Monday, January 14, 2013

List of Tsotsitaal lexical items

Heita!

I've been blogging links and so on but I think it's time to post some examples of Tsotsitaal lexicon. Here's a word list I've been developing featuring 46 tsotsitaal words & their meaning. Most of them also give a likely source.


amajita guys Eng. magic gardens
authi lad/young man  
grand fine/alright Eng
bra friend/brother  
cherry sweetheart/girl French Cherie
gidla sleep  
medi girlfriend/female Eng Maid
moja good/alright  
nyuku money Zulu
tiger ten rands Eng
vaya go/ go away Port vay
dladla home from archaic Zulu
heita hello  
ma-gents gentlemen Eng
ringa talk/chat Eng ring
sharp fine/alright/goodbye Eng
thayima father Eng Old Timer
bhari stupid  
chomi friend  Eng Chum
clever streetwise male Eng
hola hello Spanish
kasi township Afr. Lokasie
mfethu brother Zulu?
mpintshi friend  
ntwana girlfriend   
smoko trouble  
spana work Afr. 
bloma stay Afr. bloom
camtha talk/lingo  
check look Eng
cisha to kill Zulu to extinguish
daa there Afr. 
diski soccer Eng 'disc'
four five penis  
gata policeman  
gaz'lam friend Zulu lit 'my blood'
gcwala like/love  
lova/guluva loafer/thug Eng.
madala old man/grandfather  
ou-lady mother Eng.
six-nine urinate/toilet  
splasha wash Eng.
tekeni girlfriend from archaic Zulu
transi car Eng. Transport
vati water Afr. water
zol/zolo marijuana/a joint  


27 comments:

  1. Person born from venda n Tsonga parents is called ?

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  2. Replies
    1. Ntswembu. This word can also be used to say there is trouble. As in "Ku ntswembu"

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  3. What does ukutesha nokujinda mean

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  4. Ukuthesha means to work
    Ukujinda means to leave something

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  5. Dear god you can see I'm trying but not is going as good as i want it to be .you know I really want to wipe my mom's tears .you know I want to also look like other kids and afford life but nothing is going well on my side .why do you create us and let us suffer this much .am i here to clap hands for your favourites .why don't we have beautiful homes and be taken to school by cars so that we can be also be recognised .dear god bless me.and keep my mom for me so that one day she will testify my success all i want is happiness but without money and a hungry family that is impossible .i put all in you amen

    Please translate it for me

    ReplyDelete