Cotton Cap with South African ‘slang’, Lekker.

Ah, lekker — now there’s a word that packs a punch of South African charm.

Originally from Afrikaans (and before that, Dutch), lekker literally means “delicious,” but South Africans have turned it into a cultural Swiss Army knife. It can mean great, nice, fun, cool, or tasty, depending on the context. You might hear someone say:

• “That braai was lekker!” (The barbecue was awesome.)
• “We had a lekker time at the beach.” (We had a great time.)
• “This biltong is lekker.” (This dried meat is delicious.)

It’s used across languages and communities in South Africa, and it’s one of those words that just feels good to say — especially if you roll the “r” a little for flair.

And if you ever hear the phrase “local is lekker,” that’s a proudly South African way of saying homegrown is best