Afrikaans is a language that has borrowed words from all over the planet. Any language with such a rich lexicon is bound to have an awful lot of slang thrown into the mix, and Afrikaans is no exception to this rule. This is an important fact to take into consideration when looking at Afrikaans translation.
South Africa and its various tongues draw from a pool of 11 official languages. Anyone working with Afrikaans translation — by simple default — has to know a little something about these numerous languages.
With Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, and other languages flying about, an awful lot of slang has been created in this unique part of the world. This culture of slang often translates into a clever, well-stocked street vocabulary, which can move about from language to language and community to community. Here’s a small sampling of some South African, as well as Afrikaans, slang:
Bra / Bru – This one basically means dude, or a male friend. Used when referring to a very good friend, who is like a brother (broer).
Druk – If you give someone a “druk,” you’re actually giving him or her a hug.
Dwaal – When you let your mind wander, you’re in a state of “dwaal.” It’s a great word for space cadets.
Eina – You should use this slang term when you get injured. It indicates you have a boo-boo, or a sore spot on your body.
Howzit? – This is an everyday, casual greeting that means, “How is it?” Just make sure you run it on and say it as one word.
Indaba – This word comes from Zulu, and indicates a “conference” or a mater that’s up for discussion, or a simple gathering.
Jol – If you love to party, then you’ll need this slang word. When you head out and go jolling, you’re actually going partying.
Robot – The use of this word has nothing to do with the sci-fi movie District 9. A “robot” is actually a traffic light.
