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. Keep reading to learn more!

➜ But let’s start on a soulful note—listen to this beautiful contemporary rendition of the South African national anthem, as performed by the inimitable Ndlovu Youth Choir. Also, listen here why studying Afrikaans is a great idea!

Die sing van die Suid Afrikaanse volkslied word dikwels gelei deur ‘n solo kunstenaar tydens seremonies. / “Singing of the South African anthem is often lead by a solo artist during ceremonies.”

Table of Contents

1. South African National Anthem Lyrics and Melody
2. History of South Africa’s National Anthem
3. Purpose of Anthems and their Protocols
4. Where/When is the South African Anthem Typically Sung?
5. BONUS: National Anthem Vocabulary and Phrases
6. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Learn the South African National Anthem

1. South African National Anthem Lyrics and Melody

The lyrics of the South African national anthem were taken from five of the country’s official languages, of which there are eleven. These five are the most widely spoken in the country:

• Xhosa
• Zulu
• Sesotho
• Afrikaans
• English

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika The South African National Anthem
Original	Translated to English
(Xhosa) Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo,  (Zulu) Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho Iwayo. (Sesotho) Morena, boloka setjhaba sa heso. O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, o se boloke, o se boloke. Setjhaba sa heso, setjhaba sa South Afrika, South Afrika.  (Afrikaans) Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee. (English) Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa, our land.	Lord, bless Africa. Let it/us be exalted/raised up. Hear our prayer. Lord, bless us, your family/children. Lord, save my community/people. End wars and suffering—don’t keep it, don’t keep it. My community/people, the people of South Africa, South Africa. From the blue of our heavens, From the depths of our seas, Over everlasting/eternal mountains, Where the crags/cliffs resound.

Die Suid Afrikaanse volkslied is ‘n getoonsette gebed. / “The South African anthem is a prayer set to music.”

➜ If you’re curious about what South Africa is like as a travel destination, this article is a must-read!

Here’s also the anthem’s sheet music. 

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika has a couple of unique attributes:

• Each stanza is in a different language, except the first, which is in two languages.
• It’s the world’s only neo-modal anthem, meaning it starts off in one key and finishes in another.
• The first couple of stanzas comprise a petition to a higher power not only for the freedom, happiness, and protection of South African nationals, but also for the exultation of the whole continent of Africa and all its people.

Now let’s take a look at the history of this soulful anthem.

2. History of South Africa’s National Anthem

As previously mentioned, the South African national anthem combined two songs, each with their own history.

Let’s start with the song that lend the South African anthem its title and first two stanzas.

2.1 Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (“God save Africa”)

As mentioned, the first two stanzas of the anthem is a prayer to a higher power for the freedom, happiness, and safety of South African nationals, and the continent of Africa. The second stanza is a more secular call, which we’ll look at that in the next section.

Most Recent Political Influence

The anthem’s religious roots are important, as world history has shown that politics and religion tend to be inseparable. History also showed that this combination is, sadly more often than not, a double-edged sword. Great atrocities have been committed in the name of religion, and Christianity, in particular, was often abused as an instrument of oppression by the corrosive apartheid (literally: “apart-ness”) government. (Apartheid is the political term used to describe deliberate and forced racial segregation, as was practiced by the previous South African regime.)

However, South Africa’s transition from authoritarian rule to a democracy on April 27, 1994, was largely peaceful. This was a remarkable feat, given the history of regime changes. Typically, great unrest, civil war, and civilian casualties mark most of these, but despite many people’s misgivings and fears, South Africa’s transition didn’t follow this path.

Meeste godsdienstige Suid Afrikaners glo dat die vreedsame nasionale verkiesing van 1994 gedra is deur menigte gebede. / “Most religious South Africans believe that the peaceful national elections of 1994 were carried by many prayers.”

Many historians feel that this outcome was, if not driven, then largely influenced by a few remarkable political activists and religious leaders, including the likes of Nelson Mandela, archbishop Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé, etc. These and other individuals notably allowed the unifying and peaceful messages at the core of all great religions to inform their actions and attitudes. 

Even the country’s new constitution speaks of this benevolent approach, and to date, this constitution is touted to be the world’s most representative, inclusive, and liberal.

So, given this background, it’s not surprising that a religious hymn was included in South Africa’s new anthem. Let’s further investigate this hymn, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

➜ If South African history interests you, then you will probably find South African culture and South African food interesting too! 

Short History of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is essentially a liberation song. Here’s a timeline of its illustrious history:

• The first or original version of the hymn comprised only one verse and a chorus. It was written in 1897 by Xhosa-speaking Enoch Mankayi Sontonga, who was at the time a choirmaster and teacher at the Methodist Mission School in Nancefield, Johannesburg. It was one of many songs Sontonga wrote for his pupils, and he also composed the music. 
• Later, a celebrated Xhosa writer and poet called Samuel Mqhayi wrote seven more stanzas for the hymn.
• The hymn was immediately well received. It was often sung by Sontonga’s own choir, followed by other choirs in the Johannesburg vicinity and the composer’s birth-province, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
• After Sontonga’s death in 1905, it was included in the Presbyterian Xhosa hymn book and a Xhosa poetry anthology for schools.
• It was also sung at the very first meeting in 1912 of what would later become the African National Congress, or ANC—currently South Africa’s ruling party. Over a decade later, the ANC officially adopted Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika as the closing song for their meetings.
• Sol Plaatje, a famous South African writer and founding member of the ANC, had it recorded in Londen in 1923.

As Anthem:

• Adaptations of the hymn are still the national anthems of Tanzania and Zambia, two other African countries.

Variasies van Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is ook Tanzanië en Zambië se volksliedere. / “Adaptations of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika are also Tanzania and Zambia’s national anthems.”

• Its Shona version, Ishe Komborera Africa, was the first national anthem of Zimbabwe when the country gained independence from British rule in 1980. It was replaced by another anthem in 1994, but the old one remains a popular hymn to this day.
• Nkosi Sikelel’ Afrika was Namibia’s anthem for a year in 1990 after the country gained independence.

Other Facts:

• This hymn, though originally Christian, became syncretic in nature, meaning it’s now a fusion of diverse cultures and beliefs.
• In Finland, its melody is used to accompany a children’s religious song called Kuule, Isä taivaan, pyyntö tää (“Hear, Heavenly Father”).
• It featured in the highly-acclaimed movie “Cry Freedom” (1987), which told the true story of South African political activist Steve Biko’s torture and eventual death at the hands of the previous South African government.

2.2 Die Stem van Suid Afrika (“The Call of South Africa”)

Note: The literal translation of stem is “voice.” However, “The Call of South Africa” is the official English title of this old national anthem.

Die Stem, as it is colloquially called, has a somewhat more controversial, if not less inspiring, history than its counterpart. However, it is still majestic and a heartfelt call for national unity and strength in its own right, especially when we consider the story from which it was born—a story that sounds terribly similar to the one of those who suffered under apartheid.

➜ Despite its checkered political history, Afrikaans remains an enriching and beautiful language. Learn here why you should study it!

Historical Influences

It’s impossible to encapsulate the history of any people in only a few sentences, and remembering how the Western white Afrikaners liberated themselves from British colonial rule to came into power in South Africa is not a popular memory right now. Yet, this part of the country’s history is no less sad or horrific than any other tale of suffering under oppressive, cruel rulership of any kind.

Suffering is not exclusive or relative to anyone. Historically, white Afrikaners, or more specifically Boere (literally “Farmers”), suffered unspeakable atrocities under colonial British rule during and after the Boereoorlog (“Boer war”). Prior to that, they were deliberately oppressed and branded as inferior human beings by diverse colonial forces.

The real (but universally common) tragedy here is probably that collectively, the Boerenasie (“Boer nation”) has never dealt with its own generational pain and fear, which made the birth of an apartheid government possible. Unaddressed trauma and an un-scrutinized personal history will always give rise to the repetition of history, no matter the scale. That’s just human nature. Hélène Opperman Lewis (PhD) explores this difficult theme quite thoroughly in her psycho-historical book.

South Africans still have a long road ahead of them to rectify the mistakes of the past, and some wounds take unbearably long to heal. But the hope remains that these will heal, as demonstrated by the beautiful merging of these two seemingly ‘un-unifiable’ anthems: Die Stem van Suid Afrika and Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

Let’s take a quick time-line historical view of the original Die Stem / “The Call”.

• Die Stem van Suid Afrika was originally a poem, written in 1918 by one of the country’s best-known Afrikaans poets and authors, CJ Langenhoven.
• In 1921, Reverent Marthinus Lourens de Villiers set the poem to music. Then the South African Broadcasting Corporation gradually started using it to close daily broadcasts, alongside with “God Save The King”.
• In 1926, it was recorded in England, and 1928, was sung publicly for the first time at the raising of the then-new South African flag.
• In 1952, it was translated into English, and gained official status as a national anthem. However, it was only in 1957 that it was no longer sung together with “God Save the Queen”.

Other Facts

• The poem was originally only three stanzas long. The government asked for a fourth stanza to be added, specifically one with a more religious message.
• It was, understandably, disliked by the Black South Africans, who associated it with forced racial segregation and its cruel fallouts.
• The original version’s use has declined sharply since the 1990s, internationally and in South Africa. Only super-conservative nationalists (mainly among white Afrikaners) occasionally sing the full version, which still sparks controversy every now and then.

^*Note: South Africans don’t consider the terms “colored” or “people of color” to be derogatory or offensive.

3. Purpose of Anthems and their Protocols

Why do countries have national anthems?

All countries have national symbols that represent something about the people and the country, for the people and the world at large. National symbols furthermore depict or illustrate a country’s constitutional values and are always unifying and patriotic in meaning.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag. / “The South African flag.”

The symbols are visual, iconic, or verbal. They tend to represent long-held traditions and history, as well as the beliefs and hopes of the country’s people.

Common national symbols include: 

• a country’s flag or banner,
• a coat of arms,
• a stamp or seal,
• national colors,
• a head of state (in a monarchy), and so forth.

Some countries also have national emblems such as flowers and animals. For instance, the rose is the American flora emblem, while the beautiful protea is South Africa’s. The country’s national animal is the springbok (literally: “spring buck”); our national rugby team, called the Springbokke (“Springbucks)” is named after this emblem and wear it on their rugby jerseys.

National symbols are either officially recognized by a country’s government, or they’re unofficially accepted as such through popular use. This is especially so in the case of anthems.

Die protea is ‘n nasionale Suid Afrikaanse flora embleem. / “The protea is South Africa’s national flora emblem.”

Anthems are probably the most powerful of all national symbols. Music is a conveyer of emotion and feeling, and the act of singing together can be extremely unifying. That’s why the lyrics of anthems tend to be deeply meaningful, as they represent the heart of every nation, so to speak.

Each country has its own etiquette or protocol when their national anthem is sung, mainly to show respect for what the song represents. For instance, in the USA, it’s custom to stand up straight, remove your hat, and place your right hand over your heart when singing the US anthem, the “Star-Spangled Banner”. If the country’s flag is also being raised, you’re expected to face it while singing the anthem.

The South African protocol is somewhat simpler. Only civilians have to take their hats off, but everyone should stand at attention (straight, with feet together and arms by the sides), and sing the anthem in a respectful manner.

4. Where/When is the South African Anthem Typically Sung?

As explained, anthems are national symbols, meaning they are musical representations of the patriotic values and ideals held by the people of a country. In South Africa, we sing or play our beautiful anthem in various contexts, such as:

• the opening of parliament; 
• at diplomatic or PR receptions, such as when high-ranking government officials visit schools, etc.;
• at military ceremonies and events;
• during big sports events;
• at festivals celebrated on special national holidays; 
• at some school openings after a weekend or holiday break.

Die volkslied word altyd gesing tydens seremonies vir Vryheidsdagviering. / The anthem is always being sung at ceremonies held during Freedom Day celebrations.

Just as in many other countries, it is also sung at big sports events. For these, we often have a chorus leader or orchestra, usually of local talent. To be invited to lead the performance is obviously an extremely great honor.

Previously, it was sung as a matter of routine at government schools too, but only some schools still practice this custom.

5. BONUS: National Anthem Vocabulary and Phrases

Use the following vocabulary to talk about South Africa’s national anthem and its other symbols. Also, consider this easy guide to understanding Afrikaans grammar.

Afrikaans	English
volkslied	anthem (n)
nasionaal	national (n)
vlag	flag (n)
staan op aandag	stand at attention
erfenis	heritage (n)
nasionaliteit	nationalism (n)
trots	pride (adj)
eer	honor (n)
eer(biedig)	to honor (v)
seremonie	ceremony (n)
seremonieel	ceremonial (adj)
ritueel	ritual (n)
parade	parade (n)
paradeer	to parade (v)
weermag	military (n)
saluut	salute (n)
saluteer	to salute (v)
patriot	patriot (n)
patrioties	patriotic (adj)
simbool	symbol (n)
kultuur	culture (n)
kultureel	cultural (adj)
geskiedenis	history (n)
tradisie	tradition (n)
land	country (n)
nasie	nation (n)
mars	march (n)
gesang	hymn (n)
komposisie	composition (n)
lirieke	lyrics (n)
bladmusiek	sheet music (n)
opvoering	performance (n)
orkes	orchestra (n)
koperblaasorkes	brass band (n)
offisieel	official (n)
statig	stately (adj)
respek	respect (n)

6. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Learn the South African National Anthem

…and so much more!!

