Saffa to Irish and Irish to Saffa translations

S

 Image Copyright: Casey-Jade Malone

Lost in translation? Here is some help...

We have all done it! Excitedly telling a new Irish friend about how nice it was to be on the highway and get to the circle and not the robot, just to be met with a blank, blinking face in a bit of a frown and a quiet "How do you mean?"

You go into a detailed description and see the light come on with the response: "Oh you are talking about the round-a-bout at the end of the motorway where the traffic light used to be!!!"

Don't worry, we have your back and will give you the tools to not just guide you through this, but help you avoid it completely. We will make sure this all ends with you feeling lekker Just now, OK?

We asked the members of the South Africans Moving to Ireland page to give us a list of all the phrases and words that they have managed to raise some eyebrows with, or phrases and words that has been used leaving them slightly baffled.

 

Remember too there is Dublin speak, there is Cork speak, there is Galway, Clare, Wexford and definitely up north a whole different speak... not just accents which change wildly within a few km's but culturely and certainly phrases and slang changes too

This is what we received, and as always, if anything needs to be added, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will happily add it.

 

SAFFA speak Irish speak
SAFFA - South African Far From Africa   

South African

Viennas Frankfurters

Now, now now & just now

*You will probably use this for years to come.

Most non Saffas will probably still not understand it then either

?
No I will, yeah
Yes No bother

Ja Nee

*Come now, do we even know what this means?

?

A 4x4 (SUV)

*You drive a Land Rover? Here it's called a Jeep.

Drive a  Rav4? It's called a jeep. See?

Jeep

Prestick

 * Same thing, different colour

Blutak
Cupboard Press
Bed side table Locker
Geyser  Immersion
Cupboard with the geyser in it Hot Press
Koki Marker/ Sharpie
Cellphone Mobile
Airtime Credit
SMS Text
Robot Traffic Light

Circle

*The traffic variety

Roundabout
Takkies Runners
Rusks Baby Teething biscuits

Braai

* I am not putting anything on the Irish side here.

No, it's not like a bbq.

It takes longer than 30 minutes!

 
Plastic glasses Safety glasses
Wendyhouse Shed
Treehouse/ fort Cubby
Broom Brush
Aliceband Hairband
Children

Wee-uns

*Nothern word

EFT Direct transfer
Debit Order Direct Debit
Flapjacks/ Crumpets Pancakes
Pancakes Pancakes/ Crepes
Cupcake/ Muffin

Buns

*Any type of little cake (like a muffin or cupcake)

Depositing cash or money Lodging cash or a cheque
Plakkies Sliders
Chips

Hot ones are Chips.

*cold ones in a bag are crisps

Gumboots Wellies
Long-life milk UHT milk
Bread rolls

Baps

*unless its waterford then its a blaa

Its raining hard

Its lashing

*There's about 15 terms for rain of various types

Really? Go'way
Please listen to me now Come 'ere to me now
That thing/ thingy The yoke
Buying drinks at the pub Extending an arm
Vibe Craic

Howzit?

*How are you? well kinda, it just a hiya really!

 

How a'ya?

Whats the form?

Story?!

Howsagoing?

*Regional greetings.

If someone asks it may just be to say hello as you

walk by, it is not an invitation to stop and actually

ask how you actually are

Pen Biro
Man who's name you dont know? Yer man
How's your husband/wife? How's himself/ herself?
That person(female) Your wan ( pronounced one)
I will take you to the shop I will bring you to the shop
Really really bad/naughty word for a person

Gowl/ Geebag

*Not terms to be used freely

unless you know the context/people

It's a bit nippy

 

It's so cold the balls freezes off the brass monkey

or

it's positively baltic!

Idiot Tool
Idiot Eejit
French kiss Shift
Very dirty or smelly Manky
Hotty Ride
Really awesome That's class
Hammered drunk Plastered/ Scuttered
Here is a sentence and I finish it with a fullstop If you're in Cork you finish your sentence with 'like'
Yeah it's good thanks Grand
He is from Dublin Jackeen

A plaas Jaapie

* derogatory term used to describe someone a

little backward from somewhere remote

A Culchie

Male genitalia but used in a joking term in Cork for

a fool/idiot/drunkard

Langer
It is what it is Ah, sure look it
Its broken Its banjaxed
Toilet Jacks
I'm in trouble she is shouting/moaning at me Shes giving out
Horrid place in bad condition Its a kip
Flipping funny Thats gas!

I don't feel like it

*I just dont wanna work today

Allergic!

*Im allergic to work today!

Ahh that's great and I feel happy about that choice Happy Out!
How are all of you?

How are ye? *Cork

How are yous? *Dublin

*Ye/yous being 2 or more people

 

 

Well, there you go. And here you thought you would have to learn how to speak Irish, and turns out you need to re-learn how to speak English!!

As regional and culturally different the slang is in South Africa, it changes from county to county in Ireland. Make sure you're using the terms correctly before making a fool of yourself, ok?

Good luck!!!

Bye-bye-bye-bye-bye!!!

If you have a story to share please email us a blog at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

  #MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration

X

Right Click

No right click