Namibia: Language

Listen to a podcast about Namibian language.

Bakkie

A pick-up or utility truck. Bigger ones are status symbols, sometimes more than a sports car.

Cuca Shop

A bar, mostly in northern Namibia. The south calls it a shebeen.

Biltong

Dried meat. Like jerky, but better. Every road trip essential.

Babbelas

A Hangover

Dankie

Thank you

Braai

A barbeque - taken to completely unfathomable social heights

Broetchen

A bread roll. So common here, you’ll forget it’s not English.

Cherrie

A pretty girl or girlfriend. ‘Check my cherrie!’

I Will Phone You Back

You will never hear from me again

It's Ntja!

Everything’s great, lekker, awesome!

Koppie

A small hill rising from the flat land.

Lapa

A thatched outdoor hangout, usually with a braai and bar.

Meme

A polite way to address an older lady.

Nawa

Nice, good, cool.

Oom

Afrikaans for ‘uncle’ but used as ‘sir’ for older men.

Paining

It hurts. ‘My head is paining!’ Classic babbelas symptom.

Potjie

A three-legged pot for cooking over a fire.

Reinheitsgebot

German beer law from 1516. Namibia still proudly follows it.

Robot

A traffic light. Rare outside of Windhoek.

Sharp Sharp!

Super good, all sorted, excellent!

Shebeen

A local bar, originally unlicensed but now mostly legit.

Skinner

Gossip, juicy stories.

Sosatie

Marinated meat on a stick. Think local kebab.

Stoep

A veranda or front porch.

Takkies

Sneakers, running shoes.

Tate

A respectful term for an older man.

Tjaila

Time to knock off work, head home.

Tombo

Traditional sorghum beer.

Tsotsi

A thug or criminal.

Wors

Short for boerewors, a farmer’s sausage, braai must-have.

Ja,nee

Literally ‘yes, no’, used to agree or as a conversation filler (like ‘yeah, sure’)

Dop

An alcoholic drink

Yster

Literally ‘iron’, slang for a strong or tough person

Bakgat

Excellent, perfect, top-notch

Kief

Cool, awesome

Goggo

Bug, insect

Sny lat

Go fast, speed

Gatskop

Entertaining, hilarious, awesome

Kattekwaad

Naughty behaviour

Papbroek

Someone without guts

Skuins af

To be tipsy or drunk

Piekfyn

Everything is excellent

Ag shame

Aww, poor thing (can also mean ‘cute)

Kattebak

Car boot / trunk

Howzit

A greeting, a conversation starter.

Aweh

Greeting? Aweh! Agreeing? Aweh! Excited? Aweh!

Mos

A filler word. You know, mos?

Etse

Reaction Word, It’s the drama, the attitude.

Nxa

A stamp of approval, a perfect way to wrap up a convo.

Was pottet?

What is going on?

Das slatet!

This is great!

Beste!

Great!

Du musst recht kommen!

You must pull yourself together!

Du bist doch mall!

You are completely crazy!

Der Ouki.

The guy

Die Cherrie.

The girl

Du bist nicht lekker im kop!

Something is not right with you!

Wir haben das mursche enjoyed!

We really enjoyed it!

Was ist dein Tune?

What is your story?

Wir gooin jetzt.

We are going now.

Bleddie mooi!

Very nice!

Sharp!