At AfrikaansPod101.com, we can help you understand Afrikaans easily with our fun and practical learning materials, such as recorded videos and free vocabulary lists. With our help, you’ll be able to use Afrikaans and even sing the Afrikaans part of the national anthem with ease!

Also, decipher Afrikaans songs and texts yourself by using the multiple tools we make available to you upon subscription, such as the Afrikaans Key Phrase List and the Afrikaans Core 100 Word List. And make sure to keep your Afrikaans online dictionary close by for easy translation! 

Don’t wait—subscribe immediately!

About the author: Christa Davel is an experienced, bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer, content creator, and journalist, and is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa.

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 experience for students of all ages. Learn ten good reasons for studying Afrikaans in this informative article.

Now let’s get cracking with probably the most comprehensive list of Afrikaans classroom phrases in English!

Alle Suid Afrikaanse publieke skole vereis dat leerlinge skooluniforms dra. / “The wearing of school uniforms is mandatory in all South African public schools.”

Table of Contents

1. Forms of Address in Afrikaans Schools
2. Start Of Class
3. During Class
4. End of Class
5. Supplies and Equipment in the Classroom
6. BONUS: Useful Afrikaans School Vocabulary
7. South African Schools—A Few Facts
8. Learn Useful Afrikaans School Phrases at AfrikaansPod101.com!

1. Forms of Address in Afrikaans Schools

But before we start looking at Afrikaans classroom greetings—forms of address are significant in especially Afrikaans-medium schools, where a culture of respect for all adult staff is still important. In fact, this is a hallmark of nearly every native Afrikaans speaker.

In practice, this means that if there is an age gap of more than 10 years, adults are typically not addressed with the casual jy and jou pronouns or by their first names. Instead, they are addressed, rather stiltedly, by their titles.

At school, then, learners replace all pronouns with titles when addressing a teacher, and using the teacher’s first name is avoided. Doing this is seen as a form of disrespect.

Teachers, however, address pupils by their first names and use informal or casual pronouns.

Here are the two main titles Afrikaans pupils use to address teachers in South African schools:

Juffrou Note: This is the form of address pupils use to refer to their female teachers from Gr. R – Gr. 12—irrespective of her marital status.	“Miss” or “Ma’am”
Meneer	“Sir”
Example Dialogue: Teacher: Lekker middag vir jou, Bertus.   Approximate: “Have an enjoyable afternoon, Bertus.” Bertus: Meneer moet Meneer se middag ook geniet! Literally: “Sir must also enjoy Sir’s afternoon!” Bertus sounds a bit like a previous-century butler working in an old English abbey, doesn’t he?! In tutoring settings, however, such as when studying or teaching Afrikaans privately or via an online class, the use of casual pronouns and first names is completely acceptable.

Senior leerlinge mag soms in privaatdrag eksamen skryf. / “Senior pupils may sometimes write exams in private wear.”

Anyway, whatever your need for intricate or basic Afrikaans classroom phrases, we’ve got you covered in this article!

2. Start Of Class

So, the bell rang, and the pupils are seated. Looking out over their charges, teachers will start the day with  suitable Afrikaans classroom greetings and other Afrikaans language phrases to connect with the children.

1 – Teacher Phrases

Afrikaans Classroom Greetings

Noise and bustle are endemic to classrooms, there’s just no escaping that! Classroom management is not always easy, and any person might be tempted to subdue the noise with shouting or harsh discipline.

However, a wise teacher will know that her attitude and demeanor will set the tone for everyone in the class, probably for the rest of the day. Therefore, she strives to start every school day with a friendly greeting, showing personal interest in her young charges, and keeping a calm manner. Maintaining authority and order without sacrificing anyone’s dignity are always worthy aims.

Here are a few friendly, standard greetings, plus excellent customizable phrases with which to make pupils feel welcome.

Goeiemore, Graad Twees	“Goodmorning, Grade Two’s.”
Middag, julle.	Literally: “Afternoon, (all of) you.”
Haai daar, Francis	“Hi there, Francis.”
Goeiedag, almal.	“Good day, everyone.”
Hello, Klas.	“Hello, Class.”
Hoe gaan dit vandag?	“How are you doing today?”
Voel jy beter vanoggend, Dawie?	“Are you feeling better this morning, Davey?”
Welkom terug, Annabel.	“Welcome back, Annabel.”
Hoe voel jou been?	“How does your leg feel?”
Sjoe, maar dis koud vandag.	“Wow, it’s cold today.”
Wat ‘n lieflike oggend is die nie?!	Approximate: “What a beautiful morning it is!”

Vra enige onderwyser—enige gebaar van waardering is altyd welkom! / “Ask any teacher—any gesture of appreciation is always welcome!”

➜ Take control of your Afrikaans classroom management with this list of common ways to greet in Afrikaans—with voice recordings!

Taking Roll Call

Now it’s time for the teacher to check who’s in attendance. This usually takes place only at the start of the day for all juniors and seniors, or during what is called the register klas (“register class”) for learners from Grade 5 onwards.

From Grades 1 through 4, learners remain in the same class all day long and receive tuition from only one teacher for all subjects. From Grade 5 onwards, they change classes and teachers for most subjects.

The Afrikaans expression for taking roll call is register neem. It’s derived from British English, which means “to take register”.

Stilte vir register, asseblief!	“Silence for roll call, please!”
Enigiemand afwesig?	“Anybody absent?”
Wie’s nie hier vandag nie?	“Who’s not here today?”
Is Emma al terug?	“Is Emma back?”
Almal is hier / aanwesig.	“Everyone’s here / present.”
Waarom was jy laasweek afwesig, Francois?	“Why were you absent last week, Francois?”
Wat’s fout met Anya? Weet iemand?	“What’s wrong with Anya? Does anyone know?”
Weet iemand wanneer Petra terugkom klastoe?	“Does anyone know when Petra will return to class?”
Is Gert aanwesig?	“Is Gert present?”

Meeste Suid Afrikaanse skole het standaard klaskamers. / “Most South African schools have standard classrooms.”

➜ Quickly learn how to greet like a native Afrikaans speaker with this recording of basic Afrikaans greetings!

2 – Class and Pupil Phrases

The relationship is reciprocal—pupils also greet and respond to their teacher’s enquiries.

Afrikaans Classroom Greetings

More Juffrou, more Maatjies. Note: In the pre-school and junior classes, the children are usually taught one appropriate greeting phrase, which they then use in the same sing-song fashion every morning.	“Good morning, Miss, good morning, Buddies.”
Goeiemore, Juffrou.	“Good morning, Miss.”
More, Juffrou.	“Morning, Miss.
Goeiemiddag, Meneer.	“Good afternoon, Sir.”
Middag, Meneer.	“Afternoon, Sir.”
Hello Juffrou / Meneer.	“Hello Miss / Sir.”
Dit gaan goed, dankie. En met Juffrou?	Literally: “It’s going well, thank you. And with Miss?”
Dit gaan goed met my, dankie Meneer.	“I’m doing well, thank you, Sir.”
Goed dankie, en met Meneer?	“Well thanks, and with Sir?”

Wie weet die antwoord? / “Who knows the answer?”

Answering Roll Call

During roll call, learners are usually expected to indicate their presence by announcing it out loud.

Below are a few basic Afrikaans classroom phrases to demonstrate how pupils typically respond during roll call in a South African school. 

Teenwoordig!	“Present!”
Ek’s hier.	“I’m here.”
Gert is aanwesig / afwesig.	“Gert is present / absent.”
Ek’s terug, Juffrou.	“I’m back, Miss.”
Emma is terug.	“Emma is back.”
Petronel is nie hier nie.	“Petronel isn’t here.”
Petra kom nie terug nie.	“Petra won’t return.”
Anya is siek met verkoue.	“Anya is sick with a cold.”
Ek voel beter, dankie Juffrou.	“I feel better, thanks Miss.”
Ek was siek gewees, Juffrou.	“I was sick, Miss.”
Hier’s my siekbrief / dokter’s brief. Note: In South African public schools, school fees are largely subsidized by the state, so truancy is unfortunately a problem. Therefore, a child must produce a doctor’s note if their prolonged absence was due to illness. Absenteeism is not a typical problem in private schools, because fees are not subsidized, and parents are therefore more motivated to make sure their children attend school. For this reason, the parents’ word instead of a doctor’s note is usually acceptable.	“Here’s my doctor’s note.”

My naam is Tina. / “My name is Tina.”

Exercise: Above, the teachers’ greetings and roll-taking questions are matched with the student’s replies. Why not turn these into an Afrikaans listening comprehension exercise? Ask an Afrikaans speaker or your AfrikaansPod101 tutor to record the questions and answers for you. Then, while listening to the questions, choose the correct reply, and vice versa!

3 – Introducing Yourself to the Class—Teacher and Pupil

In many schools, it’s a custom for new pupils and teachers to introduce themselves to the class at the beginning of the year. They are also sometimes expected to share a detail or two about themselves.

Below are a few great phrases for such an occasion.

Ons gaan onsself nou aan mekaar voorstel.	“Now we’re going to introduce ourselves to each other.”
Vertel die klas wat jou naam is, of jy ‘n broer of suster het, en wat jou gunsteling … is.	“Tell the class your name and surname, if you have siblings, and what your favorite … is.”
My naam is …	“My name is …”
Ek is …	“I am …”
My gunsteling (noun) is (noun).	“My favorite (noun) is (noun).”
Ek het (‘n) …	“I have (a) …”
Ek woon …	“I live …”
Examples: Pupil: Ek is Sebastiaan Steenkamp. Ek is agt jaar oud en ek het een boetie. Ek hou van karre.“ I am Sebastian Steenkamp. I’m eight years old and I have one brother. I like cars.” Teacher: My naam is Juffrou Sandra Van Rooyen. Ek is julle nuwe Afrikaanse onderwyser en ek bly naby die skool in Vishoek. My gunsteling fliek is ‘Die Wonderwerker’. “My name is Teacher Sandra Van Rooyen. I’m your new Afrikaans teacher and I live close to the school in Fish Hoek. My favorite movie is Die Wonderwerker. (The Miracle Worker)”

➜ For the most common Afrikaans nouns you could use when talking about yourself, take a look at this article!

3. During Class

Skool moet genotvol wees om suksesvolle ‘n leerervaring te verseker. / “School must be enjoyable in order to ensure a successful learning experience. “

1 – Phrases and Questions for Teachers

Time to start the lessons! A successful teacher will have done their preparation and ensures that everyone knows what’s expected of them for the duration of the class. But first, they want to make sure the environment is pleasant and conducive to learning.

Classroom Duties

While all schools have cleaners or make use of cleaning services, it’s expected of the learners to help keep the classrooms neat, tidy, and well ventilated. Here are a few good phrases the teacher could use to rally up assistance.

Maak al die vensters oop, asseblief.	“Please open all the windows.”
Maak die deur toe, asseblief.	“Close the door, please.
Dis jou beurt om die witbord skoon te maak.	“It’s your turn to clean the whiteboard.”
Gooi asseblief julle rommel in die asblik.	“Please put your garbage in the trashcan.”
Maak skoon, asseblief.	“Clean up, please.”
Vee daardie op.	“Sweep that up.”
Saamwerk laat die droom werk!	“Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Handewas tyd! Note: Higiëne is taught as a subject in the pre-school and Junior classes. Also, little ones tend to get a lot dirtier during class time than the seniors, so before breaks, the teacher makes sure those grubby paws are washed. Junior classrooms usually have facilities for this activity.	“Time to wash our hands!”

Kinders word in die klaskamer geleer om hul omgewing te beheer deur dit netjies te hou. / “Children are being taught in the classroom to control their environment by keeping it tidy.”

Learning can only take place when focus is disciplined. It’s a valuable skill everyone needs to learn at school, even though acquiring it is not always enjoyable for youngsters. 

It’s also imperative for a teacher to maintain good Afrikaans classroom management to accomplish successful learning outcomes. For that, a few rules establishing boundaries and order must be in place at the start of every class. Knowing exactly what is expected of them adds to the children’s sense of security, and an ordered environment helps classroom activities run smoothly.

Class Practice – Keeping the Order

Order in the classroom is not easily accomplished! Learners, especially the younger ones, often need repeated reminders of the class rules. This can be tough on everyone at the start, but with persistence, pupils learn and peace reigns. Then enjoyable Afrikaans language learning can start!

Here are a number of useful phrases for maintaining a classroom atmosphere conducive to learning. 

Steek asseblief julle hande op as julle ‘n vraag het.	“Please raise your hand if you have a question.”
Steek op jou hand as jy die antwoord ken.	“Put up your hand if you know the answer.”
Moenie die antwoord uitroep nie.	“Don’t shout out the answer.”
Hande op, asseblief!	“Hands up, please!”
Stilte, asseblief!	“Quiet, please!”
Hou op praat, asseblief.	“Please stop talking.”

‘n Kalm onderwyser beteken rustige leerlinge. / “A calm teacher means peaceful learners.”

