At Herschel and in all schools in Cape Town the languages that are taught are: English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. They teach Xhosa because it is the language spoken in this province, the Western Cape, apart from English and Afrikaans. However, in other provinces they may speak Zulu and therefore you would learn English, Afrikaans and Zulu at school.
South Africa has eleven official languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda and Swati. Most people in the cities speak basic English. I have found a few funny phrases that I wanted to share:
Afrikaans
This is very similar to Dutch. When people speak (slowly) in Afrikaans, most of the time I can understand them, and they would also be able to understand me.
Xhosa
Slang
Even English-speaking South Africans have words that are only used in South Africa: A traffic light is known locally as a "robot" and a barbecue is called by the Afrikaans word "braai". If something is really nice the Afrikaans word "lekker" is used, usually pronounced as "lekka". A common greeting is "Howzit?" and if something is going to be done fairly soon, it'll be done "now now" while "just now" is a little later on.
Another word often used in South Africa is "shame" which can mean anything from "oh cute" - usually said "ag shame", to "you poor thing", to "I feel sorry for you".
An ethnic word being used by many and really great to say is "eish", it means lots of things usually when you would like to say "oh no...." or "goodness me" or something to that effect. "eish but the traffic is bad today"!
AG: An exclamation of irritation
BILTONG: Dried meat
LEKKA CHOW: A good meal
BOER: Farmer
BOEREWORS: The traditional sausage
BOTTLE STORE: A retail outlet selling liquor
BUSHVELD: Lowveld, usually Mpumalanga or northern Province
CAPE DUTCH: Architecture of the early Western cape
EGOLI: A common name for Johannesburg
HAMBA KAHLE: Farewell or goodbye
HOWZIT: A greeting
JOZI: Another common name for Johannesburg
KAAPSTAD: A common name for Cape Town
KOPPIE: A small hill
LEKKER: Pleasant
MEALIE: corn on the cob
MSANSI/MZANZI - A common name for South Africa
ROOIBOS: A herbal tea
SAFARI: A bush tour
SAMOOSA: A triangular Indian curried delicacy
SANGOMA: A witchdoctor
SAWUBONA: Hello - a universal South African greeting
SIS: An exclamation of disgust
STOEP: The verandah of a house
TOYI TOYI: Picketing, Protest, A protest dance
TSOTSI: A criminal gang member
South Africa has eleven official languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda and Swati. Most people in the cities speak basic English. I have found a few funny phrases that I wanted to share:
Afrikaans
- Yes - Ja pronounced Yah
- No - Nee pronounced kneer
- Thank you - Dankie pronounced dunkey
- Please - Asseblief pronounced asserbleef
- Goodbye – Totsiens pronounced totseens
This is very similar to Dutch. When people speak (slowly) in Afrikaans, most of the time I can understand them, and they would also be able to understand me.
Xhosa
- Hamba Kakhuhle - go well, good bye; see you
- Molo - Hello
- Ukutya - food
- Isiphuzo - drink
- Thenga - buy
- Saybona - thank you
Slang
Even English-speaking South Africans have words that are only used in South Africa: A traffic light is known locally as a "robot" and a barbecue is called by the Afrikaans word "braai". If something is really nice the Afrikaans word "lekker" is used, usually pronounced as "lekka". A common greeting is "Howzit?" and if something is going to be done fairly soon, it'll be done "now now" while "just now" is a little later on.
Another word often used in South Africa is "shame" which can mean anything from "oh cute" - usually said "ag shame", to "you poor thing", to "I feel sorry for you".
An ethnic word being used by many and really great to say is "eish", it means lots of things usually when you would like to say "oh no...." or "goodness me" or something to that effect. "eish but the traffic is bad today"!
AG: An exclamation of irritation
BILTONG: Dried meat
LEKKA CHOW: A good meal
BOER: Farmer
BOEREWORS: The traditional sausage
BOTTLE STORE: A retail outlet selling liquor
BUSHVELD: Lowveld, usually Mpumalanga or northern Province
CAPE DUTCH: Architecture of the early Western cape
EGOLI: A common name for Johannesburg
HAMBA KAHLE: Farewell or goodbye
HOWZIT: A greeting
JOZI: Another common name for Johannesburg
KAAPSTAD: A common name for Cape Town
KOPPIE: A small hill
LEKKER: Pleasant
MEALIE: corn on the cob
MSANSI/MZANZI - A common name for South Africa
ROOIBOS: A herbal tea
SAFARI: A bush tour
SAMOOSA: A triangular Indian curried delicacy
SANGOMA: A witchdoctor
SAWUBONA: Hello - a universal South African greeting
SIS: An exclamation of disgust
STOEP: The verandah of a house
TOYI TOYI: Picketing, Protest, A protest dance
TSOTSI: A criminal gang member