UK Woman Struggles to Understand South African Lingo, Leaves Viewers in Stitches
- A woman from the UK went viral after a video showed her completely baffled by South African phrases, leaving netizens in stitches
- Mzansi jumped in to break down the quirky meanings behind the local lingo, turning the comment section into a fun language lesson
- The playful video highlighted how South Africa’s unique expressions continue to charm and entertain both locals and foreigners
South Africans were amused and entertained when a UK woman hilariously struggled to understand the meaning of local time-related slang, sparking a wave of playful explanations online.
Source: Facebook
South African slang is a colourful mix of expressions that often leaves foreigners puzzled. The video, posted by Peter Gagiano on Facebook, shows a woman sharing her hilarious confusion over South African lingo, admitting that while the phrases sound like English, locals use them in ways she simply can’t understand despite hearing them often. The woman from the UK hilariously struggled to understand the meaning of three popular phrases: ‘Right now,’ ‘Now now,’ and ‘Just now.’
In the video, the woman can be seen laughing and scratching her head as she attempts to decipher the logic behind these phrases. Her confusion stemmed from how locals use these time-related expressions to indicate urgency, or sometimes, the lack of it. While ‘right now’ means immediately, ‘now now’ is used to imply that someone will get to it shortly, and ‘just now’ often means at an unspecified time shortly.
The cultural charm of South African expressions shines
Mzansi social media users quickly jumped in to explain the nuances of the lingo, turning the comment section into a playful classroom. Many joked that these terms are practically a test of patience for any foreigner visiting the country. The lighthearted interaction showcased South Africa’s unique linguistic charm, where English words can have entirely different meanings depending on local culture.
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The video quickly gained traction as South Africans revelled in how relatable the scenario was. For locals, the difference between these phrases is second nature, but watching a foreigner trying to navigate them made for an entertaining cultural exchange.
Source: Facebook
Mzansi reacted to the video
Stephen Sugden said:
"Just now = approximately 20 minutes. Now now = approximately 5, perhaps 10 minutes. The key keyword is 'approximately'."
Tinka Malan said:
"Now now is a direct translation from Afrikaans when someone says I see you 'net nou' – now now."
Clinton Basson said:
"According to Act 60 of 2000 (Firearm Control Act) the definition of immediately is 'before the end of the following business day.' Google it."
Maria Turnbull said:
"South Africa has no time. See you when I see you."
Nicky Roberts Woodhall said:
"Now is imminent. Just now is not quite as soon. 'Now now,' it will be done but maybe sooner than now, or maybe not."
Nerina Engelbrecht said:
"Just now means 5 min to 30 min. Now now means later. Just now already did it."
Anna Chadwick said:
"'Now now' is not a time per se… It’s in the future, basically expect it any time from right now to going forward."
Tamara Scharneck Benjamin said:
"Now now means sometime today, but not right now. Just now means it needs to be done soon, but not right now. Right now depends on the tone and the situation, for example, your toddler is bullying another toddler, and you tell him to stop it right now."
Check out the Facebook video below:
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Source: Briefly News