Tip: Memorizing the rules are often an excellent classroom practice, especially for younger students. It could also be turned into an Afrikaans listening comprehension exercise by simply ask the students to translate the rules from Afrikaans to English. Language learning is made easier the more interactive it is. To ensure proper pronunciation, a native Afrikaans speaker should recite the rules in Afrikaans.

Class Practice—About Learning Content

At last it’s time to start with the lesson itself… 

Ideally, the teacher will guide the students to discover and explore the learning material for and by themselves. For this, open-ended statements and questions are ideal.

Yet, clear instructions are often necessary too. Here are a few helpful Afrikaans school phrases for these purposes.

Is almal gereed?	“Is everyone ready?”
Kan ons begin?	“Can we start?”
Vandag gaan ons leer van …	“Today we’re going to learn about …”
Ons gaan kyk na …	“We’ll be looking at …”
Sê agter my aan.	“Repeat after me.”
Herhaal wat jy gesê het?	“Repeat what you said?”
Sê weer?	“Say again?”
Lees dit hardop vir die klas.	“Read it out loud for the class.”
Praat bietjie harder dat almal kan hoor.	Approximate: “Speak up a little so everybody can hear.”
Maak julle handboeke oop op bladsy …	“Open your textbooks on page ….”
Blaai na die volgende bladsy.	“Turn to the next page.”
Lees vanaf die tweede paragraaf.	“Read from the second paragraph”
Kyk na punt vyf.	“Look at point five.”
Hou my lippe dop terwyl ek die woord sê.	“Watch my lips as I pronounce the word.”
Mens spreek dit so uit.	“One pronounces it like this.”
Kyk mooi.	“Look carefully.”
Kyk weer.	“Look again.”
Onderstreep al die … met ‘n potlood.	“Underline all the … with a pencil.”
Luister mooi.	“Listen carefully.”
Luister weer.	“Listen again.”
Op watter lettergreep val die klem in die woord …?	“Which syllable is emphasized in the word …?”
Wie gaan eerste wees?	“Who wants to go first?”
Wie’s volgende?	“Who’s next?”
Verduidelik dit in jou eie woorde.	“Explain it in your own words.”
Wat bedoel jy hiermee?	Approximate: “What do you mean to say here?”
Dink daaroor.	“Consider it.”
Skryf jou antwoord in jou notaboek.	“Write your answer in your notebook.”
Enige vrae?	“Any questions?”

Afrikaans Grammar—Targeted Teaching Phrases Grammar in every language has certain unique distinctions and quirks. Here are a few pertaining to Afrikaans grammar—stated in excellent Afrikaans classroom phrases!  ➜ For a super-fast lesson on the basics of Afrikaans grammar, listen to this recording.
Let op na die gebruik van dubbel-negasie in hierdie sin.	“Notice the use of double-negation in this sentence.”
Afrikaanse werkwoorde vervoeg nie volgens onderwerp nie.	“Afrikaans verbs don’t conjugate for the subject.”
Let op dat Afrikaans nie grammatikale geslag het nie.	“Note that Afrikaans has no grammatical gender.”
Afrikaans het drie geslagsverwante voornaamwoorde.	“Afrikaans has three gender-related pronouns.”
In Afrikaans is daar geen onderskeiding tussen die infinitiewe en teenwoordige-tyd werkwoordvorme nie.	Approximate: “Afrikaans doesn’t differentiate between the infinitive and present tense verb forms.”
Sommige Afrikaanse byvoeglike naamwoorde verbuig na gelang van hul posisie ten opsigte van die naamwoord in ‘n sin.	“Some Afrikaans adjectives inflect based on their position relative to the noun in a sentence.”

Homework

South Africa, assigning homework especially in junior classes are on the decline. It’s almost counter-intuitive, yet research suggests that not getting homework may improve performance and increase school attendance.

Many private schools have adopted the attitude that if work is completed to a satisfactory standard during class time, no homework is assigned. This seems to be a remarkable motivator for many learners!

However, mastering subjects as they increase in difficulty means that homework is still necessary for senior classes. Manage that well with these phrases.

Note: Afrikaans pronouns change for number and gender. See how this differs from English in the section below. (The distinction is noted between brackets in the English translation.)

Julle huiswerk is …	“Your (plural) homework is …”
Huiswerk vir vandag is …	“Homework for today is …
Dit moet … in wees.	“It must be in by …”
Handig dit … in.	“Hand it in …”
Maak ‘n nota van die huiswerk, asseblief.	“Make a note of the homework, please.”
Geen huiswerk vir more nie.	“No homework for tomorrow.”
Het almal hulle huiswerk gedoen?	“Has everyone done their homework?”
Het jy jou huiswerk gedoen?	“Have you (singular) done your (singular) homework?”
Hoekom is joune nie voltooi nie?	“Why isn’t yours (singular) completed?”
Wanneer kan jy dit inhandig?	“When can you (singular) hand it in?”
Daai moes gister al voltooi gewees het. Note: The word daai is a contraction of two words that form a uniquely Afrikaans demonstrative pronoun: daar + die > daardie (Literally: “there + the > that”). It’s very commonly used in the vernacular.	“That was supposed to be completed yesterday already.”
Sal julle hierdie oordoen, asseblief?	“Will you (plural) redo this, please?”
Doen sommer die korreksies nou.	“Just make the corrections now.”

Almal hou van ‘n welverdiende kompliment. / “Everyone likes a well-deserved compliment.”

➜ Learn all about Afrikaans pronouns in this comprehensive guide.

Commenting on a Pupil’s Work

Teaching includes constantly assessing learners work and progress. It’s easy to focus only on correcting mistakes, but this strategy can create negative vibes of discouragement in the classroom!

South African teachers are unlikely to give credit where it’s not due. However, they also know that praising a learner for noticeable effort and performance encourages a sense of well-being for everyone. 

Do so like a boss with these excellent phrases.

Dis die korrekte antwoord.	“That’s the correct answer.”
Die antwoord is …	“The answer is …”
Mooi so!	“Well done!”
Dis beter.	“That’s better.”
Dis reg.	“That’s right.”
Dis verkeerd.	“That’s incorrect.”
Nie so nie.	“Not like that.”
Probeer weer.	“Try again.”
Daarsy, nou’s dit reg.	Approximate: “There you go, now it’s correct.”
Dit lyk goed.	“It’s looking good.”
Jou uitspraak is uitstekend.	“Your pronunciation is excellent.”
Goeie werk!	“Good work!”
Dis fantasties, hou so aan!	“That’s fantastic, keep going!”
Ek kan sien julle het moeite gedoen.	“I can see you’ve made an effort.”
Mooi so, julle het baie verbeter.	“Well done, you’ve improved a lot.”

➜ Need more Afrikaans adjectives to comment on your pupil’s or student’s work? Look no further than this article. And here’s an easy grammar guide for their use!

Tests and Exams

All gained knowledge and skills need to be tested. The teacher will guide the students to focus on the most relevant learning material, encourage them to study, and then all wait together, anxiously, for the results.

Ignoreer daardie afdeling.	“Ignore that section.”
Dis nie belangrik vir die eksamen nie.	“It’s not important for the exam.”
Hierdie is belangrik vir die toets / eksamen.	“This is important for the test / exam.”
Maak seker julle memoriseer hierdie lys.	“Make sure you memorize this list.”
Julle toetsdatums is …	“Your test dates are …”
Die eksamen begin op …	“The exams start on …”
Dit maak klaar op …	“They finish on …”
Hier is die rooster vir die praktiese eksamen.	“Here is the timetable for the practical exam.”
Vandag se Afrikaanse eksamen bestaan uit twee vraestelle.	“Today’s Afrikaans exam comprises two papers.”
Julle het twee ure tyd vir hierdie vraestel.	“You have two hours to complete this paper.”
Sterkte, Klas!	“Good luck, Class!”
Julle mag begin.	“You may start.”
Julle het nog net ‘n halfuur oor.	“You only have half an hour left.”
Tyd is verby!	“Time’s up!”
Sit die penne neer.	“Put down the pens.”
Was die eksamen maklik gewees?	“Was the exam easy?”
Hoe het dit met die toets gegaan?	“How did it go with the test?”

Goeie voorbereiding skep geluk. / “Good preparation creates (its own) luck.”

When a Pupil is Battling in Class

Sometimes a test result shows it, or sometimes a teacher picks up in class that a learner is battling with the learning material. Then they should step in to help a learner.

If resources are available, remedial assistance is so important, as timely intervention can make all the difference in a child’s education.

Also, a teacher might pick up that a learner is feeling unwell physically. Use these phrases to assist them in Afrikaans.

Hoe kan ek help?	“How can I help?”
Waarmee kan ek help?	“With what can I help?”
Waarmee sukkel julle ouens die meeste?	“What are you guys struggling with the most?”
Wat dink jy is die probleem?	“What do you think is the problem?”
Wat dink jy is die beste manier om hierdie probleem aan te pak?	“What do you think is the best way to tackle this problem?”
Ek stel voor…	“I suggest that…”
Kyk of jy die fout kan raaksien.	“See if you can spot the mistake.”
Kom laat ek verduidelik.	Approximate: “Let me explain (it).”
Maak dit nou meer sin?	“Does it make more sense now?”
Is dinge nou duideliker?	“Are things clearer now?”
Moenie moed opgee nie.	Literally: “Don’t give up courage.”
Jy het dit amper onder die knie. Note: This phrase, which employs a uniquely Afrikaans expression, literally translates to: “You almost have it under the knee.”  To have something onder die knie (“under the knee”) means a person has mastered it.	Approximate: “You’re close to mastering it.”
Ek weet jy kan!	Approximate: “I know that you got this!”
Ek glo in jou.	“I believe in you.”
Toemaar. Met bietjie oefening sal julle almal dit gou baasraak.	Approximate: “Don’t worry. With some practice you’ll all soon master it.”
Voel jy siek?	“Are you feeling ill?”
Jy lyk nie goed nie.	“You don’t look well.”
Gaan sien liewer die skoolverpleegster. Note: In South Africa, only certain boarding schools have resident medical staff.	“Rather go see the school nurse.”
Wil jy in die siekeboeg / siekekamer gaan lê?	“Do you want to go lie down in the infirmary?”
Dalk moet jy maar huistoe gaan.	“Perhaps you should go home.”
Gaan kantoor toe, laat die sekretaresse jou ouers bel.	“Go to the office so the school secretary can call your parents.”

Persoonlike aandag kan baie waardevol vir ‘n sukkelende leerling wees. / “Personal attention can prove very helpful to a struggling learner.”

Example Dialogue: Klas: Ons sukkel baie om hierdie woorde uit te spreek. Class: “We’re really battling to pronounce these words.” Onderwyser: Toemaar. Met bietjie oefening sal julle almal dit gou baasraak.Teacher: “Don’t worry. With some practice you’ll all soon master it.”

2 – Phrases and Questions for Pupils

What if you’re the learner? 

When You Need Help From the Teacher

There’s a saying that the student who never admits failure or ignorance will always remain a fool, while the one who asks for assistance may seem like a fool only for a minute. 

So, knowing how to ask for help is at top of the list of all our student Afrikaans classroom phrases!

Ek het hulp nodig.	“I need assistance.”
Mag ek iets vra?	“May I ask something?”
Kan Meneer my help, asseblief?	“Could you help me, please Sir?”
Wat beteken hierdie?	“What does this mean?”
Hoe sê mens hierdie in Afrikaans?	“How does one say this in Afrikaans?”
Hoe sê mens in Afrikaans: … ? Note: If, instead, you ask: Hoe sê ek … in Afrikaans? (“How do I say … in Afrikaans?”), the natives will understand you. However, it’s neither the best Afrikaans, nor the vernacular, if you want to sound natural.	“How does one say in Afrikaans: …?”
Wat is Afrikaans vir … ?	“What is Afrikaans for …?”
Wat’s die vertaling vir …?	“What’s the translation for …?”
Wat’s die regte uitspraak?	“What’s the correct pronunciation?”
Sal Juffrou dit asseblief weer verduidelik?	“Will you please explain it again, Miss?”
Ek verstaan nie.	“I don’t understand.”
Ek verstaan nie die … nie.	“I don’t understand the …”
Kan Juffrou bietjie stadiger praat, asseblief?	“Can you talk a bit slower, please Miss?”
Kan Meneer dit bietjie stadiger herhaal?	“Can you repeat it a bit slower, Sir?”
Sê weer, asseblief?	“Say again, please?”
Jammer, dis nog steeds onduidelik.	“Sorry, it’s still unclear.”
Hierdie deel maak nie vir my sin nie.	“This part doesn’t make sense to me.”
Is hierdie reg / korrek?	“Is this correct?”
Nou verstaan ek!	“Now I understand!”
Dankie, ek verstaan dit nou beter.	“Thanks, I understand it better now.”
Dankie vir die verduideliking.	“Thanks for the explanation.”
Dankie vir die hulp, Meneer.	“Thanks for the help, Sir.”
Example Dialogue: Leerling: Hoe sê mens in Afrikaans: “The homework is difficult”? Pupil: “How does one say in Afrikaans: ‘The homework is difficult’?” Onderwyser: Mens sê: Die huiswerk is moeilik. Teacher: “One says: Die huiswerk is moeilik.”

