like Durban area. ....durbs eksê/esse ;)
@@gysgijsbers4202 nope, not Durban. I would say, but I don't want any weirdos on here to go stalking them xD. On the other hand, it is possible that they only visited the area in this video - it is a tourist attraction in the KZN region.
This is definitely not cape town slang😂
not at all🤣😂
I legit just commented that. I thought maybe it's more Afrikaans slang since me and my english friends definitely don't use half of these words.
@@carlagaskinsa6357 i am Afrikaans but we in Cape Town don't use that words😂😂😂 some of them is so cringe
@@carlagaskinsa6357 It's more Natal-slang...
Is it just me or does her American accent sound exaggerated and strained
I’m South African and you’ve taught me two slang words I didn’t know like “Kiff and siff” 😅. Most of the slang you learned is suburban, there’s hood slang too from the townships and some transcend the two worlds.
Same facts never heard those before😂😅
I've heard of siff a few times when I was young and my parents had a shop in Pretoria CBD but I never used it tbh
She meant to say "sies"
i thought she was going to say Jhuss and sies
@@duncanmbombi2652 no, "siff" means it is disgusting
We speak British English in South Africa. Which is the correct English.
Ja, laaik too true my bru😜😂
you have such a great (and animated) personality ☺️
Aww thank you so much Sam! 😊
Other countries : South Africa so difficult to understand..
Me : (laughs)
As jy Afrikaans is my bru, dan is al die goed Maklik om te verstaan.
Waarheid
Feite
What a cool video. Just made me realise how unique our slang is. Keep up the great content
Thanks so much Morne! 😊
Suid Afrika is net awesome my bra, onse mense is spesiminaal lol spesiminaal is n slang woord wat sommige van oms gebruik lol
I am from Swaziland neighbor to South Africa and we use the same slang.
Best beer in the back!!! Awesome love your video's!
Of course 😍🍻 Thank you so much! 😅
Noooo braces are braces in SA I don’t know who is miss leading you
You’re clearly hanging out in bars dominated by Afrikaans culture. 😂 I enjoyed watching your video 😌 But I do hope you get to experience the multitude of other cultures and slangs that make up South African culture.
I agree with this 👍👍
Couldn't agree more.
I wanted to say this , just could not dind the right words.
Enjoyed the general play, but really depends on your demographic and province.
You forgot one thing: we call it a circle, you call it a roundabout.
Ahh you’re so right, Elridus! 😂
We do call it roundabouts as well. A circle will be the "tiny" ones you see at small intersections, while the roundabouts are the ones at the big intersection, for instance, highway offramps, etc.
@@TheMbangel who's we? Are you south african? Dont let the google maps lady fool you: she is often Anerican. And she would say "roundabout". That IS NOT SOUTH AFRICAN AT ALL. Check out the K53 manual. They use "circle" - and that is our standard. As with the british.
@@ochrechap I am South African. I did write the K53, and in it, they distinguish between a roundabout and a circle. Where a roundabout is a big circle where cars on your right have the right of way. And a circle is the tiny one where it is first come, first serve. However, I did write that test almost 8 years ago, so it might have changed.
Cape Town will have you even more confused 😅
yep- come down to Cape Town. A whole new world here...and no potholes :-)
Poes means happy
Poes means happy
@@raheeqmajiet4741 neee fok 😭😂
Funny naaiers🤣🤣🤣🤣
I laughed so much at your Afrikaans Slang examples! Its amazing how much you where able to assimilate! I had an American colleauge (from Phoenix, Arizona) over in RSA in 2010, gave him one piece of biltong and saw his heart fall in love! By the way: in the south of Joburg the okes klap it in the gym, boet! (klap = work out) Thankyou for your videos!
Ahh yessss Biltong is the best! 😍 thanks for your comment Johann! 🤗
I love you. I love how you talk and hearing you speak about my country is so satisfying. I'm sad this is pretty much the same as the culture shock video 😂💔
Love the videos😂leka vibe
Your clips are great
Really well done! :) ...and funny!
