Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(S.Afr.) be careful! look out!

1835		J.W.D. Moodie Ten Years in S. Afr. II 80 I was suddenly warned of approaching danger by loud cries of ‘Pas op,’ (look out) [DSAE].
1862		A.W. Drayson Tales of the Outspan 122: The warning shout of Moritz to pas op, would have rectified it.
1910		C. Meredith Peggy of Cape Town 31: If you’ve got a cough here, pas op, that’s all.
1913		C. Pettman Africanderisms 366: Pas op! A common expression in South Africa equivalent to the English, ‘Look out!’.
1947		S. Afr. Law Reports Appellate Division, Supreme Court 43: The ganger says that when the goods train, the down train, was about half a mile away he called out ‘Pas op’, that all the men heard the warning [etc.].
1959		J.M. Meiring Candle in the Wind 133: ‘Pas op, jong’ the prison guard said.
1962		A. La Guma Walk in the Night (1968) 63: Constable Raalt said: ‘Pasop,’ to him.
1973		M. Dikobe Marabi Dance 111: The policeman lifted hs knobkerrie and brandished it [...] ‘Pas-op! – Look out!’.
1985		B. Simon ‘Outers’ Born in the RSA (1997) 50: Me, I box. Pasop man.
1990		J. Naidoo Coolie Location 153: She’s a really civilized chick. You know, no fuckings, no blerrys, no voetseks, no bliksems, no hey jongs, no pas ops – none of that shit comes out of her mouth.
1996		CyberBraai Lex. at www.matriots.com 🌐 PASOP: From the Afrikaans phrase meaning ‘Watch Out!’, this warning is used and heeded by all language groups. As in: ‘Your mother hasn’t had her morning coffee yet Boet – so pasop and stay out of her way.’ Sometimes just the word ‘pasop!’ is enough without further explanation. Everyone knows it sets out a line in the sand not to be crossed.
2003		‘SA English’ on Joburg.org.za 🌐 Pasop (pronounced pus-orp) – This Afrikaans word means ‘Beware’ or ‘Watch out’. Depending on context it can mean different things. If a huge Neanderthal tells you to ‘pasop’, it is wise to leave. Alternatively, it might be used when someone is moving a heavy object and is warning people to keep out of the way in case they drop it.