Om te vra vir hulp is nie ‘n skande nie. / “Asking for help is never shameful.”

➜ Struggling with Afrikaans grammar? Don’t let it get you down! Here are a few awesome tips for studying  the basics of Afrikaans grammar.

Borrowing and Lending

It happens to the best of us—we forget stuff at home. Ask these question to borrow what you need and know how to reply to a mate who wants to borrow from you using these cool phrases.

Ek het my … by die huis vergeet.	“I forgot my … at home.”
Ek het my … verloor.	“I lost my …”
Kan ek joune leen, seblief?	“May I borrow yours, please?”
Mag ek gou jou … leen, asseblief?	“May I quickly borrow your …, please?”
Het jy dalk ‘n ekstra … wat ek kan leen?	“Do you perhaps have an extra … I can borrow?”
Jy mag, ek wil net gou self klaarmaak.	“You may, I just quickly want to finish (using it) myself.”
Jammer, ek het net een.	“Sorry, I only have one.”
Hier, leen myne.	“Here, borrow mine.”
Dankie. Ek gee dit nou terug.	“Thanks. I’ll return it just now.”
Mag ek my … terugkry, asseblief?	“May I have my … back, please?”
Example Dialogue: Leerling A: Mag ek gou jou rooi pen leen, asseblief? Pupil A: “May I quickly borrow your red pen, please?” Leerling B: Jy mag, ek wil net gou self klaarmaak. Pupil B: “You may, I just quickly want to finish (using it) myself.”

Asking and Giving Assistance

Sometimes it’s easier to try and figure stuff out by asking a classmate for assistance. Following are a few helpful questions and replies.

Verstaan jy hierdie …?	“Do you understand this …?”
Wat beteken dit?	“What does it mean?”
Kan jy my gou help, asseblief?	“Could you quickly help me, please?”
Ek’s nie seker nie. Vra liewer vir Juffrou.	“I’m not sure. Rather ask (the) teacher.”
Seker. Gee my net ‘n oomblik.	“Sure. Just give me a minute.”
Dit beteken …	“It means …”
Ons hoef nie daai te doen nie.	“We don’t need to do that.”
Example Dialogue: Leerling A: Verstaan jy hierdie paragraaf? Kan jy my gou help, asseblief? Pupil A: “Do you understand this paragraph? Can you quickly help me, please?” Leerling B: Ek’s nie seker nie. Vra liewer vir Juffrou. Pupil B: “I’m not sure. Rather ask Miss.”

Talking About Tests / Exams

Unlike in the U.S., pupils attending South African public schools write exams from grade 7 onward. These take place quarterly, with a big, final exam for each grade at the end of each year. This is a government standard. 

Class tests are usually written from Grade 3 throughout the year, as designed by the school’s government or the class teachers.

Some independent or private schools employ a slightly different grading and testing system, but all schools must comply with the same regulatory education standards to pass students to the next Grade, or to issue official Matric certificates (also called National Senior Certificates), in the case of high schools. This certificate signifies that the pupil completed their official or mandated schooling.

Exam and test time is characterized by certain preparatory activities, intensive studying … and feeling nervous about results! Here are a few phrases to discuss your exam experiences with your classmates.

Het jy voorberei?	“Have you prepared?”
Ken jy die werk?	“Do you know the material?”
Waar skryf ons …?	“Where do we write …?
Waar is die eksamenlokaal?	Literally: “Where is the exam venue?”
Hoe’t dit met jou toets /  eksamen gegaan? Note: Hoe’t is a contraction of the question words Hoe het (“How did”).	“How’d it go with your test/ exam?”
Dit het goed gegaan, dankie. En met jou?	Approximate: “It went well, thanks. And with you?”
Nie te sleg nie.	“Not too bad.”
Ek het ongelukkig die toets gepluk.	“I unfortunately failed the test.”
Ek het die eksamen geslaag.	“I passed the exam.”
Wanneer is die volgende toets?	“When is the next test?”
Ek moet die hereksamen vir … doen.	“I need to rewrite the … exam.”
Eksamen is verby! Note: Eksamen is in the singular form here, but in Afrikaans, it means that all the papers have been completed.	“Exams are done!”
Example Dialogue: Leerling A: Waar skryf ons Biologie? Pupil A: “Where are we taking the Biology exams?” (Approximate) Leerling B: In die saal. Pupil B: “In the hall.”

Eksamen is verby! / “Exams are done!”

Excusing Yourself in / from Class

Sometimes a break from class is necessary! In South African schools, it’s expected of learners to first ask the teacher for permission to leave. Also, when a pupil pitches late for class, it’s polite to apologize and give a reason for their tardiness.

Verskoon my, Juffrou.	“Excuse me, Miss.”
Mag ek asseblief toilet toe gaan?	“May I please go to the bathroom?”
Ek moet die klas verlaat. Note: In South Africa, seniors are most likely to use this phrase (or an equivalent) to indicate that they need to go to the bathroom.	“I need to leave class.”
Mag ek die klas verlaat?	“May I leave class?”
Jammer dat ek laat is.	“Sorry that I’m late.”
Askies, Juffrou / Meneer. Note: Saying Askies is an informal way of apologizing in Afrikaans.	“Sorry, Miss / Sir.”
Ek vra om verskoning.	“I apologize.”
Ek is jammer, die hond het my huiswerk opgeëet.	“I am sorry, the dog ate my homework.”
Ek sal nie volgende week klas kan bywoon nie.	“I won’t be able to attend class next week.”
Ek voel nie goed nie. My … is baie seer.	“I don’t feel well. My … hurts badly.”
Ek wil huistoe gaan.	“I want to go home.”
Example: Leerling: Verskoon my, Juffrou. Ek voel nie goed nie. My kop is baie seer. Mag ek die klas verlaat? Pupil: “Excuse me, Miss. I don’t feel good. My head is very sore. May I leave class?” Onderwyser: Dis reg so. Gaan kantoor toe dat die sekretaresse jou ouers kan bel. Teacher: “It’s OK. Go to the office so the secretary can call your parents.”

3 – Talking about Subjects—Teachers and Pupils

In every country, the subjects taught at schools change and adapt according to the needs of the particular demographic, as well as global development.

However, some school subjects are universal and have remained the same in most countries over the ages. They may not all have the same names everywhere, but the basic content remains the same.

Also, globally, many schools teach the country’s mother tongue/s, plus English and a few other major languages. 

List of School Subjects

Below are the universal subjects taught in all schools in South Africa, but for the purpose of this article, the country-specific subjects and electives are excluded.

Afrikaans	“Afrikaans”
Engels	“English”
Wiskunde	“Mathematics”
Algebra	“Algebra”
Meetkunde	“Geometry”
Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie Note: This subject is offered from Gr. 1 – 7 and is commonly called Wetenskap (“Science”).	“Natural science and Technology”
Fisiese wetenskap	“Physical science”
Chemie	“Chemistry”
Fisika	“Physics”
Biology	“Biology”
Geskiedenis	“History”
Aardrykskunde	“Geography”
Ekonomie	“Economic studies”
Rekenkunde	“Accounting”
Besigheidstudies	“Business studies
Visuele kunste en musiek	“Visual arts and music”
Liggaamsopvoeding	“Physical Education”

Skeppende kunste is ‘n belangrike vak veral in die junior skooljare. / “Creative arts are an important subject especially during the junior school years.”

A Few Questions and Answers About Subjects

School conversations with mates will highly likely include chatting about subjects. 

Remember to use the list above, plus the vocabulary list further on to complete the following questions and answers!

Wat is jou hoofvakke?	Approximate: “What are your majors?”
Wat is jou gunsteling vak? Note: There’s no equivalent for the phrase “least favorite” in Afrikaans.	“What is your favorite subject?”
Van watter vak hou jy die minste?	“Which subject do you like the least?”
Van watter vak hou jy die meeste?	“Which subject do you like the most?”
Met watter vak sukkel jy?	“Which subject do you struggle with?”
In watter vak doen jy die …?	“In which subject do you do the …?”
Wat is jou … vak?	“What is your … subject?”
Watter vak is vir jou die … ?	Approximate: “Which subject do you find the …?”
My hoofvakke is … en …	“My majors are … and …”
Ek hou die meeste van …	“I like … the most.”
Ek hou die minste van …	“I like … the least.”
Afrikaans is my gunsteling vak.	“Afrikaans is my favorite subject.”
Ek hou nie van … nie.	“I don’t like …”
Afrikaans is vir my die … vak.	“Afrikaans is the (most) … subject for me.”
Watter vakke het mens nodig vir toelating tot mediese studies?	“Which subjects does one need for medical study admission?”
Jy’t beslis Wiskunde, Wetenskap, en Biologie nodig vir ‘n mediese graad.	“You’ll definitely need Math, Science, and Biology for a medical degree.”
Useful Adjectives Choose from this list of adjectives to complete the phrases above.
maklik	“easy”
maklikste	“easiest”
moeilik	“difficult”
moeilikste	“most difficult”
beste	“best”
slegste	“worst”
sterkste	“strongest”
swakste	“weakest”
opwindend	“exciting”
opwindendste	“most exciting”
vervelig	“boring”
verveligste	“most boring”
interessant	“interesting”
interessantste	“most interesting”

South Africa has 11 national languages, but the majority is taught only at the regional schools where the language is widely spoken. From Gr. 1 through 12, English is the only non-elective language subject, plus one of the other national languages, including Afrikaans.

Many schools also offer French, German, and Mandarin as electives, non-national languages which are not widely spoken in the country.

4. End of Class

So, class is over for the day or longer, and it’s time to greet. 

A good teacher will know that a proper conclusion to the day is as important as a proper start. This signifies the end of work and allows the students to take a break, psychologically and intellectually, from learning. Also, saying goodbye is a polite and important societal convention in South Africa!

1 – Teacher Phrases

Goed, klastyd is verby.	“OK, class is over.”
Dis tyd om op te pak.	“It’s time to pack your things away.”
Huistoe-gaan-tyd!	Approximate: “Time to go home!”
Onthou more se klastoets.	“Remember tomorrow’s class test.”
Totsiens, Klas.	“Goodbye, Class.”
Sien julle more / volgende week.	“See you tomorrow / next week.”
Sien julle weer.	Approximate: “See you next time.”
Lekker middag vir almal.	Approximate: “Enjoy your afternoon.”
Geniet julle naweek.	“Enjoy your weekend.”

Geniet Meneer se middag. / Approximate: “Enjoy your weekend, Sir”

2 – Pupil Phrases

Totsiens, Juffrou!	“Goodbye, Ma’am!”
Juffrou ook!	“You too, Miss!”
Sien Juffrou more.	“See you tomorrow, Ma’am.”
Baai, Meneer.	“Bye, Sir.”
Geniet Meneer se middag.	“Enjoy your afternoon, Sir.”
Onderwyser: Totsiens, Klas! Geniet julle naweek! Teacher: “Goodbye, Class! Enjoy your weekend!” Klas: Totsiens, en Juffrou ook! Class: “Goodbye, and same to you, Miss!” (Approximate)

5. Supplies and Equipment in the Classroom

School supplies are often necessary to ensure that effective teaching and learning takes place. Not all schools in South Africa are equally well equipped, but the basics are usually present.

1 – All Classrooms

Irrespective of the grade, most classrooms will have the following.

klaskamer	“classroom”
stoel	“school chair”
tafel	“school desk”
skooltas	“school bag”
jaarbeplanner	“year planner”
skryfbehoeftes	“school stationery”
HB potlood	“HB pencil”
balpunt pen	“ballpen / ballpoint pen”
uitveër	“eraser”
potloodskerpmaker	“pencil sharpener”
lineaal	“ruler”
krammasjien Note: This is the official, somewhat clumsy Afrikaans name for the device, but the word’s use is uncommon these days. Most often, we simply use the English.	“stapler”
krammetjies Note: Same as above!	“staples”
ponsmasjien Note: This is also called the ponser.	“puncher”
potloodsakkie	“pencil case”
witlyn notaboek	“white line notebook”
notaboek	“notebook”
oefenskrif Note: This is often only referred to as a skrif.	“exercise notebook”
werkboek	“workbook”
studiegids	“study guide”
huiswerkboek	“homework book”
papier	“paper”
handboek	“textbook”
witbord	“whiteboard”
swartbord	“blackboard”
bord	“chalkboard”
witkryt	“white chalk”
bordkryt	Literally: “board chalk”
witbordpen	“white board marker”
borduitveër	“board eraser”
bordmagneet	“board magnet”
blaaibord	“flipchart”
Prestik Note: This popular reusable adhesive is known mostly by its first brand name that was introduced to South Africans over 50 years ago—irrespective of the brand!	“reusable adhesive putty / Blu Stik”
duimspyker	“thumb tack”
waterbottel	“water bottle”
kosbakkie	Literally: “little food box”
kosbak	“lunch box”

Tipiese skryfbehoeftes vir ‘n junior klas. / “Typical school supplies for a junior class.”

