Cape Town Slang 101

LTC Team — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 08:08:04 +0000

Cape Town is such a mix of different cultures and languages, therefore it’s a given that the city would have its very own “language” or slang. And boy, Cape Town’s slang is unique!

Here’s a list of the most popular Capetonian slang words and what they actually mean:

Ag (ah-ch): To show resignation or annoyance.
Example: “Ag no man!”

Awê (ah-weh): a greeting.
Example: “Awê, brother!”

Babbelas (bah-bah-luss): Hungover. Comes from the Zulu word “i-babalazi” which means drunk. The term was adopted by the Afrikaans and is now used as a term for “hangover.”
Example: “I am so babbelas!”

Bergie (bear-ghee): Comes from the Afrikaans word “berg” (mountain) and was initially used to describe the vagrants living on Table Mountain. The word is now used in Cape Town to describe any type of vagrant.
Example: “That bergie is asking for money.”

Bokkie: From the Afrikaans word “bok”. Used as a term of endearment similar to the word “sweetheart.”
Example: “Hello bokkie.”

Bra (brah), bru (brew): Comes from the Afrikaans word “broer” (brother) and is a term of affection used among male friends.
Example: “Howzit my bru!” “Hey bra!”

Braai (br-eye): word meaning barbecue.
Example: “We’re having a braai.”

Cheers: Can be used as a toast or greeting.
Example: “Cheers!” or “Cheers bru, see you later.”

Dop: Alcohol.
Example: “Don’t forget to bring the dop.”

Eish (ay-sh): Another expression derived from the Zulu language. Exclamation of surprise similar to “oh wow!” or “oh my!”
Example: “Eish! That must have hurt.”

Eina (Ay-nah): Exclamation used when in pain.
Example: “Eina! That hurt!”

Entjie (eh-n-chee): Cigarette.
Example: “Come smoke an entjie with me.”

Howzit (how-zit): Greeting. Means “hi”. Shortening of “how’s it going.”
Example: “Howzit my bru?”

Ja (yaah): Afrikaans word for yes. Ja is used by most South Africans, not just the Afrikaans.
Example: “Ja, let’s go.”

Jislaaik (yiss-like): An expression of astonishment similar to “Geez.”
Example: “Jislaaik! That’s awesome!”

Laaitie, (lighty): Refers to a young person – especially males.
Example: “He’s still a laaitie.”

Lekker (leh-kah): Nice or delicious.
Example: “That was a lekker braai.”

Takkies (tack-kees): Sneakers.
Example: “I want to buy those new Nike takkies.”

Tjommie, chommie (choh-mee): Friend.
Example: “There’s my tjommie!”

These are only a few of the many slang terms used by Capetonians.

The Language Teaching Centre

You don’t only get to take a language course in Cape Town with us at the Language Teaching Centre – we also expose you to the wonderful culture and languages of the Cape. Besides the wonderful view of the harbour and Table Mountain from our spacious classrooms, the excursion programme is designed to allow students to discover this beautiful city. LTC is a great place to study English in Cape Town.

Mistakes to avoid when learning a language

LTC Team — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 06:30:56 +0000

Don’t let these mistakes get in the way when you learn a new language, learn to avoid or overcome them and you are guaranteed to succeed! Here are the biggest mistakes to avoid when learning a language.

Fear of making a mistake

You might enjoy writing and reading in a different language, but when it comes to speaking it, you freeze up. No matter your level of confidence in general, the fear of making a fool of yourself when trying to speak a different language is very real. This almost irrational fear happens to the best of us, even Barack Obama freezes up when having to speak a foreign language.

The key to avoiding this mistake is just to push through your fears. It’s especially the anticipation of speaking a foreign language that gets to you, and just by pushing through that fear each time you will eventually feel confident enough not to dread speaking a different language. The more you speak the faster you learn. Force yourself to speak as much as possible in the language you are learning, and watch yourself flourish.

Not being open to other cultures

Don’t approach learning a new language with a closed mind, as this will show in your progress. To learn a language you need to live the language.

This means embracing its people, culture, and ways. If you are immersed and interested in the culture of the language you are learning you will be motivated to learn more – and faster. Immerse yourself as much as possible – you might even end up enjoying it!

Not listening

If you find that you regularly fall into the trap of not listening to what a foreign speaker is saying the chances are high that it is connected to your fear of making a mistake.

Many people get so caught up in needing to annunciate properly and use the correct grammar that they forget to actually listen to what the person is saying. This is actually much worse as you are more likely to say something irrelevant or be thrown off if they say something you weren’t expecting.

Making it insurmountable

Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. If you make learning a language seem insurmountable, your brain will shut down and you will be unable to learn anything. You need to see learning a language as a marathon – not a sprint. Break your learning down into manageable chunks and achievable goals. Everyone learning a language starts out somewhere.

Don’t assume that other people are more intelligent than you because they speak 2 or 3 languages. All of them have gone through the frustrating process of learning and making mistakes. But they did not give up. So neither should you. Learning a new language is definitely achievable with the right tools and a healthy attitude.

The Language Teaching Centre (LTC)

One of those tools is the Language Teaching Centre (LTC). A language school in Cape Town, LTC gives you all you need to be able to learn a new language properly and easily. The Language Teaching Centre not only gives you the opportunity to learn new languages but also lets you engage with other students from different cultures and backgrounds. We even offer excursions about twice a week which are there to help students discover the beautiful city we live in. The breathtaking view of Table Mountain and the harbour will inspire you to tackle the task of learning a new language with vigour. Take a language course in Cape Town at the Language Teaching centre today and see yourself flourish.

Take a language course in Cape Town – Language Teaching Centre | LTC