AfrikaansPod101.com Blog

Did you know that, for three years in the previous century, South Africa had two official national anthems?  Former South African President FW De Klerk instituted them approximately a month before a uniquely peaceful regime change in May 1994, when Nelson Mandela became the country's first black president. The two songs were the South African national anthem of the old dispensation, Die Stem van Suid Afrika ("The Call of South Africa"), and a Xhosa Christian hymn called Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika ("God bless Africa"). Later, in 1997, these were adapted into one national anthem. The name of the hymn, Nkosi Sikelel' i Afrika, was the title of choice, which is unsurprising as the song has a rich history stretching back two centuries.... Show more

The first official school in South Africa, called the South African College Schools, or SACS, as it is still known, was founded in 1829 in Cape Town. A boys-only school, it's still located in the former Cape Town home of a mining magnate where, in 2012, the estate was the majestic location for the second film in the successful South African movie franchise, Spud.  Despite it being an English medium school, its halls nevertheless ring with Afrikaans school phrases too, as Afrikaans language learning is important in all South African schools. Afrikaans word in elke skool in Suid Afrika aangebied as 'n vak. / "Afrikaans is taught in every school in South Africa." ➜ Afrikaans language learning can be a rich and rewarding... Show more

South Africa is known for its delicious cuisine, and many of our chefs are rated among the best in the world. Eating out is, therefore, a must for any visitor or tourist! Also, knowing a few of the most common restaurant phrases in Afrikaans could really enhance your dining experience—read on to learn why. Afrikaner kelners verskaf gewoonlik uitstekende diens. / “African waiters usually provide excellent service.” ➜ South African cuisine is unique in its diversity and multitude of influences. Learn more while relishing this mouthwatering overview of typical Afrikaner dishes and delicacies. Table of Contents Why is it Important to Know Afrikaans Restaurant Phrases? Finding a Good Restaurant in South Africa Booking at... Show more

Searching for ways to fast-track your conversation skills in Afrikaans? The Internet is replete with techniques and advice to improve this ability. With a thorough search, you will even find specific Afrikaans lessons about conversation skills.  Many of these are excellent, and they all offer (basically) the same tried-and-tested tips and ideas. In this article, I'm going to discuss some of the tips at length because they work well if you apply and practice them consistently. I will also give examples of useful phrases to memorize for easy conversations in Afrikaans. Goeie gespreksvaardighede verseker goeie gesprekke. / "Good conversation skills ensure good conversations." However, in addition, I will offer something... Show more

Did you know that the formation of Afrikaans was influenced by languages as diverse as Arabic, Indonesian, Malay, and Portuguese? However, it derives its idiomatic character mainly from Dutch—this is well illustrated in the list of expressions from the last section of this article, where we delve into advanced Afrikaans phrases and idiomatic expressions. If you're already busy studying advanced Afrikaans, it probably means die gogga het jou gebyt (literally: "the bug has bitten you"). This lovely idiom compares a person's sudden, intense interest in something to being infected by a microbe. Well, many students of Afrikaans "get bitten" this way, and hopefully, this "infection" will spread even more as you study our guide to the most useful... Show more

So, you've decided not to remain a beginner student of Afrikaans—that's great! Welcome to the intermediate level of this fascinating language, where things are going to get a bit more nuanced and complex. Don't fear, though; it's not terribly difficult to master. Consider taking this opportunity to learn some of the most important intermediate Afrikaans words and phrases—easy peasy! ➜ But before we start, look at our article 10 Great Reasons Why You Should Learn Afrikaans to gain some inspiration as you level up! Ons het gisteraand se partytjie baie geniet. ("We really enjoyed last night's party.") Table of Contents Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Talking About Past Events Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Making and... Show more

Before we start discussing the best Afrikaans podcasts (free language learning tools of note, especially if you sign up with us at AfrikaansPod101), did you know that the translation of "podcast" in Afrikaans is potgooi? When literally translated, the word potgooi has zero relation to the (usually) downloadable episodic talk recordings streamed online. Let me explain. Pot is a homophone of the English word "pod," but literally, pot has the same meaning as the English "pot"—a noun describing certain containers, such as the cooking vessel that's typically found in the kitchen, the container in which to grow plants, and so forth.  Interestingly, "pot" is also a transitive verb that means "to hit" or “to shoot” in both languages: Die... Show more

If you're still wondering why you should learn Afrikaans, consider this—according to a recent poll, Afrikaans is the third most spoken language in South Africa, and close to half a million South Africans speak it outside of the country's borders. Also, consider this article for more reasons to study this interesting language! Ready to dip your toes into the deep and refreshing waters of Afrikaans? Start strong by learning the most important Afrikaans phrases for beginners, all compiled in this handy guide from AfrikaansPod101. Mense voel gemakliker wanneer jy hulle taal praat. / "People feel more comfortable when you speak their language." Table of Contents Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: Social Etiquette Easy... Show more

Wow, congratulations—you're at an advanced level in your Afrikaans studies! Good for you.  Hopefully, you won’t stop now, because there's a lot more to master. To help you, we have compiled some advanced Afrikaans words and phrases in the most pertinent categories for easy access and assimilation. If you want to improve your advanced Afrikaans vocabulary, wordlists like these are among the best tools to use. Also, feel free to ask us in the comments if anything needs clarification. Remember to keep your learning fun by using fun resources. For instance, take a look at this article about a great online resource that's completely free! Onthou om jou studies te geniet. / "Remember to enjoy your studies." Great! Let's get busy... Show more

Well done. You've mastered The 200+ Best Afrikaans Words for Beginners! Now it's time to tackle some intermediate Afrikaans words and phrases. In this article, we've compiled the most common ones for you and included their classification for easy access. Let us know in the comments if you're battling to understand anything! (Wondering whether you'll be able to learn Afrikaans beginner and intermediate words easily? Check out our blog post Is Afrikaans Hard to Learn?) Table of Contents Intermediate Afrikaans Words - SELFSTANDIGE NAAMWOORDE / "Nouns" Afrikaans Intermediate Words - TELWOORDE / "Counting Words" Afrikaans Intermediate Words - BYVOEGLIKE NAAMWOORDE / "Adjectives" Afrikaans Intermediate Words - Voornaamwoorde /... Show more