2 – Junior Class

Schooling in the junior phases focuses a lot more on creativity and imagination than in the senior phase, and this is reflected in the school supplies.

kleurpotlode	“coloring pencils”
waskryte	“wax crayons”
pastelle	“pastels”
inkleurboek	“coloring book”
klei	“clay”
kleideeg / speeldeeg	“play dough”
skêr	“scissors”
gom	“glue”
gompapier	“self-adhesive paper”
verf	“paint”
kwas	“paintbrush”
flitskaarte	“flashcards”

3 – Senior Class

kleurpenne	“color pens”
sakrekenaar	“scientific calculator”
rekenaar	“computer”
tablet	“tablet”
passer	“compass”
leër	“binder”
highlighters	“highlighters”
merker / koki Note: A koki is the unique name South Africans gave to the well-known fiber-tipped marker pen.	“marker”

In Suid Afrika word hierdie penne koki’s genoem. / “In South Africa, these marker pens are called koki’s.”

6. BONUS: Useful Afrikaans School Vocabulary

Below is a list of vocabulary you might find useful to play with and create your very own basic Afrikaans classroom phrases!

termyn	“term”
skooljaar	“school year”
skoolvakansie	“school holiday”
pouse	“breaktime”
voorskools	“pre-school”
kleuterskool	“crèche / kindergarten”
publieke skool	“public school”
privaatskool	“private school”
leerling	“pupil”
klasmaat	“classmate”
skoolhoof	“headmaster”
onderhoof	“deputy headmaster”
departementshoof	“head of department”
klaskamer	“classroom”
skoolsaal	“school hall”
skoolbiblioteek	“school library”
kantoor	“office”
skoolbus	“school bus”
atletiekbaan	Literally: “athletics track”
rugbyveld	“rugby field”
pawiljoen	pavilion
universiteit	“university”
kollege	“college”
student	“student”
leerplan	“learning plan”
Hoërgraad (HG)	“Higher Grade”
Standaardgraad (SG) Note: These two subject levels exist for a few high school subjects in South African schools.  In Gr. 8, and usually depending on their planned career path, pupils get to choose at which level they want to pass a certain subject. Some schools also offer only one level in certain subjects, e.g. Standard Grade Afrikaans. The names are somewhat misleading because one level isn’t necessarily ‘easier’ to pass than the other. They simply indicate a difference of focus in the curriculum.	“Standard Grade”
die projek (n)	“the project”
navors (v)	“to research”
die navorsing (n)	“the research”
studeer (v)	“to study”
die studie (n)	“the study”
oefen (v)	“to practice / exercise”
oefening (n)	“the exercise”
hersien (v)	“revise”
hersiening (n)	“revision”
rapport	“report”

7. South African Schools—A Few Facts

To conclude, a few facts about South African education and the school scene in general.

Sport is belangrik in meeste Afrikaanse skole. / “Sport is important in most Afrikaans schools.”

•  In order to be registered as a school, an institution has to offer a curriculum that complies with the government-mandated CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements) for all subjects from Gr R to Gr. 12.
• A 2019 survey showed that South Africa had a total of 24 998 schools, of which less than 2000 were private. 
• Since 2019, government-endorsed E-learning, or online schooling, has increased significantly, especially for the higher grades.
• In 2018, a survey demonstrated that hundreds of thousands of children in the country were unfortunately not enrolled in a school—a number that has probably grown since the COVID-pandemic.
• Corporal punishment of any kind is unlawful in South African schools.
• The majority of schools are English medium, with over 1600 schools Afrikaans medium. In Namibia, only one school is Afrikaans medium, but most schools offer Afrikaans as a subject.
• Just like schools in most other countries, South African schools differ in quality of education, ethos, character, and so forth.
• Numerous private or independent schools have, either completely or partially, done away with school uniforms. Wearing a school uniform is still mandatory in all public schools. 
• All schools offer sport or physical education as a subject, but only the top (usually private) schools have fully-equipped gymnasiums.

8. Learn Useful Afrikaans School Phrases at AfrikaansPod101.com!

And so much more…

• See, for instance, how to use flashcards as a superb language learning aid.
• Or consider these hacks and methods to really up your Afrikaans game.
• Apply the tips immediately to easily master many FREE wordlists, which comprise commonly-used topic-related Afrikaans vocabulary.
• Alternatively, for the more advanced student, our blogposts with extensive lists of targeted vocabulary and phrases are highly informative learning aids.

Don’t wait, enroll now for a free lifetime account. And why not upgrade immediately to an affordable Premium Plus account for your personal Afrikaans online tutor!

About the author: Christa Davel is an experienced, bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer, content creator, and editor, and is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.

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

1. Why is it Important to Know Afrikaans Restaurant Phrases?
2. Finding a Good Restaurant in South Africa
3. Booking at a Restaurant
4. At the Restaurant
5. Recommending the Restaurant
6. Bonus: Food and Restaurant Vocabulary
7. Eating out in Afrikaans with AfrikaansPod101!

1. Why is it Important to Know Afrikaans Restaurant Phrases?

One excellent reason for knowing a few strategic Afrikaans restaurant phrases is that it will likely result in a heartwarming, even mind-blowing experience for the foreign patron! This is not only because many South African chefs are exceptionally skilled.

In general, Afrikaner restauranteurs are consummate hosts who love socializing, but it’s guaranteed that they will, enthusiastically and with wide open arms, welcome any international visitor who shows an interest in their language and culture. This will demonstrate that you view them as people and not robots or slaves—a brilliant strategy in human relationships in general.

‘n Mooi omgewing maak ‘n ete meer genotlik. / “An attractive setting enhances a meal.”

Also, a restaurant can be an amazingly pleasant setting to practice your Afrikaans speaking and pronunciation skills. So, let’s get cracking with a few of the most common restaurant phrases in Afrikaans!

2. Finding a Good Restaurant in South Africa

Eating out is a favorite pastime among South Africans, so you won’t have any difficulty finding an excellent restaurant in South Africa. Doing a little research online or getting a recommendation from someone you know will point you in the right direction. Do so in Afrikaans!

Following are some Afrikaans restaurant phrases that you can use when asking someone for recommendations. 

Asking For Recommendations
Afrikaans Questions	English Translations
Is hier ‘n goeie restaurant in die omgewing?	“Is there a good restaurant nearby?”
Is daar ‘n goeie vegetariese / vegan restaurant hier naby?	“Is there a good vegetarian / vegan restaurant nearby?”
Watter is jou gunsteling eetplek?	“Which is your favorite eatery?”
Kan jy ‘n luukse restaurant aanbeveel?	“Can you recommend an upmarket / luxurious restaurant?”
Watter eetplek sou jy voorstel vir ‘n baie spesiale afspraak?	“Which eatery would you propose for a very special date?”
Waarheen kan ek my gesin neem vir ‘n lekker middagete?	“Where can I take my family for a nice lunch?”
Watter is die beste restaurant in Suid-Afrika?	“Which is the best restaurant in South Africa?”
Wat dink jy van Pienkie se Plek? Kan jy dit aanbeveel?	“What do you think of Pinky’s Place? Can you recommend it?”
Is daardie ‘n wegneem-ete restaurant?	“Is that a fast-food restaurant?”
Moet ‘n mens vooraf bespreek?	“Should one book ahead of time?”

Is daar ‘n goeie restaurant in die omgewing? / “Is there a good restaurant nearby?”

Great, so you’ve established where you’d like to go. Now let’s make sure you’ll be able to get a place in the restaurant by making a reservation!

3. Booking at a Restaurant

Typically, reservations might be necessary, but not required for popular restaurants with an excellent reputation. These accept walk-in customers too, but you might find yourself waiting exceedingly long for a table. Reservations are required, though, at exclusive fine restaurants where meal preparation takes a lot of time and is only done per booking.

If the eatery is not high-end, such as bistros, teagardens, family restaurants, or steakhouses, walk-ins are welcome and the norm. Only in the case of large groups will you still need to book a table or tables, if you want to be sure of your place.

1- Making a Booking

Below is a list of phrases you can use for different scenarios such as booking for a couple, a group, or to book out the entire restaurant. It also includes other, more general questions, such as opening and closing times, whether children are welcome, and so forth.

➜ To make a reservation, you can visit the restaurant yourself, but most people simply call. Therefore, consider this list of Afrikaans phone call phrases to make sure you get that booking. The article also includes helpful tips about Afrikaner phone etiquette.

Making a Booking
Afrikaans Questions and Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Is julle oop vanaand / oor naweke?	“Are you open tonight / over weekends?”
Hoe laat sluit die kombuis?	“What time does the kitchen close?”
Neem die sjef / kok spesiale bestellings?	“Will the chef / cook take special orders?”
Mag ons ons eie wyn bring?	“Are we allowed to bring our own wine?”
Hoeveel is die kurkgeld per bottel wyn?	“How much is the corkage fee per bottle of wine?”
Bedien julle Halaal kos?	“Do you serve Halal food?”
Is kinders welkom?	“Are children welcome?”
Is daar veilige speelplek vir kinders buite?	“Is there a safe place for children to play outside?”
Verskaf julle volwasse toesig by die speelarea?	“Do you provide adult supervision at the play area?”
Ek wil graag ‘n tafel bespreek vir vanaand, asseblief.	“I’d like to book a table for this evening, please.”
Het julle plek vir vier mense buitekant?	“Do you have a table for four people on the patio / outside?”
Ons is twee volwassenes en twee kinders.	“We’re two adults and two children.”
Ek wil asseblief ‘n bespreking maak vir twee mense op Dinsdag om eenuur.	“I’d like to make a booking for two people on Tuesday at one o’clock.”
Ek wil graag ‘n bespreking maak vir ‘n groep van tien. Dis vir ‘n werksfunksie / verjaarsdagpartytjie.	“I’d like to make a reservation for a group of ten. It’s for a work-related event / birthday party.”
Neem julle besprekings vir troues?	“Do you take bookings for weddings?”
Watter datums het julle beskikbaar?	“Which are the available dates?”
Ek wil graag die hele restaurant bespreek vir die aand van die sewe-en-twintigste Desember.	“I’d like to book the whole restaurant for the evening of December twenty-seventh.”
Sal daar genoeg parkeerplek vir meer as vyftig mense wees?	“Will there be enough parking space for more than fifty people?”

When calling the restaurant to make a reservation, you will need to give them your contact details for several possible reasons. 

They might be full and would want to let you know if a place becomes available, for instance. Or perhaps you want confirmation of the booking in writing. Also, especially if your reservation is for a large group and/or a special occasion, they might want to keep you up-to-date regarding special requests, wine lists, the menu, etc.

➜ Also, listen to this free recorded dialogue to hear how a restaurant reservation is made in Afrikaans.

Below are a few useful phrases for this purpose.

Giving Contact Information
Afrikaans Phrase	English Translation or Approximate
Asseblief stuur vir my bevestiging van die bespreking.	“Please send me confirmation of the booking.”
My epos adres is…	“My email address is…”
My foonnommer is…	“My phone number is…”
Hier is ‘n alternatiewe foonnommer.	“Here is an alternative phone number.”
Ek het nie ‘n landlyn nie.	“I don’t have a landline.”
Jy kan my op WhatsApp of Telegram kontak by…	“You can contact me on WhatsApp or Telegram at…”
As jy my nie in die hande kan kry nie kan jy my eggenoot / vriend / kollega kontak by…	“If you can’t get hold of me, you can contact my partner / friend / colleague at…”

2- Special Requests

Ons hou van buffet etes. / “We like buffet meals.”

When you book at a restaurant, sometimes it’s not as simple as just reserving a table for the number of people who will be dining there and then showing up on the day. Often, there are arrangements that must be made ahead of time. 

This is especially true if you are making a reservation for a large group, of course, but even if you are just booking for a couple, you might have some specific requirements. 

However, eating out in Afrikaans need not be a headache at all. Here are some more excellent phrases that will help you to make your requirements known in the language of many of the natives in South Africa. 

Note: Many of these phrases can be used as is when you’re already at the restaurant as a walk-in.

Special Requests
Afrikaans Sentence	English Translation
Waar wil jy / julle sit?	“Where would you like to sit?”
Watter is jou / julle gunsteling tafel?	“Which is your favorite table?”
Kan jy asseblief seker maak dat die tafel buite is?	“Can you make sure the table is outside, please?”
Ek wil daar sit.	“I want to sit there.”
Ons wil graag buite sit.	“We’d like to be seated outside.”
Ek sal ‘n tafel binne verkies.	“I’d prefer a table inside.”
Ons wil graag by ‘n venster met ‘n uitsig sit.	“We’d like to sit by a window with a view.”
Waar is julle privaatste tafel?	“Where is your most private table?”
Kan ons ‘n groter tafel kry, asseblief?	“Could we have a bigger table, please?”
Ons gaan ons huweliksherdenking vier. Het julle miskien ‘n tafel vir twee in ‘n private area?	“We’ll be celebrating our wedding anniversary. Do you have a table for two in a private space, by any chance?”
Verskaf julle babastoele?	“Do you provide baby chairs?”
My pa is allergies vir neute. Gaan dit ‘n probleem vir die kok wees?	“My father is allergic to nuts. Will that be a problem for the cook?”
Is julle restaurant maklik toegangbaar vir rolstoele?	“Does your restaurant have easy wheelchair access?”
Is die toiletgeriewe maklik toegangbaar vir rolstoele?	“Does the restroom have easy wheelchair access?”

