Izwi

Stewart Burton

In-app purchases

About this app

Izwi delivers a daily South African word or phrase you probably don't know — straight to your Home Screen.

WHAT YOU GET
• A beautifully curated word or phrase every day
• Home Screen widgets
• 300+ entries spanning isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, SA English, Sesotho, Setswana, Tsotsitaal, Kaaps, and more
• Full definitions with pronunciation, usage notes, social context, and origin stories
• Region tags so you know where each term lives
• Browse by theme, region, language, or generation
• Search and browse the full archive
• Save your favourites
• Content maturity filter (family-safe, everyday, or all content)
• Daily word reminder notifications

SA TRANSLATOR
Paste any sentence and Izwi highlights the SA slang — tap any highlighted word for the full definition. Perfect for decoding WhatsApp messages from your mates.

TOURIST ESSENTIALS
A curated shareable list of must-know SA words. Show it to any visitor — they'll thank you at the braai.

DISCOVER WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW
A Durban user discovers Joburg phrases they've never heard. A Capetonian discovers township terms they've heard in passing but never fully understood. An Afrikaans speaker discovers isiZulu-influenced slang from a completely different context.
Every entry is curated for cultural depth, regional specificity, and the "I've never heard this one" factor.

WIDGET-FIRST DESIGN
Izwi lives on your Home Screen. Glance at the widget, discover something new, get on with your day. Open the full app when you want to explore, search, or save.

What’s new

Izwi is now on Google Play. Discover a new South African word or phrase every day, right on your home screen - across our official languages plus the regional slang we actually use, each with its meaning, pronunciation and the story behind it. Browse the full archive, save your favourites, test yourself, and set your home region. A little more lekker, one word at a time.