Top 10 Most Popular Surinamese Swear Words

The literal meaning of 'kaolo' is extremely unsavory and refers to a butthole (derived from 'kaka holo'). In Dutch street language you hear it constantly to add emphasis: 'Kaolo lekker!' (Damn tasty!)

'Mapangpang' is one of the most vulgar terms you can find in Sranantongo. It refers in an extremely crude way to the female genitals.

This is much more than a simple swear word; it's a verdict on someone's character, and not a positive one. It literally calls someone a bad person with evil intentions.

Here we enter the territory of the heavier Surinamese insults aimed specifically at women. 'Ska' is the direct equivalent of the word slut.

Nosiness is a trait that doesn't go down well in Surinamese culture. 'Trafassi' is an insult meant specifically for people who stick their nose into everything.

When someone behaves bizarrely, you reach for this term for a crazy person. 'Mang' is used when someone does something completely incomprehensible to those around them.

Loyalty is highly valued in the Surinamese community. 'Boeler' therefore cuts straight to someone's honor – it's the insult for someone who is unfaithful or cheats.

'Kakofasi' describes the troublemakers who are always at the center of a conflict. The literal reference to a filthy mouth leaves little to the imagination.

'Skoiru' is meant for people who structurally don't pull their weight. It stands for a lazybones or a real good-for-nothing who lets others do the work.

If you call someone a 'dyugu', you're calling them a dimwit or a dope. The term is short and powerful (as many words in Sranantongo are).