Vrou means: South African slang borrowed from Afrikaans meaning a woman or wife. Used across South Africa in casual conversation, 'vrou' has crossed language lines and appears in South African English,. It is mainly South African English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
vrou
South African slang borrowed from Afrikaans meaning a woman or wife.
Definitions
#1·Apr 28, 2026
South African slang borrowed from Afrikaans meaning a woman or wife. Used across South Africa in casual conversation, 'vrou' (pronounced 'froh') has crossed language lines and appears in South African English, particularly among Afrikaans-speaking communities. It can refer to any woman in a general sense or specifically to one's wife or partner. Like many Afrikaans words that have filtered into South African English, it carries a warm, familiar, everyday quality.
He told us his vrou made the best koeksisters in the whole neighbourhood — and nobody argued.
Origin: Direct borrowing from Afrikaans 'vrou' meaning 'woman' or 'wife,' which derives from Dutch 'vrouw' (woman, wife, Mrs). Related to the German 'Frau' and the Old High German 'frouwa.' Afrikaans developed from Dutch spoken by settlers in 17th-century South Africa. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents
Vrou means: South African slang borrowed from Afrikaans meaning a woman or wife. Used across South Africa in casual conversation, 'vrou' has crossed language lines and appears in South African English,. It is mainly South African English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
vrou means: South African slang borrowed from Afrikaans meaning a woman or wife. Used across South Africa in casual conversation, 'vrou' has crossed language lines and appears in South. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: romantic_partner
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(South Africa) A woman.
Cluster: general
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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