Afrikaans South Africa

sterkte

Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(strongs) • Sterkte is used to tell someone to stay strong or to bless someone with strength. To tell someone you will be thinking of them while they attempt a hard task or difficult times and that they must persevere.

"Sterkte my jou wiskunde examen. Sterkte vir jou dag."

"Strongs with your math exam. Strongs for your day."

English Australia; South Africa

avo

Word USED Very frequently BY some people

Short form of the word avocado

"The avo on toast here is too expensive, but the hot breakfasts are nice."

Afrikaans South Africa

die aap is uit die mou

Expression USED Frequently BY south africans

(the monkey is out of the sleeve) • Used when a long kept secret becomes known/comes out.

"Die paartjie kuier al 'n lang tyd bymekaar, maar niemand het dit geweet tot nou nie. Die aap is uit die mou!"

"The couple have been seeing each other for a long time, but no one knew about it. The monkey is out of the sleeve!"

Afrikaans South Africa

Koebaai Meraai

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

(Goodbye Meraai) • Meraai is a name often associated with the Cape coloured community of South Africa. It is especially used in jokes and funny stories. Koebaai is an Afrikaansified term for the English goodbye. These two terms rhyme which gives this phrase a playful connotation.

“Koebaai Meraai.”

“Goodbye Meraai.”

Afrikaans South Africa

geelperskereën

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(n.) • (yellow peach rain) • This expression refers to a type of rain that occurs around the time when yellow peaches come in season in South Africa. It describes a type of soft, but persistent rain.

"Dis regte geelperkereën wat nou val."

"It's real yellow peach rain falling at the moment."

Zulu South Africa

ayoba

Expression USED In the past BY Almost Everyone

Used to express delight or excitement.

"There is a 75% off sale at the mall." "That's ayoba!"

English Cape Town and Durban, South Africa

kiff

Word USED Frequently BY Surfer types and Capetonians

(adj.) • A colloquial alternative to cool - used to express enjoyment or status.

"He's a kiff oke."

"He's a cool guy."

Afrikaans South Africa and Namibia

dronkverdriet

Word USED Frequently BY Adults

(n.) • (drunken grief) • Someone has "dronkverdriet" when they are crying, emotional or depressed after they drank a lot of alcohol.

"Hoekom huil sy? Sy het dronkverdriet want sy het te veel gedrink."

"Why is she crying? She has drunken grief because she drank too much."