Language Guide
Basic Vocabulary Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a Germanic language that evolved from Dutch — as a German speaker, you'll recognize many words! It is mainly spoken in the Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Free State.
| German | Afrikaans | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hallo / Howzit | Ha-loh / Hau-sit |
| Good morning | Goeie more | Chuje more |
| Good evening | Goeie naand | Chuje naand |
| Goodbye | Totsiens | Tot-siens |
| Thank you | Dankie | Danki |
| Please | Asseblief | Asse-blief |
| Yes / No | Ja / Nee | Ja / Nee |
| Sorry | Verskoon my | Fer-skoon may |
| How are you? | Hoe gaan dit? | Hu chaan dit? |
| Good, thank you | Goed, dankie | Chut, danki |
| Cheers! | Gesondheid! | Che-sont-heit |
| Grilling | Braai | Brai (like "dry") |
| Meat | Vleis | Fleis |
| Wine | Wyn | Vain |
| Bill please | Rekening, asseblief | Rekening, asse-blief |
| How much does this cost? | Hoeveel kos dit? | Hu-feel kos dit? |
| Beautiful | Mooi | Moj |
| Tasty | Lekker | Lecker (like in German!) |
| Beach | Strand | Strant (like in German!) |
| Mountain | Berg | Berch (like in German!) |
Fun Fact: "Lekker" is the most versatile word in South Africa. It means everything from "tasty" to "cool" to "super." "Dis lekker!" = "That's great!"
Basic Vocabulary Zulu (isiZulu)
isiZulu is the most spoken native language in South Africa (23%). The click sounds (C, Q, X) are challenging for Europeans, but South Africans are thrilled by every attempt!
| German | Zulu | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Sawubona | Sa-wu-bona |
| Hello (response) | Yebo | Jebo |
| How are you? | Unjani? | Un-dschani? |
| I am fine | Ngiyaphila | Ngi-ja-pila |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga | Ngi-ja-bonga |
| Thank you very much | Ngiyabonga kakhulu | Ngi-ja-bonga ka-kulu |
| Please | Ngicela | Ngi-tschela |
| Yes / No | Yebo / Cha | Jebo / Tscha |
| Goodbye | Hamba kahle | Hamba kahle (to the one leaving) |
| Stay well | Sala kahle | Sala kahle (to the one staying) |
| Sorry | Uxolo | U-xolo (X = click sound) |
| Welcome | Wamkelekile | Wam-kele-kile |
| No problem | Akuna inkinga | A-kuna in-kinga |
| Nice/Cool | Kuhle | Kuhle |
| Food | Ukudla | Uku-dla |
| Water | Amanzi | A-mansi |
Click Sounds
Zulu has three click sounds — they sound complicated but are learnable:
- C — a dental click (press tongue behind upper front teeth and make a "tsk" sound, like disapprovingly shaking your head)
- Q — a palatal click (press tongue against the palate and let it "pop," like opening a champagne bottle)
- X — a lateral click (tongue to the side, like urging a horse)
South African Slang
South African English has many unique words and expressions that you will hear everywhere:
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Howzit | Universal greeting (How is it?) |
| Lekker | Tasty/cool/super — the most versatile word |
| Braai | Grilling — NEVER say "barbecue"! |
| Bru / Bra | Buddy, brother |
| Ja-nee | "Yes-no" — means agreement (yes, really!) |
| Now-now | Soon, shortly (but not immediately) |
| Just now | Sometime (could take hours!) |
| Right now | Actually now, immediately |
| Eish! | Exclamation of surprise, frustration, or amazement |
| Shame! | Sympathy — "Oh, poor thing!" (meant positively!) |
| Robot | Traffic light |
| Bakkie | Pickup truck |
| Boet | Brother, buddy (Afrikaans) |
| Dof | Stupid, silly |
| Sharp-sharp! | All good! Cool! |
| Yebo | Yes (Zulu) — used by everyone |
| Ubuntu | Humanity, sense of community |
| Madiba | Nelson Mandela's clan name — affectionate term |
Understanding the three "Nows":
- "I\'ll do it now" = Sometime today, maybe
- "I\'ll do it now-now" = Soon, in the next 30 minutes
- "I\'ll do it right now" = Actually now, immediately
You only understand this distinction after being in South Africa. "African time" is real — and charming.
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