Thanks Melvine! 😅
whoa, i am a South African. you got it spot on. well done :) just subscribed
Thank you, Grotsil! 🥰
Love this
Thank you so much Nikita! 😊
Haha lekker man. You say our slang so well. You becoming a real south African poppie. Love it
Hahaha thank you so much Peter! Trying my best 😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I won’t lie, you are truly hilarious. I really enjoyed your video and thank for sharing your experience. 🇿🇦
Thank you Sabekazi, that means a lot! 🥰😅
Holy crap - you had me in stitches 😂😂😂
Hahah happy to hear it Van! ☺️
the "shot thing" was cool ;) lol
Such a cool vid
Thanks Karsten! 😅
great stuff
VERY WELL DONE bokkie! it was very funny to realise just how many "odd" words we use in S.A. Don't forget , .there is a huge dutch "Afrikaans" influence in our general daily speech.
Shots like the drink we call shooters
Haha, excellent, you're spot on
Well the thing with South Africa is, the English we formally use UK English and not American English. Although a lot of our entertainment on tv that we are exposed to is American, which is probably why we understand Americans and your accent as well. Then we have local influences such as local languages and cultures that add texture to the way we say and do things.
That makes a lot of sense Lelam, thanks for your comment! 😊
Thank you for the great review of our country
Hope you enjoyed it
Just stumbled upon your channel. I am moving to SA from California in the next year. So I'm loving all your tips and info. Thank you
Ahhh that’s so exciting!! 😍 Wishing you the best of luck Harmony! ☺️
You guys should hook up!
WTF are coming from Cali to this of all places for?
@@zackbarrow1927 Hi Jack!!!
@@ochrechap 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Never thought of the pie one lol. Definitely new perspective.
😂
You’re becoming one of us😆🥰
Girl you rocking 😍😙
Aww thank you so much Buyi! 😊
Thanks for this video it's very interesting.
We do say Bracers
Did know much of the slang here😂 different circles I guess. Great video 👍
From what I've gathered in the comments, slang differs depending on where you are in SA 😅 Thank you!
I love your personality
Aww thank you so much Lu! 😊
UK/SA English vs US English differences
You nailed it! 👏 😂 I miss home 🇿🇦
Its Zet..and I learnt a couple of words from this though I'm a South African myself. Nice video
Oh my... Lol, in your "Piss Off" explanation I got an ad for "Speaking more clearly". I mean how much clearer can it get. Ha ha ha
In the Gauteng area a friend is a "chom"or "chommy" Sometimes used in the same context Americans use for "buddy" Like: "Thanks Chom"(Bud) or Chommy (buddy)
Ahh I can’t believe I forgot that one, I hear it all the time! 😅
I love this channel .....you had me in stitches ......try and and understand coloured slang....most unique and interesting.....its a mix of most traditions ....give it a go...'sharp ma se kind'
What is colored slang? I dont use it
I just watched this and a previous one, this lady definitely lives closer to farm lands or with a ton of "Afrikaaners/boerer" ... similiar but different on other parts of SA
😂 I love your channel.
Thanks so much Lamin! 😊
Just to note that most American English words are different to what the world uses in general. For example, UK and Australia also call the trunk a boot.
Bottle stores are always separate from grocery stores because kids under 18 are not allowed to go in the bottle store.
Your pronunciation is improving :)
You are so gorgeous and funny! Love your expressions! Lost of British influence... bollocks! blimey, nackerd
Aww thank you so much Robert! 😊
Great videos. Awesome.I am impressed by your quick learning, i doubt I've ever seen anything like it before. And you are also very funny 🤣🤣🤣🤣Do you now live in South Africa permanently? Thank you for the videos. Keep them coming. 🇿🇦
Hahaha thank you so much, that means a lot! 😅 I was living there during lockdown, but we recently moved to Italy!
