Bontle's Guide tocommonly used South African Phrases and slang

Hi Lovies,

I have often wondered after many a telephone call from home if any of you knew what i was actually talking about. To help you interpret my new way of jabbering on, keep this list handy the next time we talk on the phone, you visit me in South Africa, or when I come home to visit. Better yet, suprise me and try using some yourself during our next conversation, or confuse someone in the States you dont feel like talking to by using the below mentioned phrases and slang words...

Tsotsi: Gangster.
ex: "Dont walk through thebush becuase the tsotsis will climb over that far away mountain and get you."

*Many of the slang words are referred to as "tsotsi talk" bc it was the tsotis who came up with the words, although they are used widely in the population, especially among youth. *

Heita: hello, in tsotsi talk
prounounced sort of like 'ey-tah'

Hola: hello, in tsotsi talk.... although it is the spanish 'hello'! Supposedly when Fidel Castro visited SA when communism was big he brought it over...

Sharp: used in many differnt ways, but usually means " good or cool"
Pronounced 'shop'
ex: Some one asks you how you are, and you say 'sharp sharp'
Someone asks if you want something to eat but you are full, you say, 'Im sharp'

Sure sure: Tsotsi for 'im good' or ''thats good'
Prounounced 'sho sho'
Ex: "Heita" reply: 'sho sho'

is it?: same as 'really?' in the US
ex: I went to the store to buy bread but they were all out. reply: 'is it?'

Sorry: an apologiy given by one personwhen something happens to someone else at no fault of their own.
ex: I drop my pen and bump my head on a desk picking it up. my friend says : 'sorry, sorry!'

Double up: to take a short cut
ex: lets not walk on the tar road, lets double up through the bush.

Bush: woods/ forest/ open area with bushes

Yaebo!: 'yes' in Zulu, also sort of like saying, 'Ya!'

Shame: 'thats too bad' used allll the time
ex: I missed the taxi this morning. reply: 'oh, shame.'

short left/short right: how you indicate when you want to get off the taxi.

neh?: said at the end of sentences, sort of like, 'you know? or 'you with me?'
ex: I was trying to go to the mall, neh? But the taxi was late, neh? so i didnt make it.

Akere?: similar use and placement as 'neh', but the meaning is more along the lines of ' do you understand?'

Yo!: sound made to indicate suprise.
ex: The price of avocados at the store has tripled in the last month. reply: Yo!

owwww-wahh!: similar to 'yo!'

Eish!: similar to owww-wahh and yo, but in situations of stress.
ex: Eish, I have a lot of work to catch up on.

Spaza:small grocery store in a village

Chomi: friend


Ok, thats all I can think of now. but hopefully Ill learn more along they way! Sharp Sharp!