Whether or not you are making a booking ahead of time, there are likely going to be special menu-related requirements. Not everybody likes, or can eat, the same food! It will be wise to determine, in advance, if the restaurant caters to the various gastronomic preferences and dietary restrictions, especially those of a group.

Buitelug eetplekke is baie gewild in Suid Afrika. / “Outdoor eateries are very popular in South Africa.”

Below is a list of useful phrases that will help you make sure everyone is happy with the menu. Again, many of these can be used when making a booking, and when you’re already in the restaurant.

Bookings and Requests for Groups
Afrikaans Sentence	English Translation
Wats jou gunsteling dis?	“What’s your favorite dish?”
Sal jy asseblief julle spyskaartopsies aanstuur?	“Would you please forward your menu options?”
Het julle enige vasgestelde spyskaarte?	“Do you have any set menus?”
Die spyskaart moet a la carte wees, asseblief.	“The menu must be a la carte, please.”
Ons sal die buffet-opsie neem.	“We’ll take the buffet option.”
Ek wil graag my eie spyskaart skep, gebaseer op die disse wat julle aanbied.	“I’d like to create my own menu, based on the dishes you offer.”
Het julle ‘n spyskaart vir kinders?	“Do you have a menu for children?”
Ek wil afsonderlike spyskaarte vir vegane, vegetariërs en vleiseters hê.	“I’d like separate menus for vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters.”
Ek wil spyskaarte met die maatskappy se logo spesiaal vir hierdie geleentheid gedruk hê.	“I want menus with the company logo printed specially for this occasion.”
Ons wil graag spesiale spyskaarte laat druk vir die troue.	“We’d like to have special menus printed for the wedding.”

Naturally, if you are planning a wedding, a birthday party, a work function, or any other group outing, there are likely to be specific requirements when it comes to decor, seating arrangements, and the like. In the table below, you will find some useful phrases that will help you when it comes to planning these things. 

Baie restaurante maak voorsiening vir musiekopvoerings. / “Many restaurants make provision for live music performances.”

Bookings and Requests for Groups Cont.
Afrikaans Sentence	English Translation
Ek wil graag die hele restaurant bespreek vir ‘n huweliksonthaal.	“I’d like to book the entire restaurant for a wedding reception.”
Sal dit moontlik wees om ‘n tafel vir twintig te bespreek?	“Would it possible to book a table for twenty?”
Ek wil graag twee tafels bespreek, elk vir tien mense.	“I’d like to book two tables, each for ten people.”
Met wie kan ek praat oor dekor en sitplekreëlings?	“Who can I speak to about decor and seating arrangements?”
Asseblief hou my op datum van enige vordering met die dekor en spyskaartbeplanning.	“Please keep me updated about progress with the decor and menu planning.”
Ek wil graag naamkaartjies op die tafels hê.	“I’d like to have name cards on the tables.”
Verskaf julle verjaarsdag versierings/ blomme?	“Do you provide birthday decorations / flowers?”
Verskaf julle versierings vir herdenkings / troues?	“Do you provide decorations for anniversaries / weddings?”
Kan julle ‘n verjaarsdagkoek voorsien?	“Can you provide a birthday cake?”
Asseblief maak seker daar is ‘n tafel vir die geskenke.	“Please, ensure there’s a table for the gifts.”
Ek wil graag sjampanje bestel vir die heildronk.	“I’d like to order champagne for the toast.”
Die wynlys sal spesiaal gedruk word.	“The wine list will be specially printed.”
Hierdie is my verkose wyne.	“These are my preferred wines.”
Ek wil vroeg begin met die voorbereidings.	“I’d like to start early with the preparations.”
Is daar genoeg spasie om ‘n vertoning te hou?	“Is there sufficient space to put up a show / performance?”
Kan jy enige musikante / bands / komediante aanbeveel?	“Can you recommend any musicians / bands / comedians?”
Verskaf julle die klanktoerusting vir toesprake?	“Do you provide sound equipment for speeches?”
Stel julle die klanktoerusting op?	“Do you set up the sound equipment?”
Ek wil graag die klank self toets, asseblief.	“I’d like to test the sound myself, please.”
Kan ons asseblief vier kelners spesifiek vir die geleentheid kry?	“May we please have four designated waiters for the event?”

Time to eat out!

4. At the Restaurant

You’re at the restaurant and are instructed to wait for waiter to assist you, or you’re taken directly to your table. It doesn’t happen often but sometimes you’ll have to ask for assistance.

Whatever the scenario, and irrespective of who you’re with, ordering from the waiter in Afrikaans will definitely increase the regard everyone has for you!

In sommige Suid Afrikaanse restaurante word ‘n wrap sandwich ‘n boerekombersie genoem. / “In some South African restaurants, a wrap sandwich is called a farmer’s blanket.

Afrikaans menus are often quite creative and amusing when it comes to naming the dishes they offer. If you are already familiar with some Afrikaans, you will no doubt have learned that some Afrikaans words can seem almost nonsensical when translated directly. 

This works in reverse too. When English, or any other language, is translated into Afrikaans, the results can be, well…interesting. Have a look at these translations of some menu items that can be found when eating out in Afrikaans restaurants. 

Item in Original Language	Afrikaans Menu Version	Literal Translation in English
pulled pork	vlentervark	“tattered pig”
mixed grill	manpan	“man’s dish”
malvapoeding (malva “pudding”)	“mal vir haar” poeding In Afrikaans, the word “malva” sounds a bit like mal vir haar (“crazy about her”), if one says the phrase quickly.	“‘crazy about her’ pudding”
a wrap sandwich	boerekombersie	“farmer’s little blanket”
a jaffle Note: Unlike the U.S. jaffle, the South African jaffle only refers to a  closed sandwich which is toasted in a round, handheld jaffle or pie iron. This delicious snack typically has a savory filling such as cooked minced meat, curry vegetables, steak-and-kidneys, etc.	boerpens-broodjie	“farmer’s-paunch sandwich”
a beer tower	plaasdam	“farm dam”
a pizza	ossewa-wiele	“ox-wagon wheels” The ossewa (“ox-wagon”) has a special place in the European Afrikaner heart because of its association with the Great Trek when the Boers trekked north from the Cape to escape British rule.
a cabbage roll	oumens onder die kombers	“old person under the blanket”

You might have noticed that the word boer is used liberally in these fun names for items on the menus. This is because speakers of Standard Afrikaans associate strongly with farming life. Farming is part of their heritage, to the extent that, historically, Afrikaners of European origin were called Boers in English. The name “Boer” is based on the Afrikaans word boer which means “farmer.”

Now let’s proceed to a few good phrases for ordering from a menu. 

1- How to Order in Afrikaans

In South Africa, ordering items from a menu is no different than anywhere else in the world. You’ll be met at the door by a waiter, who will seat you at your booked table or at the available table of your choice. When you’re seated, you should be handed the menu immediately.

Suid Afrikaanse wyn is wêreldwyd bekend. / “South African wines are world renowned.”

If the restaurant is licensed to serve alcohol, the wine list often forms part of the food menu. At more upmarket eateries, you can expect to be offered an extensive, separate wine menu.

1.1- Ordering Drinks

While you’re making weighty decisions about your meal, you can just as well have something to drink. Use these phrases to make sure you please your palate with the best.

Ordering Drinks
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Wat is jou gunsteling drankie?	“What is your favorite drink?”
Kan ons die wynlys sien, asseblief?	“Could we see the wine list, please?”
Ek wil graag drankies bestel.	I would like to order drinks.
Watter witwyn kan jy aanbeveel?	“Which white wine can you recommend?”
Het julle enige goeie wyn op special?	“Do you have any good wines on special?”
Bestel mens drankies by die kroeg?	“Does one order drinks at the bar?”
Ek wil hierdie wyn hê, asseblief.	“I’d like this wine, please.”
Ek bestuur vanaand, so geen alkohol vir my nie, dankie.	“I’m the (designated) driver tonight, so no alcohol for me, thanks.”
Ek sal ‘n glas vars lemoensap neem, dankie.	“I’ll have a glass of fresh orange juice, thank you.”
Kan ek ‘n glas droë, rooi huiswyn kry, asseblief. In South Africa, many licensed restaurants offer wine by the glass, but it tends to be from undisclosed, cheaper wine labels and is referred to as huiswyn or “house wine”. Label wines are offered by glass only at upmarket or luxury restaurants and these are typically more expensive.	“May I have a glass of dry, red house wine, please.”
Bring vir ons ‘n bottel van die De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay.	“Bring us a bottle of the De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay.”
Ek wil graag ‘n heildronk instel.	“I’d like to make a toast.”
Heildronk tyd!	“Time to make a toast!”
Sal jy ‘n bakkie met ys bring, asseblief?	“Would you bring us some ice, please?”
My seun wil ‘n Coke hê en my dogter mangosap.	“My son wants a Coke and my daughter mango juice.”
Sy sal ‘n filterkoffie neem.	“She’ll have a filter coffee.”
Ek verkies warm melk.	“I prefer warm milk.”
Mag ek bietjie room kry vir my koffie, asseblief? Unlike Americans, South Africans don’t, as a rule, serve cream with coffee. However, you’re welcome to ask for some; if the restaurant has in stock, they will serve it gladly and often at no extra cost.	“May I have a bit of cream for my coffee, please?”
Ek verkies swart koffie.	“I prefer black coffee.”
Kan ons nog suiker vir die tafel kry, asseblief?	“Can we have extra sugar for the table, please?”

1.2- Ordering Food

Alcohol often serves as an appetizer, so you should be hungry by now.

Ek wil hierdie gereg hê, asseblief. / “I’d like this dish, please.”

Order your food with the following basic Afrikaans restaurant phrases.

Ordering Food
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Kan ons ‘n spyskaart kry, asseblief?	“Can we have a menu, please?”
Is ons te laat vir ontbyt? In South Africa, not all, but most eateries serve breakfast only till noon.	“Are we too late for breakfast?”
Watter dis kan jy aanbeveel?	“Which dish can you recommend?”
Watter geregte op die spyskaart is die gewildste?	“Which dishes on the menu are the most popular?”
Bedien julle wildsvleis?	“Do you serve venison?”
Bedien julle enige vegetariese of vegan geregte?	“Do you serve any vegetarian or vegan dishes?”
Ek wil hierdie gereg hê, asseblief.	“I’d like this dish, please.”
Ek eet nie rooivleis nie.	“I don’t eat red meat.”
Ek verkies seekos.	“I prefer seafood.”
Bring vir my ses oesters as voorgereg, asseblief.	“Bring me six oysters as a starter, please.”
Ek wil ‘n medium-rare fillet steak hê en ‘n gebakte aartappel met suurroom.	“I would like a medium-rare fillet steak and a baked potato with sour cream.”
Ons sal die groente deel.	“We’ll share the vegetables.”
Spaghetti Bolognaise vir die kinders, asseblief.	“Spaghetti Bolognaise for the children, please.”
Kan ek dalk die helfte van hierdie gereg bestel vir my kind?	Could I perhaps order half of this dish for my child?
Ek’s allergies vir XYZ. Weet jy of hierdie gereg dit bevat?	“I’m allergic to XYZ. Do you know if this dish contains it?”
Sy’s laktose intolerant.	“She is lactose intolerant.”
Ek het regtig lus vir ‘n kerriegereg.	“I really feel like having a curry dish.”
Geen uieringe vir my nie, dankie. Onion rings are a popular side dish at restaurants like, for instance, steakhouses. You’ll typically be asked if these should be included in your meal.	“No onion rings for me, thanks.”
Sal dit moontlik wees om die uieringe te ruil vir ‘n mengelslaai?	“Would it be possible to swap the onion rings for a mixed salad?”
Brand hierdie gereg erg?	Is this dish very spicy?
Het hierdie tipe vis baie grate?	Does this kind of fish have a lot of bones?
Sal jy vir die kok vra om nie groenpeper by die slaai te sit nie, asseblief?	Please could you ask the cook not to add green peppers to the salad, please?
Waar is die badkamer?	Where is the restroom?

Wat is jou gunsteling nagereg? / “What is your favorite dessert?”

With the ordering done, you can now sit back and enjoy your drink or beverage.

2- Phrases to use During the Meal

But the chatting doesn’t stop! Comment on the food or voice your requests in Afrikaans with these phrases.

