It has been quite the cool experience learning all the local sayings and how to use them while not looking like a complete idiot, which is difficult to actually do when we already have an overwhelmingly American accent. Here is a list of some of these words and how we have found them used here in South Africa.

Braai – The far more superior equivalent to BBQ

Lekka – This word translates to ‘Tasty’ in Afrikaans, but is used like we use sweet in the United States. This is the most common substitute for cool, awesome, rad, tight, etc. that we have found in South Africa.

Used in a sentence: Lekka, it is a lekka evening and that braai is going to be so lekka bru!

Equivalent Translation: Cool, it is an awesome evening and that BBQ is going to be so tasty bro!

Kiff – This is another local slang for cool. It is somewhat less used when related to food. From our experiences we have meet people that either say lekka or Kiff, but we haven’t yet heard them used by the same person in the same conversation. We had one conversation at a bac

Okes – This word stems from the english work ‘Blokes’ which is then shortened to Okes. If this is still too long, which apparently it is for some, Okes can be further reduced to O’s and still retains the same meaning. This is commonly used by many South Africans when talking about friends, enemies, drunk guys at rugby matches, etc.

Used in a sentence: Did you see those Okes? Wasn’t so kiff when those O’s messed with the rugby team.

Just Now – Luckily we learned this one very quickly in Cape Town. In the US I usually would understand this as meaning a few seconds ago with a past tense context or immediately, but here is South Africa it is a future context for ‘in a few minutes’.

Used in a sentence: I’ll answer your question bru,  just now.

Equivalent Translation: I’ll answer your question in a few minutes, please be patient.

Now Now – This is the term that is used for a short time ago or immediately

Used in a sentence: We need to leave now now bru, or we’re going to miss the bus.

Howzit – This is a term used as a general greeting. It is a combination of the words ‘How is it’ and is used by most everyone. It is very easy to say with a South African accent. Now people may thing we’re South African, at least until I say another work.

Used in a sentence: Howzit my bru?

Babalas – The South African word for a hangover.

Used in a sentence: I have such a bad babalas now now. Those Black Labels were far too lekka last night, bru.