BABBELAS (BUBBLE-US): Hangover. Usage: "Jeez, I had too many dops last
night. I've got a hectic babbelas."

BAKKIE (BUCKY): What Americans would term a "pick-up". A two-seater
light vehicle with an open rear cargo area. The rear is often used to
transport an impossible number of workers who stare back at you in
traffic and make you feel awkward and a bit guilty.

BERGIE: Term used for a type of homeless person in Cape Town. Originates
from "berg", which is the Afrikaans word for mountain, referring to the
homeless people who used to live on Table Mountain but who now live
mainly in the city. Pronounce the harsh "g" as if you've swallowed an
insect and are trying to clear it from your throat.

BLIKSEM (BLUK-SEM): If you're in a pub and you accidentally spill a beer
belonging to a man with a thick neck, he may say: "Do you want me to
bliksem you?" Don't respond. Just run. Run for your life. It's the
Afrikaans word for hit or strike or punch.

BOET: Means "brother" in Afrikaans. An affectionate (though not too
much) term for a friend. It's like saying "dude" or "buddy".

BROEKIES (BROOKIES): Panties or underwear. Usage: "I phuza'd with this
girl last night and she came back to my hotel. When I woke up this
morning, she was gone but she left her broekies behind."

CAR GUARD: Found in most urban areas, a car guard's office is the
parking lot. He keeps an eye on your car while you're at the match, in
the mall or at the pub. You're expected to tip him when you return to
your car and it hasn't been stolen or broken into. No. That's a lie.
You'll be expected to tip him even if it has.

DAGGA: Again pronounced with a harsh "g". Marijuana. Illegal, but
admittedly very easy to get hold if you're so inclined. Just ask your
car guard.

DINGES (DING-US): An indeterminate, nondescript thing or term for an
object whose name you've momentarily forgotten. Like this: "Please pass
me my dinges there." "What?" "My dinges. I want to blow it." "You mean
your vuvuzela?" "Yes, my vuvuzela."

DOF: Stupid.

DOP: If someone says "Do you want to go for a dop?" always say yes. It
means you'll be going for a drink.

DORPIE (DOORPEE): Small town. But no matter how small, you'll always
find a KFC. And a pregnant 17 year old.

DOSS: Slang for "sleep". Usage: "Is it cool if I doss at your place
tonight?"

EINA (AY-NA): Expression of pain, as in "ouch". Usage: "Ooh, looks like
Rooney just shattered his pelvis. Eina!"

EISH (AYSH): Common term that denotes a wide range of emotions from joy
and surprise to confusion and anger. When in doubt, use it.

EITA (AY-TA): Casual African greeting, like "Hey". Actually, it's the
same as "Howzit".

GATVOL: Literally means "hole fill" in Afrikaans. Means you've had
enough of something that's making you angry. Usage: "Boet, I'm gatvol of
this ref's bad decisions." Again with the harsh "g".

HUNDREDS: Normally repeated twice in a sentence as in "Hundreds, bru,
hundreds." It expresses either total agreement with what someone has
just said, or confirmation that your life is all good (eg: "How are
you?" "Ah, hundreds, man, hundreds"). Can also be used as a way of
simply saying yes.

IS IT?: Actually pronounced "uzz ut". It's a casual way of saying "Oh
really?". Usage: "Dude, I saw Messi coming out of a ladies toilet
yesterday." "Uzz ut?"

JA-WELL-NO-FINE: Nobody really knows what this means, because it doesn't
really mean anything. But we like saying it.

JOL: Party. Can be used as either a noun or verb, as in "That was a
lekker jol" or "I went jolling last night and ended up in Fabio
Cannavaro's hotel room. It was great. We set fire to it."

JUST NOW: An indeterminate amount of time. If a waiter says "I'll be
with you just now", it could mean anything from five minutes, to 10, to
never.

KAK (KUK): Literally "shit". Popular uses include "What a load of kak"
and "Don't talk kak".

LADUMA: Celebratory exclamation when a goal is scored. For best effect,
try to hold the "u" for as long as possible on one breath, so that the
"ma" comes out as a desperate choke.
Laduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.ma.

LANK: Beyond cool is lank cool. Also means a large amount of, as in
"There were lank vuvuzelas at the game last night."

LEKKER (LAKKA): Great, awesome, amazing.

MAMPARA: Idiot.

MY CHINA: Or just "China". An affectionate term similar to "boet".
"Howzit China" is a standard South African greeting. Except when meeting
an actual Chinese person. Then you probably shouldn't say it.

MZANSI: Popular term for South Africa. Best describes our country's
gritty energy and loud African spirit.

NOOIT (NOYT): Expression of disbelief or disdain. As in "Aah, nooit!
There's chewing gum on my seat!" or "When I saw that advert with Ronaldo
striking a homoerotic pose in a pair of tight underpants, I just thought
'Nooit, bru!'"

NOW-NOW: Not to be confused with "Just now". Now-now is a much smaller
indeterminate amount of time. Hmm. Don't worry - you'll get it.

PHUZA (POO-ZA): A drinking session. "Phuza Thursday" is a noble
tradition in South Africa. Try to uphold it while you're here.

ROBOT: When you're asking for directions and someone says: "Left at the
third robot," it is not because our streets are overrun with menacing
cyborgs made by Japanese scientists. No. A robot is simply our word for
traffic light.

SHARP-SHARP!: Okay. This is a complicated one. An expression of
agreement. Or a greeting. Or a way of saying goodbye. Or a way of saying
"Okay, sure." Or a way of ... forget it.

SIFF: Gross, disgusting. "Check, that guy is picking his nose." "Siff,
boet."

STOEP: A verandah or porch.

TEKKIE (TACKY): Common word for sneakers.

TSOTSI (TOT-SI): Not just the name of the Oscar-winning film made by
local director Gavin Hood. Tsotsi is a township term for a young boy
who's already committing crimes like hijacking cars and stealing.
Hopefully not from you.

UMLUNGU (OOM-LOONG-GU): African word for "white man". For a laugh, if
someone says "Eita, umlungu!" reply "Sharp-sharp!"

ZHOOSH: Very fancy. A word normally utilised by well-kept women with
French manicures who will never, ever understand the off-side rule. Use
the word if you must (it feels nice in the mouth), but aggressively
avoid these women.