During the Meal
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Geniet jy jou kos?	“Are you enjoying your food?”
Geniet julle die ete?	“Are you enjoying your meal?”
Wats jou gunsteling gereg?	“What’s your favorite dish?”
Gee vir my die tamatiesous aan, seblief?	“Pass me the ketchup, please?”
Sout, asseblief?	“Salt, please?”
Ek wil nog chips / aartappelskyfies hê, asseblief. Here you can see that South Africans have two words for French fries.	“I’d like more French fries, please.”
Jy eet soos ‘n voëltjie. This Afrikaans saying comments on a person’s low appetite.	“You eat like a little bird.”
Ek’s nie baie honger nie.	“I’m not very hungry.”
Ek’s so honger soos ‘n wolf! This is a common Afrikaans saying for expressing great hunger.	“I’m as hungry as a wolf!”
Bring vir ons tafel sout en peper, asseblief.	Fetch salt and pepper for our table, please.
Kan ek ‘n servet kry, asseblief?	“May I have a serviette, please?”
Wow, hierdie is heerlik.	“Wow, this is delicious.”
Hier, vat ‘n happie.	“Here, try a (small) bite.”
Proe net hoe lekker.	“Have a taste, it’s very pleasant.”
Wil jy van my aartappelskyfies hê? Note: In most casual eateries in South Africa, it’s common for family and close friends to share or even swap their food. Romantic partners can feed each other tasty bits, it’s acceptable behavior in most restaurants.	“Would you like some of my French fries?”
Die vleis is so sappig en geurig.	“The meat is so juicy and flavorful.”
My groente is kraakvars.	“My vegetables are very fresh.”
Is jy nog honger?	“Are you still hungry?”
Is jy seker jy het genoeg gehad? Note: This is usually a courtesy question; nobody will force you to eat more food than you want or can handle, and hosts understand this. That said—your host will be pleased and flattered if you agree to an extra portion, even if it’s only the size of a teaspoon!	“Are you sure you’ve had enough?”
Ek is nog honger.	“I’m still hungry.”
Ek het genoeg gehad, dankie.	“I’ve had enough, thank you.”
Ek is versadig.	“I’m full.”
Ons is reg / gereed vir nagereg.	“We’re ready for dessert”
Kan ek die nageregspyskaart sien, asseblief?	“May I see the dessert menu, please?”
My man het ‘n baie soet tand. Note: Just like in English, when we use this saying to describe someone, it means they love eating sweet and sugary food.	“My husband has a very sweet tooth.”
Het julle enigiets vir diabete op die nageregspyskaart?	“Do you have anything for diabetics on the dessert menu?”

3- Phrases to use After the Meal

The meal’s done, and it’s time to go. Do so in style with these Afrikaans restaurant phrases.

Mag ons die rekening kry, asseblief? / “May we have the bill, please?”

1.1- Asking for the Bill

An attentive waiter will notice that you’re near completion and will ask if they can bring you the bill, but it’s also customary to ask for it yourself. If the bill needs to be split, remember to alert the waiter beforehand.

After the Meal
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Jy kan maar die rekening bring, dankie.	“You may bring the bill, thank you.”
Mag ons die rekening kry, asseblief?	“May we have the bill, please?”
Ons gaan die rekening verdeel.	“We’re going to split the bill.”
Ons wag al lank vir die rekening; asseblief sal jy dit gaan haal?	“We’ve already been waiting a while for the bill; will you please fetch it?”
Hier is ‘n fout op die rekening.	“There’s a mistake on the bill.”
Sal jy dit so vinnig as moontlik regstel, asseblief?	“Will you fix this as quickly as possible, please?”
Dankie vir die afslag.	“Thank you for the discount.”
Is die fooitjie ingesluit by die rekening?	“Is the tip included in the bill?”
Ek los vir jou ‘n kontantfooitjie. Note: Most restaurants accept debit and credit cards, and it’s fine to include the tip in the bill. However, it’s OK to tip in cash too, if you prefer. Place it with the bill, or hand it over to the waiter personally.	“I’m leaving you a cash tip.”
Ek wil die oorblyfsels wegneem, asseblief. Note: Most often, patrons simply need to indicate that they want to take left-over food with. The waiter will then either remove their plate from the table and deposit the leftovers in a box in the kitchen, or they will bring a box for you to pack the food yourself.	“I want the leftover for take-away, please.”
Kan ek ‘n wegneem-boks kry, asseblief?	“May I have a take-away box, please?”

Most often, our dining experiences are enjoyable and meet our expectations. What is the custom in South Africa to express your appreciation and gratitude? And what if you were not pleased with your experience?

1.2- Compliments and Complaints

A wonderful meal with loved ones in a beautiful setting is probably one of the most pleasant experiences one can wish for. Keep these tips in mind when dealing with staff:

• In South Africa, if the serving staff adds to this pleasure, it is customary to show your appreciation with a generous tip and a sincere compliment or two.
• Likewise, if the meal or your dining experience has been spoiled in any way, it’s OK, even appreciated, to immediately alert the staff of the issue. You can also wait till after the meal to express displeasure or disappointment. Negative feedback is important because it helps restaurants to maintain a high standard of service delivery.
• However, avoid diva behavior. In South Africa, temper tantrums and rudeness towards restaurant staff are socially unacceptable and will probably reduce your chances of getting a positive outcome. Also, your tantrum may just end up trending on social media for embarrassing reasons!
• What’s more, lodging a complaint in a friendly, respectful manner is more likely to result in the restaurant manager offering you drinks, beverages, or desserts on the house as added compensation. And if the mistake or problem was big and clearly on the side of the restaurant, they might even give you the meal on the house. This is solely for management discretion, though.
• Afrikaner patrons are generally not nitpickers, so they tend to overlook minor mistakes or issues. If the service was unsatisfactory but not terribly so, their dissatisfaction will probably reflect in the small size of the tip, or even lack thereof.
• Conversely, sometimes just trying extremely hard to fix a problem or delivering good service, all while maintaining a positive attitude, will earn a waiter a good tip. Afrikaners are typically generous and tolerant at heart.

Dis onnodig om ‘n vloermoer te gooi wanneer jy kla oor iets. / “It’s unnecessary to throw a tantrum when complaining about something.”

But don’t forget to thank the staff and express appreciation. Sincere compliments can make the heart glow, and sometimes hardworking restaurant staff really need this type of acknowledgment of their effort. You never know whose day you’ll be making!

And to reiterate—complaints delivered politely and without drama tend to get far better results than aggressive, entitled demands. To be shouted at in front of others is demeaning and humiliating; nobody wants to be treated like that.

Here are a few good phrases with which to compliment or complain.

Compliments and Complaints
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Baie dankie vir goeie diens.	“Thank you very much for the good service.”
Dankie, dit was ‘n heerlike aand.	“Thank you, it was a really enjoyable evening.”
Die kos was heerlik, baie dankie.	“The food was delicious, thank you very much.”
Hierdie gereg was iets besonders.	“This dish was exceptional.”
Ons het alles regtig geniet. Baie dankie vir jou / julle moeite.	“We really enjoyed everything. Thank you so much for your effort.”
Julle sal ons beslis weer sien.	“You will definitely see us again.”
Ek sal hierdie restaurant met graagte aanbeveel.	“I will recommend will restaurant with pleasure.”
Baie dankie, jou diens was uitstekend.	“Thank you very much, your service was excellent.”
Dankie vir ‘n heerlike aand.	“Thank you for a wonderful evening.”
Ek wil graag met die bestuurder / kok / sjef praat, asseblief?	“I’d like to speak to the manager / cook / sjef, please?”
Haar diens was werklik uitnemend.	“Her service was truly exceptional.”
Gee asseblief my komplimente aan die kok!	“Please give my compliments to the cook!”
Die maaltyd was absoluut voortreflik, die beste wat ek nog ooit geniet het.	“The meal was absolutely excellent, the best I’ve ever enjoyed.”
Jammer maar ek moet ongelukkig ‘n probleem aanmeld.	“Sorry, but unfortunately I must report a problem.”
Ek is nie gelukkig hieroor nie.	“I’m not happy about this.”
Hierdie is nie wat ek bestel het nie.	“This is not what I ordered.”
Ons tafel het twee hiervan bestel, nie net een nie.	“Our table ordered two of these, not only one.”
Jammer maar my vleis is nie voorberei volgens bestelling nie.	“Sorry, but my meat was not prepared to order.”
Hierdie steak is oordoen en gebrand.	“This steak is burnt and overdone.”
Hier is ‘n vreemde voorwerp in my kos.	“There’s a foreign object in my food.”
My bord / koppie / wynglas / eetgerei is vuil.	“My plate / cup / wine glass / cutlery is dirty.”
Die slaai is nie eetbaar nie.	“The salad is not edible.”
Dis nie vars nie.	“It’s not fresh.”
Sal jy vir my ‘n ander een bring, asseblief?	“Will you fetch me another one, please?”
Nee dankie, jy hoef dit nie te vervang nie.	“No thanks, you don’t need to replace it.”
Verwyder dit net van die rekening.	“Just remove it from the bill.”
Kan jy die fout regstel, asseblief?	“Could you fix the mistake, please?”
Ons wag nog steeds vir die sous, en dis al ‘n ruk sedert ons dit bestel het.	“We’re still waiting for the gravy, and it’s been a while since we ordered it.”
Dankie vir jou begrip.	“Thanks for understanding.”
Moenie worry nie, enigiemand kan ‘n fout maak.	“Don’t worry, anybody can make a mistake.”

Onthou om die sjef ook te komplimenteer. / “Remember to also compliment the chef.”

➜ Also consider this helpful article to best compliment the staff. Or, if you quickly want to learn a few Afrikaans compliment phrases, take a look at this free lesson with recordings.

5. Recommending the Restaurant

Has your dining experience been so fantastic, that you want to recommend the restaurant? Or perhaps an Afrikaans friend is asking you for recommendations? Recommendations are probably even better than the biggest tip or the highest praise because it could mean extra business for the restaurant.

Below are some handy Afrikaans restaurant phrases you could use.

Recommending the Restaurant
Afrikaans Phrases	English Translation or Approximate
Daardie is ‘n uitstekende restaurant.	“That’s an excellent restaurant.”
Ek kan La Colombe sterk aanbeveel.	“I can strongly recommend La Colombe.”
Ons het nog net goeie ervaringe daar gehad.	“We’ve had only good experiences there.”
Julle móét daardie restaurant probeer.	“You must try that restaurant.”
Die uitsig is asemrowend.	“The view is breathtaking.”
Die plek is wonderlik atmosferies.	“The place is wonderfully atmospheric.”
Jy sal nie spyt wees jy’t TK’s probeer nie.	“You won’t regret trying TK’s.”
Hulle kos is uit die boonste rakke.	“Their food is superb.”
Die diens is uiters professioneel en vriendelik.	“The service is exceptionally professional and friendly.”
Hulle het ons baie welkom laat voel.	“They made us feel very welcome.”

6. Bonus: Food and Restaurant Vocabulary

Note that any of the above Afrikaans restaurant phrases can be adapted by using different nouns or pronouns. 

Geniet die ete! / “Enjoy the meal!”

➜ For a list of Afrikaans pronouns, plus how to use them in sentences, take a look at this informative article.

Bonus Food and Restaurant Vocab
Afrikaans	English Translation or Approximate
spek en eiers	“bacon and eggs”
tamatie	“tomato”
groente	“vegetables”
melkskommel	“milkshake”
kondimente	“condiments”
geurmiddels	“seasoning”
tamatiesous	“tomato ketchup”
chutney	“chutney”
Balsamiese asyn	“Balsamic vinegar”
olyfolie	“olive oil”
brandsous	“hot sauce”
gerookte vis	“smoked fish”
mes en vurk	“knife and fork”
steak-mes	“steak knife”
vismes	“fish knife”
teelepel	“teaspoon”
eetlepel	“tablespoon”
voorgereg	“appetizer” / hors d’oeuvre
hoofgereg	“main course” / entrée
nagereg	“dessert”
bygereg	“side dish”
verjaarsdagpartytjie	“birthday party”
werksfunksie	“formal work event”
werkspartytjie	“work party”
spesiale geleentheid	“special occasion”
diens	“service”

7. Eating out in Afrikaans with AfrikaansPod101!

Are you more prepared for a uniquely South African restaurant experience, now that you’ve read this blog? Do you feel that you know how to order in Afrikaans? 

If you enjoyed this article, consider signing up immediately to learn about much more than only restaurant vocabulary and Afrikaans restaurant phrases.

With over a decade of experience, AfrikaansPod101.com draws on expert knowledge of online language learning techniques to offer you a unique learning space. Thousands of Afrikaans lessons are available at your fingertips, with free resources such as apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, and Kindle Fire. 

With AfrikaansPod101, you can also create your own collection of vocab lists, learn the Afrikaans alphabet, and so much more!

We offer many enrollment options to suit your personal needs. Members can also enjoy features such as:

• Culturally relevant lessons
• A free online Afrikaans dictionary
• Access to Afrikaans Key Phrases
• Hundreds of lessons in different formats.

Enroll straight away!!

About the author: Christa Davel is a bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer and journalist, and is based in Cape Town, South Africa.

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 exclusive—expert advice from a master language learner. Be sure to read on for it because applying this tip will take your basic Afrikaans conversation skills to the next level—guaranteed!

Table of Contents

1. Excellent Ways to Improve your Afrikaans Speaking Skills
2. Listen Up!
3. Learn and Use Afrikaans Filler Words
4. Learn Common Afrikaans Questions and Answers
5. Afrikaans Conversation Starters
6. The Secret is the Sheet…!

1. Excellent Ways to Improve your Afrikaans Speaking Skills

Improving your conversation skills in Afrikaans should not require a degree or cost truckloads of money. Acquiring a new language is not rocket science; even babies do it all the time!

So, if you’re serious about how to improve your Afrikaans speaking skills, here are a few pointers to get things going.

1- Get A Native Afrikaans Tutor or Instructor

Depending on your budget and specific needs, enlisting the help of a native Afrikaans-speaking personal tutor or instructor is your best option to quickly improve your Afrikaans conversation skills. 