I love this. All my American friends don’t catch my lingo. This helped them understand me more 🤣🤣🤣
Hahahah happy to hear it! 😂
Also it seems like you haven't been to cape Town
The black label hat tho💪🏽
Ja, if she knew her beers, that would have been a Castle hat... 😆
zama zama zamalek...
suprised you didnt mention "moer" :) loved the video very funny
She sounds spot on
Graft also means work as in where do you work where do you graft?
You need to vised the northen cape provenance and namakwaland witch is in the northen cape but it is an sirtan reagen our slang changes in every provenance and you need to go stay in a small town for a few weeks its a totally difrent experience
“Muti” took me out 🤣🤣🤣 I did not expect that.
Why didn't they teach you Tsotsi taal lol the english that's broken to the core that's the one hectic 😂😂 Dancing in that english is Jive.
Hi there, I love your videos, I am laughing ma lungs out 😂😂😂
Hahaha aww thank you so much! 😊
Lekker explanation! Also, a Bakkie is also a bowl of sorts, ie... 'n bakkie chips.
ryt, well done, this was poes good
ya i agree china bean, hows ya dop auntie aweh
@@Doinkinator69 i heard you are a ginger south african!
come to Joburg we have gang slang words
"gang" meaning lots
Thx for the vid:) I have conference calls with people in the US and Europe all the time and for some reason only now realising that half my English is probably crazy-confusing - pretty sure I used "hectic" twice in a call today - the other guys was just nodding
😂😂😂
I'm getting some East Rand vibes from what she's learned lol. Love it!
😂
Yes 😊
th-cam.com/video/0qEFn8iwqsI/w-d-xo.html before you come here
So for us in SA we got chips and hot chips / slap chips (your French fries).
I recommend you try a bunnychow if you get a gap. As far as I know you can still get them at 'The Vern' pub in howick, Ask for a half bunny.
Yes I’ve had bunnychow - it’s delicious!! 😍 At 1st I didn’t want to try it because I thought it was bunny meat 😂😂😂
We have 'bioscopes' where we go to watch a movie. It is an old English word that has stayed because in Afrikaans it is 'bioskoop'. A theatre is where you go to watch a play like Hamlet. We have surgery in an operating theatre.
Bakkie is also a very common word for plastic bowl in SA
Z is how the British say it, you know, the same people you got your language from.. Awesome vid !!!
I'm South African and some of these words I have never heard before, but then again I am from Cape Town.
We call swim suits - Bathers on the Cape Flats
Thanks for your comment Allan - I’ve never heard that one before! 👍🏻 Good to know 😅
When I lived in the states as an au pair, my host mother told me very excitedly that she ran the robot. I rolled my eyes and said, oh good for you all snarky like, because I thought she ran a red traffic light. But she meant she tried out the Rumba. Lol!!!
Also, it was summer so I told my host mom I needed a costume and she was extremely confused. Haha She informed me that it's called a swim suit.
Getting take aways means same as the US take outs so like Pizza or burgers from BK or Mc Donalds, or chinese etc .
another word is 'Potjie' is a stew cooked in a pot over the fire outdoors.
loskop means a ditzy or silly/ forgetful person
Love it how the background promotion of SA is just dop 🤣
Thank you! 😂 Gotta represent 😂
As a South African that was charming and hilarious. Shot! ;)
Fyi - How advanced we are in SA. The beer that you are busy drinking. I can see that it is not cold. That little blue dot on the beer indicates it. The colder the beer, the darker blue it will be.
Should come to cape town bru.
I spent a week in CT and absolutely LOVED it! 😍
Another word that's really versatile we also use a lot mainly amongst the youth slang is "Aweh"
Could be :
Greeting Hello: Aweh brah howzit going
Agreeing (yes): Aweh brah lets dala (dala meaning do that or do it)
saying Goodbye: Aweh see you later
saying something is Cool/that's nice: "Aweh!"
We use this word in casual conversations
"Aweh brah I see you got a new bakkie"
"Aweh nah I'll see you now now"
"Aweh dala what you must"
🙄
@@ochrechap Aweh what you wys?
You explained "grafts" wrong, it's actually graft and it's when you work hard on something😉
She was talking about a graph....as in graphic.
