South African Sayings and Quotes - the top 100

South Africans are famous for their colourful sayings and unique dialect. Whether you're "from the Cape" or grew up in Mpumalanga, you'll know that South African sayings add an extra level of flavour to our conversations. In this blog post, we've collected some of the best South African sayings - from "Eish" to "As well". So the next time you find yourself chatting with friends, make sure you use one of these phrases! You'll be sure to make everyone laugh.

1. Eish
2. Boer maak n plan
3. Ai…come now
4. “Woefkardoes”
5. We're having a monkey's wedding
6. Both of you three come here !!!
7. I will klap you so hard... You won't know if you are Arthur or Martha
8. "I think the lights just came back on"
9. Voetsek, but the dogs here in New Zealand don’t know what it means.
10. I'm rough and tough and come from the Bluff (Durban)
11. Now, now and just now. People in the UK just don't get it.
12. I’m so the moering, I am going to give him a fat curry footslap, man!!
13. Aag Henrie, I luv it when you talk foreign!
14. Last of last Week and next of next year
15. Then 'Ja-nee' should totally confuse them 
16. Vat hom Fluffy
17. I’ll Bliksem you!!!
18. Don't tune me grief, tune me Howzit!
19. As confused as a camelian on a Smartie box!!!
20. Lag my n papie
21. Definitely aagh shame … covers everything! 
22. My Fok Marilize! 
23. Hey wena
24. Had a teacher that always use to say while lining up outside his class…”stand once upon a time in one straight stripe, not twice together”
25. Picking up stompies
26. He needs an AAK (attitude adjustment klap).
27. I’m busy waiting
28. Just a warning: if a South African says: "luister mooi vir my..." the time for listening has passed... its time for running!
29. "Die poppe gaan dans!!" Heard some Afrikaans people trying to translate it and they said "The dolls is gonna dance!" So that's what I say now 
30. It's lekker to be lekker when you're lekker
31. A dop and a chop!
32. “Don’t tune me rough, I will grind you smooth ek se”
33. Moegoe!
34. Ai jai jai ( not sure of spelling) , then repeated several times when things go wrong!!! 
35. Boermaakaplan 
36. Africa is not for sissies
37. Pay your tv licence, it's the right thing to do
38. All of above. But... Can you borrow me your pen. (Never Lend). Diction
39. Loadshedding has been suspended!
40. I will give you such a snot clap that you will fail to see and when you wake up your clothes will be out of fashion
41. A friend in Swaziland had a shirt "I are wearing my Jean pant"
42. Remember Pop Shop? I think the host was called David Gresham? - he would always finish off the show by saying ‘ Keep your feet on the ground and reach for the stars ‘ Love that saying!
43. That bloody reff!
44. I’m going to choef (run) to the swimming baths and goef (swim) all day!
45. That’s the way the boerewors bends
46. Reversing backward
47. I smaak you stukend my china.
48. I never laugh so many since i was a children
49. It's not inside, it's O-O-O-N top!
50. TTWP&D Time to waai possie and dos. After a night out on the town it's time to go home and sleep.
51. “Ag, Shamepies”
52. "I nearly died!"
53. Bliksem, Gatvol, hurry up and wait, Now now, Ja nee. What can we say, we are indeed a unique bunch   
54. Level with the gravel.
55. Safe ma Bru.
56. Mamparra, which means someone is extremely foolish
57. It’s not a train smash … love that saying
58. dubbelbrandewynencokein'nlangglassmetys
59. You were speeding sir... now come this side.. how we going to sort this out
60. I've lost the plot.
61. Kyk noord en vok voort ( sorry a bit rough but there are no English words that say it like this)
62. Jirre man you are getting on my nerves 
63. What goes around comes around
64. Agh bring me a “ lappie” to clean up this mess.
65. Shame, I’m so sorry!
66. Sorry, we are offline...
67. Bedonerd!!! Not sure of the spelling!!!
68. Wat ever blows your hair back....
69. Are you serious...
70. 'Crikey". Not sure if it's South African but my Dad who was from South Africa.said it often. 
71. I’ll give you a PK ….Polokwane to Kakemas
72. You can take them out the bush, but you can't take the bush out of them!
73. I’m just around the corner…… and it’s actually like an hour drive 
74. Going to take a Kip / dos
75. Ag sis mann
76. Howzit my china
77. After not having done what you were told to do - "But I asked you so nicely".
78. BE PATIENT- eish everything is African time
79. Check the worry in my eyes
80. Give me Checkers ( those from CURRO will say: give me Plastic) 
81. I stopped at the robot  
82. Fish and chip shop. Where’s my change? “I geeve you chappie “
83. Oh for vark steaks!!!!!!
84. My bruh, I kid you not
85. Shaping under pressure.
86. You have a Watch, but we have the time
87. Blikskottel and tie my dog lose
88. "Oh koek".
89. Vol fiemies
90. I am an African
91. You can't blame me! Jan van Riebeeck was here more than 300 years before me!
92. Felt like I'd been skopped in the dif!
93. Rock up and park off!
94. Skatterbol
95. It is such a shlep!
96. Bob’s your uncle!
97. Otherwise you well?
98. Howzit larnie.could you help me with some small change
99. Brak (a Mongril Dog)
100. Acumatatada means no worries for the rest of your life 😎

 

Eish is definitely one of the most iconic South African sayings. It can be used to express a range of emotions, from surprise to disappointment. If you want to add some extra oomph to your conversation, throw in an eish!

 

Do you have a favourite South African saying? Let us know in the comments below!