If you’re thinking about going to learn English abroad, you really should consider choosing South Africa as your destination. Here you will see that this is a spectacular country and an affordable way to improve your language skills.
Culture, nature, animals, food … an exotic world, totally unique! South Africa is a country with a very welcoming and hospitable people eager to show you the rhythm and soul of Africa, people happy to live and share their traditions and culture with visitors.
Best Language Schools helps you to learn English in South Africa at top rated institutions and travel and discover the hidden secrets of Africa.
South Africa Fast Facts
Languages Spoken
There are 11 official language spoken in South Africa – yep, you heard us! A few of these are English, Southern Sotho, Swati and Zulu.
Currency
South African Rand (ZAR).
Symbol: R
100 South African Rand is approximately £5.80
Time Zone
South African Standard Time is UTC +02:00, and is ahead of London by 1 hour.
Languages Spoken in South Africa
South Africa has 11 official languages. Most people other than rural black Africans speak English, although not many as a first language. Only about 9% of the population speak English as a first language, although about 60% of the population can understand English.
South African English is heavily influenced by Afrikaans. Afrikaans is also widely spoken, especially by the white and coloured population. Often Afrikaans is incorrectly called ‘afrikan’ or ‘african’ by foreigners. Note this is very incorrect as ‘African’ for a South African corresponds with the native-African languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi etc. (and, of course, there are thousands of languages in Africa so no single language can be called ‘African’) Afrikaans has roots in 17th century Dutch dialects, so it can be understood by Dutch speakers and sometimes deciphered by German speakers.
Other widely spoken languages are Zulu (mainly in KwaZulu-Natal – South Africa’s largest single linguistic group) and Xhosa (mainly in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape), as well as Sotho and Venda. This changes, according to the region you are in.
A few words you may encounter are:
eish – as in, eish, it’s hot today, eish, that’s expensive or eish, that’s too far to drive
lekker – nice, enjoyable
howzit – how is it? (generally a rhetorical question)
yebo – yes
boet, bru, china or ou – brother or man (equivalent to dude or bro)
koppie – a small hill (can also mean a cup)
Madiba – Nelson Mandela
Molo – Hello (in Xhosa)
robot – traffic light
tannie – (auntie) respectful term for an older woman
oom – (uncle) respectful term for an older man
tinkle – phone call
just now – sometime soon (from Afrikaans net-nou)
now now – sooner than just now! (from Afrikaans nou-nou, pronounced no-no)
braai – barbecue.
cheers – we use this for saying good-bye, as well as saying thank you and for the occasional toast.
heita – hello
sharp – (usually pronounced quickly) OK
sure-sure more pronounced like sho-sho – Correct, Agreement, Thank you
In general, English spelling follows British rules rather than American; litre rather than liter, centre rather than center etc.
Popular Place to Study
South Africa is divided into several natural territories where is perfect to learn English in South Africa.
Cape Town is the capital, located in the Western Cape Province, which is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world; this could be due to its cultural and natural heritage, natural landmarks such as the Table Mountain (considered a worldwide heritage site) or Punta del Cabo, where the entertainment, cuisine and beaches are the best in the country.
Eastern Cape is a province of great contrasts, surrounded by the Drakensberg snow-capped peaks, the Tsitsikamma forests and the Indian Ocean, it has a very important historical and cultural past and a wide variety of flora and fauna including many different birds and marine species.
The Free State is a province with a wide range of things to see and do, from mountains and nature reserves to museums and monuments, and cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. The Vredefort Dome, where the world’s oldest meteorite hit and revealed samples of cave paintings and dinosaur fossils is a must-see.
Gauteng, known as the country’s commercial point, due to its wide variety of museums and all kinds of entertainment and leisure, is highlighted by the historical cities Johannesburg and Pretoria. KwaZulu-Natal, characteristic for its natural beauty and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which was the first south African natural resource declared as a worldwide heritage site.
Limpopo is a destination with numerous wild nature reserves including the Kruger National Park, offering photo safaris, remains of ancient cultures, the fascinating Venda culture and Magoebaskloof Pass, one of the highest mountain passes.
Mpumalanga province, dominated by the gorge of the Blyde River Canyon and the Sudwala caves, where the first oxygen-producing plant in the world grows.
Studying in South Africa FAQ
Activities and Free Time
South Africa is the ideal place for those looking to experience a safari and discover all kinds of animals living in their natural habitat, dive among great white sharks, swim with dolphins and whales, scuba dive, bungee jump, ride a zip-wire and see wonderful white sandy beaches.