How to talk like a Capetonian

Cape Town is a melting pot of different cultures, that’s why our food is so tasty and our language so colourful. Here’s a quick guide to speaking like a local when in the Mother City.

Aitsa

Pronounced: eye-t

sa!
An exclamation of praise or surprise similar to ‘nice’ or ‘heeeeeeeyyyyyy’!

Eg: Aitsa! Look at you looking so neat my bru!

Aweh

Pronounced: ah-

weh
A casual greeting or way of agreeing with someone.

Eg: Aweh, my bru, how are you?

Ayoba

Pronounced: ah-yoh-ba

A word of approval that’s cooler than cool and better than great! Could also be a greeting if you’re having a lekker day.

Eg: Sho! Those dance moves are ayoba!

Chommie definition

Duidelik

Pronounced: day-duh-lik

A word of confirmation also meaning cool, awesome, great, hip or dope. In English, it translates to “clearly”

Eg: You look duidelik today!

Eish

Pronounced: ace-sh

An emotive word used to describe anything from shock to awe or disapproval.

Eg: Eish, too much traffic!

The definiting of gaatjie

Gees

Pronounces: gh-he’s

An Afrikaans word for “spirit” often used to describe a great vibe.

Eg: I like this place, it has gees!

Lekker

Pronounced: luck-

ker
A word used to describe all things good, great and tasty

Eg: We’re going to a lekker party tonight! Lekker lekker man!

Mooi

Pronounces: muh-oi

An adjective for something or someone that is beautiful.

Eg: I love this view! It’s mooi!

Mzansi

Pronounced: m-zhan-si

isiXhosa word for “south”, lovingly adopted as our unofficial name for South Africa.

Eg: Mzansi fo sho!

Definition for Now Now in our guide on how to speak like a Capetonian

Robots

Pronounced: row-bots

How South Africans say “traffic lights” because “traffic lights” is too long and doesn’t sound futuristic enough.

Eg: Next stop! At the robot!

Shame / Shem

Pronounced: sh-em

A much-used phrase to express all kind of emotions like sympathy, empathy, tenderness or regret.

Eg: Ooh shem, you shouldn’t sing

That dog is so cute, shame!

Shisa Nyama

Pronounced: she’s-san-yah-mah

To braai or barbeque meat or a place where you eat braaied meat and have lots of nice drinks.

Eg: This weekend we’re going to have a lekker shisa nyama!

 

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