My goodness, how long have you been in South Africa for? You're are so good. You know so much. I am amazed. 😊
Aww thank you so much! 😅
Yes, she knows alot!
6:34 "Shame" part got me laughing so hard
Hahaha thanks Buyi! I'm glad you like it! 😅
Shame maan XD!
Awe😂
Every South African knows this word. :D
Matteo had to explain that one to me! Thank you, Matthew 😂
Hey.
I'm a South African nerd.
May I say:
1) the "South African English accent" you keep alluding to is actually that of the Afrikaner (Dutch descendants), whose mother tongue is Afrikaans (Dutch derivative) and not English. They are white South Africans. White South Africans (SAs) are either Afrikaans (Dutch descended) or English (British-descended). They cumulatively make up merely 9% of the population. Thus, for convenience, Afrikaners make up 4.5% of the population. Since your imitation is of the Afrikaner, that cannot possible represent the "South African accent", since they only represent 4.5% of the SA total population. If a particular stereotype was required to represent the country, it would be more fitting that a majority-population-group ought to represent "the South African accent", which would, in this case, be that of the Zulus. But for specific reference to the South African ENGLISH accent - ENGLISH ACCENT - it would have to be represented by the groups who traditionally use English as a mother-tongue, ie Whites descended from the British, a subset of the Coloured population, and the Indian population. Im often baffled by how many social media users outside of SA (esp the UK) talk about "the SA English accent" sounding like that used by the Afrikaner! WHY?! One possible explanation for the misconception is that many expats in the UK are Afrikaners! But let it be known today, that a South African ENGLISH accent could more accurately be described AS THAT OF THE BRITISH-DESCENDED WHITE SOUTH AFRICAN. NOT the Afrikaner.
2) Siff is not commonly used by South Africans generally. That's definitely new to my ear. Kiff is commonly used by the younger English white generation.
3) Lekker is officially an Afrikaans word. It has been incorporated into the Urban South African English dictionary using multiple variations.
4) May I have the shopping discussion, leading to the car, the clothes, and the food. Those references are not unique to South Africa, but rather are influenced by the British legacy. South Africa is an ex-colony of Great Britain, and a huge chunk of that legacy has been left behind.
5) Both slops and flipflops are used in South Africa.
6) Shame. SAs often use OH SHAME or AG SHAME. "Ag" is German/Dutch-derived.
7) The "theatre" concept is also British-derived.
8) Muti is NOT commonly used for medicine. Muti is used in the context of traditional, African medicine. It does not refer to traditional Western medicine (aspirin, paracetamol, antihistamines etc). You have this one wrong.
9) Braces is what we call:
(a) the shiny metal teeth straighteners inserted by the dentist. "Tracks" is not used in SA commonly. That is COMPLETELY wrong.
(b) the straps that guys wear over their shirts at the shoulders, connected to the pants (think Steve Urkle)
(c) a type if foot/ankle prosthesis for polio sufferers.
8) In summary, and this is probably the most important bit: you have been spending too much time with the Afrikaners! Lol. That is not FULLY representative of what South African sayings/ accents / slang is about.They represent 4.5% of the population.
Well done though! You are observant, fun to watch, quite correct in many of your observations. I enjoy your videos.
7) At the turn of the 20th century. Surgery/modern medicine was a new concept. In a hospital's surgery it was a literal theatre/amphitheatre where a doctor operated on a theatre table/stretcher with glass rim around and theatre goers sitting above/around. If I am not mistaken they charged for viewing.
As a nerd myself, I endorse this comment.
Yip, slang changes depending where in South Africa (province) you are. Also, what part of the province you are in. That's because there are 11 official languages and the slang is mostly a combination of a few of them. The slang you are referencing is mostly Gauteng (Johannesburg) and Durban. Cape Town slang is completely different.
I am working on an English-American dictionary from a South African perspective. Just the "English" words and excluding the "slang". I have so far over a hundred words and phrases. So this video is very interesting to me because the language is being influenced by globalisation and I don't always understand my grand children. Thanks for this.