A video by Mitch Matyana has South Africans laughing over the many ways the phrase “Are you winning?” is used in everyday life.
South Africa (05 June 2026) – South Africans have a special way of turning ordinary phrases into something completely different. Just ask anyone who has ever been told to “shame”. Now, another familiar phrase is getting its moment in the spotlight: “Are you winning?”
Content creator Mitch Matyana recently sparked a conversation online after joking about the uniquely South African way the phrase is used. While it sounds like someone is checking whether you’re succeeding at something, many South Africans know it can mean a lot more than that.
For some, it is a simple check-in. For others, it is the question a parent asks while standing in a doorway watching you battle through homework, assignments or exam preparation.
You might be staring at a page of maths equations that make no sense, trying to survive a mountain of schoolwork, or struggling through a task that is clearly not going your way. Yet someone will still pop in and ask: “Are you winning?”
Technically, the answer might be no.
The video struck a chord with many South Africans, who flooded the comments section with their own experiences and interpretations of the phrase. It is one of those expressions that perfectly captures South Africa’s conversational style.
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