“Yho, He Understands”: Woman Shows Off Her Xhosa-Speaking Parrot
- A woman shared a lighthearted moment showing her parrot confidently repeating Xhosa slang after her prompts
- The clip stood out for blending humour, culture, and the unexpected intelligence of pets in South African homes
- Many social media users felt the moment celebrated local language in a way that felt natural and joyful
It was a simple video, but it reminded people that sometimes culture shows up in the funniest ways, even when it’s coming from a parrot that sounds like it grew up right at home.
Source: TikTok
A South African woman, @nonhlanhla_noni_mabaso, left social media entertained after sharing a video of her Xhosa-speaking parrot on 24 January 2026. In the clip, she prompted the bird with a few popular Xhosa slang phrases, and to her delight, the parrot repeated them back clearly. The moment was filmed at her home and quickly caught attention for how naturally the parrot responded, sounding like a regular part of the conversation rather than a trained pet.
Beyond the laughs, the video highlighted how intelligent parrots can be when exposed to language consistently. Birds are known for mimicking sounds, but hearing local South African slang come out so confidently made the moment even more special. For many viewers, it felt relatable, especially in homes where pets often pick up household languages and tones just by being around people daily.
A parrot with local slang steals hearts online
The clip by user @nonhlanhla_noni_mabaso spread quickly because it blended humour with culture. Hearing Xhosa slang from an unexpected source caught people off guard, while also celebrating local language in a lighthearted way. Many viewers said it reminded them of how rich South Africa’s languages are, even finding their way into everyday spaces in the most unexpected forms.
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Mzansi reacted with laughter and pride, with many joking that the parrot was officially part of the group chat. Others praised the moment for showcasing indigenous language in a fun, unforced way, saying it felt refreshing to see culture shared without overthinking it.
Source: TikTok
Here’s what Mzansi said
Samkelo DaliRh Dalie wrote:
“We have been looking for Rio, yet he’s in the Eastern Cape. 😫😫”
MbaliEnhle Makhoba asked:
“Did it just say yhini intone? 😩😂”
MissL asked:
“Haibo, why is it cursing? 🤭”
Huey Freeman said:
“Gangster parrot.”
Tintfhombi Mnisi wrote:
“I don’t think the issue here is that it speaks. The issue is that LAUGHTER ngeke.”
Lonwabo Dyalivane asked:
“Does she stay in a cage all day, or do you let her go outside?”
Thule wrote:
“And uyathanda uthi ‘Kiss mommy’ xa egeza. 🤣❤️”
Vusani Myeni asked:
“DJ Sbu, is that you?”
Word_of_the_day.xtra wrote:
“I watched this 1000 times. ✖️That ‘mnquuu nquuu’ sent me to the floor. 😂”
Check out the TikTok video below:
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Source: Briefly News