If the person is affiliated with an online language platform, such as AfrikaansPod101.com, this option will have a few distinct advantages that practically guarantee success.

• There’d be a set curriculum and lesson plan already in place, so you don’t have to scramble for these.

• Your teacher’s guidance, assessment, and feedback will be invaluable in terms of easier learning and also staying on track with it.

• Most will allow you to learn at your own pace and even customize your lessons. AfrikaansPod101.com makes this exceedingly easy with features such as this free mobile app for creating your own lists. Paid-for features and options are even more helpful, and their cost really won’t break the bank.

• Your native Afrikaans teacher will continuously assess and improve your pronunciation and inflection—essential if you want to be understood by other Afrikaans speakers.

• One of the secrets to successfully improving your conversation skills in Afrikaans (and any other language, really) is to keep your motivation high. Your teacher or tutor is an invaluable resource in this regard; it’s like having your own cheerleader almost literally by your side every day. This will boost your speaking confidence considerably.

• You’d have free learning resources available to play with on the site—too many to list here! But for instance, check out this helpful Afrikaans Key Phrase List—essential for conducting basic Afrikaans conversations.

• Also, the fact that tutoring takes place online means it’s never been easier to study Afrikaans from home or wherever you are connected to the Internet—at the pace that best suits your needs and lifestyle. It’s really that simple.

‘n Persoonlike aanlyn taalinstrukteur kan jou studies aansienlik bevorder. / “A personal online language instructor can significantly improve your studies.”

2- Practice with a Native Afrikaans Partner

If a paid-for tutor or instructor is not an option, and especially if you don’t have regular access to the Internet, that’s not the end of the world. Consider finding an Afrikaans speaking buddy with whom you can practice live and improve your Afrikaans conversation skills.

Here are a few ideas to procure such a buddy.

• If you’re so lucky to be in South Africa already, finding one might prove quite easy. Be bold—reach out, and ask Afrikaner friends, colleagues, or even strangers for assistance with your Afrikaans conversation skills. For a head-start and to show that you’re serious about learning the language, acquaint yourself with the Afrikaner culture. Or at least master the excellent skill of greeting someone in Afrikaans! 

• Alternatively, consider enrolling in a language school, such as the Mzansi Language School in Pretoria that offers Afrikaans classes on site, with a focus on building conversation skills.

• If you’re not in South Africa, you could still search for a native Afrikaans buddy. Most foreign countries have communities of Afrikaans expats, and these you may find through the South African consulate or embassy in your own country of residence. The embassy or consulate might even have free resources or Afrikaans learning programs available for students, or they may know of Afrikaans expats willing to take students or conversation buddies.

• Especially countries such as the USA, the UK, Australia, many Asian countries, the UAE, etc., have large Afrikaans expat communities, and most of these communities have formed Afrikaans churches. Many Afrikaans-speaking South Africans are Christians, and if you are too, attending Afrikaans church services might be a way to connect meaningfully with someone.

• Alternatively, there might be English language schools if you live in a non-English country such as China, South Korea, and Japan. Many South Africans teach English at these schools, so pay them a visit. Who knows, you may end up making a friend this way, because especially the new teachers are pretty lonely so far away from home!

• This is not a conventional tip, and of course, I mean it light-heartedly (only somewhat!), but one of the best ways to learn and practice your Afrikaans conversation skills is to date a native speaker. Provided you spend a good amount of time talking, of course. ‘Nuff said!

‘n Romantiese verhouding met ‘n Afrikaanssprekende persoon kan jou motiveer om die taal vinnig te bemeester. / “A romantic relationship with a native Afrikaner could motivate you to master the language fast.”

However, simply practicing random words and phrases in Afrikaans with a native speaker doesn’t guarantee success, and it’s a slow way to go about improving your conversation skills in Afrikaans. You’ll need some structure, or your efforts will be wasted. If study materials and Afrikaans lessons about conversation skills are in short supply, you might have to create your own. 

Creating your own learning materials should be attempted only by the advanced Afrikaans learner. And only if you have lots of time on your hands because it involves a lot of work. Plus, you will still need a native speaker to assist you, or you may end up learning incorrect language or poor conversational habits.

If you’re willing to put in the effort, it will be worth the investment, so let’s get down to it.

3- Be Your Own Master Teacher

The following guiding tips will show you how to improve your Afrikaans speaking skills by creating your own conversation-learning curriculum and practices. But don’t stop here—read on for the promised expert advice…

➜ Choose A Topic

Make things easy for yourself by keeping it ‘bite-sized’. Start by choosing an interesting topic you’d like to chat about in Afrikaans. Then search for level-appropriate base material in Afrikaans, such as this topic for advanced students (whales), for instance.

Walvisse is ‘n interessante onderwerp om oor te gesels. / “Whales are an interesting topic for discussion.”

And if you’re a beginner, you may find this article about Afrikaans beginner words (with a good dash of grammar!), or this one, with easy phrases for beginners, especially helpful.

➜ Write Out Phrases, Dialogues, Expressions, Etc.
Now it’s time to create and write down your own dialogues, using topic-focused lines, proverbs, sayings, expressions, etc. Depending on your level of proficiency, keep the phrases concise at first.

At this point, it might be best to enlist the help of a native Afrikaner friend or colleague to ensure accuracy.

➜ Record the Dialogues
Next, record your dialogue, which offers three advantages:

• You get to hear yourself speaking in Afrikaans and can easily compare it with correct recorded samples.
• Using recordings offers more freedom in your learning. For instance, your native-speaking friend won’t need to be with you to be able to correct your pronunciation. They can simply listen to your recording and then record corrections that you can use.
• The correct dialogue or phrases can be listened to repeatedly. So, it’s a valuable resource.

Gebruik opnames om jou Afrikaanse gespreksvaardighede mee te verbeter. / “Use recordings to improve your Afrikaans conversation skills.”

➜ Memorize and Shadow Practice
Now use your own recordings as learning tools by listening and shadow practicing. Shadow practicing means you listen to a phrase and then repeat it aloud after the speaker.

Your aim is to memorize the dialogues. Once you’ve done that, it would be best to keep practicing them live with a native speaker too.

➜ Just Go with an Established Online Language School Already!
These tips so far are great, and I know you’ll succeed using them if you urgently need to learn how to improve your Afrikaans speaking and listening skills.

But really, this is the long way to go about learning good Afrikaans conversation skills. You’ll be practically reinventing the wheel here, especially if you have access to the Internet.

It would be much easier to just subscribe to what is arguably the best Afrikaans resource site available for free. There are paid-for learning paths available but enrolling at AfrikaansPod101.com for a lifetime free account means immediate free access to a massive library of study material and other resources. The site focuses on conversational Afrikaans for learners of all levels, so this step is actually a no-brainer, really!

OK, so these are the basics. If you put these tips to use, you’ll see more than an uptick in your Afrikaans basic conversation skills.

Now it’s time to take things to the next level by learning a few other conversation superpowers.

Luisteroefeninge is essensiëel om gespreksvaardighede te ontwikkel. / “Listening exercises are essential for developing conversation skills.”

2. Listen Up!

Irrespective of whether you enroll with a tutor or a language school or go the DIY route—listening exercises are vital for developing polite conversation skills in Afrikaans and in every other language, really. After all, dialogues or conversations are a two-way business—one person speaks while the other listens. 

To make sure your Afrikaans listening ability is on point, here are a few tips.

• Something that will help to improve your Afrikaans conversation skills is ensuring that your recorded samples of speech, mentioned under the previous heading, are of excellent quality, meaning the grammar and pronunciation is correct Standard Afrikaans. You don’t want to train your ear to what typical Afrikaans doesn’t sound like.

• Search online for Afrikaans podcasts, or, if you’re so lucky to be in South Africa already, visit a local library for free resources such as recorded books, radio dramas, TV series, etc. Also, consider using YouTube videos, other recorded readings, or speeches in Afrikaans. 

• Also, why not create a playlist of excellent Afrikaans songs on platforms such as YouTube? Listening to Afrikaans music is not only an excellent language-acquisition exercise, but it’s also a pleasurable one that can be enjoyed anywhere, any time. Consider this article to help you select the best Afrikaans music (with the correct pronunciation and syntax) on YouTube.

Daar is uitstekende Afrikaanse potgooie aanlyn om jou luistervaardighede mee op te skerp. / “There are excellent Afrikaans podcasts online with which to practice your listening skills.”

3. Learn and Use Afrikaans Filler Words

Fillers are those seemingly meaningless words (or even noises) in conversational speech that can serve multiple purposes. For instance, they can convey:

➜ the speaker’s general emotional state,
➜ that the speaker needs a moment to think before speaking, or
➜ the speaker’s true thoughts or feelings about the topic under discussion (which can include feeling unsure, scared, or fearful, caught off guard, flustered, embarrassed, surprised, etc.).

Adding appropriate filler words to your Afrikaans conversations is a surefire way to dramatically enhance them. For instance, they will help your Afrikaans speech sound more natural, provided they’re used correctly. Too many of them can be irritating and are not advised if you’re expected to give a speech, for instance. However, they’re such a natural part of the vernacular that they shouldn’t be avoided altogether either.

Some filler words are universal and have the same meaning in many languages. Think, for instance, of the ubiquitous “Uhm”.

To give an example: 

Imagine your Afrikaans friend Magda’s birthday is coming up. You want to get her something special as a gift and decide to ask rather than guess. The conversation then goes something like this: You: Wat wil jy graag vir jou verjaarsdag hê, Magda? / “What would you like for your birthday, Magda?” Magda: Uhm, laat ek bietjie dink… / “Uhm, let me think a bit…”

This hesitation noise typically indicates that the speaker is feeling unsure or insecure about what it is they should or want to say, so they use it to communicate that they’re thinking.

As mentioned, it’s a universal filler word, so you’ll probably find yourself using it quite naturally anyway. Remember to include the closing “M” in “Uhm”, which is typical in Afrikaans, but not in languages such as French and Italian, for instance.

1- How to Use Filler Words to Build Conversation Skills in Afrikaans

How to use fillers to enhance your conversation skills in Afrikaans is a dense topic that we answer comprehensively in another article: Afrikaans Filler Words to Make You Sound Like a Native. 

Uhm, laat ek ‘n bietjie dink… / “Uhm, let me think a bit…”

The secret is to know exactly what the fillers mean, and how to use them. Now let’s look at a few more typical Afrikaans filler words, with examples of their use in conversational speech.

2- Common Filler Words in Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an expressive language that “says it as it is”. Also, the more personal, emotional, or dramatic the conversation, the more filler words you’ll hear. For this reason, many of them are reserved for the less formal types of conversations.

Not that the Afrikaans Language Police will make an arrest if a filler is used in a more formal milieu. If it’s used in a specific context or serves a purpose such as comic relief, the following fillers are pretty ‘safe’ in less informal situations too.

Here’s an example of a few filler words and how they’re used in Afrikaans.

Imagine it’s an icy winter morning, and you and your friend Magda have just met up in town for a coffee date. Presently, the two of you are standing shivering outside in the street. Magda: Sjoe, maar dis baie koud vandag! / “Wow, it’s very cold today!” You: Ja-nee, dit is wraggies koud. / “Yea, it’s really cold.”

Did you spot the two fillers? Yup, they’re sjoe (“wow”), and ja-nee (Literally: “yes-no”). 

Ja-nee is a uniquely Afrikaans filler word and is most commonly used to express agreement or confirmation. It sometimes occurs in American and South African English conversations too, but not in a similar format, so to speak.

Sjoe, maar dis baie koud vandag! / “Wow, it’s very cold today!”

Ja-nee is pronounced as one word, and it always indicates almost implicit agreement with the speaker or indicates confirmation of something as fact. In English, it’s never expressed as “Yes, no”, which is the literal translation, but rather “Yeah, no”, and it can sometimes denote a certain degree of uncertainty or hesitation in the speaker. Like this, for instance:

“Yeah, no, I understand what you’re saying, and I agree, but…”

Interestingly, the adverb wraggies, the diminutive form of wragtag (“Truly / Really!”), is also used as a filler word in Afrikaans. It’s remarkably similar in meaning to ja-nee but can also denote a sense of amazement or surprise. It’s typically used together with another filler: né, and it sounds like you’re asking a rhetorical question.  Here’s a demonstration:

Two students are having a conversation about exams. A: Dis eienaardig. Hierdie jaar se Gevorderde Afrikaanse eksamen was baie makliker geweesas laasjaar s’n. “It’s weird, but this year’s Advanced Afrikaans exam was way easier than last year’s.” B: Wraggies, né?!  Approximate: “Awesome, yeah?!”

The following are two other, very commonly used Afrikaans fillers.

Picture this: you and a few Afrikaans friends are watching a game of rugby, one of the most popular national ball sports of South Africa. On the field, one of the players looks like he’s going to score a try, but just before he reaches the goal line, he trips and falls hard. Everyone in the room goes: Shssssss, eina! (Pronunciation: Shssss is the hissing sound you’d make when taking in a long breath through your front teeth with your jaw clenched. And eina! (“ouch!”) is often but not always a loud, emphasized exclamation in Afrikaans.)

These two filler words (Shsssss and Eina) can indicate that you’re experiencing pain yourself or that you’re commiserating with someone else’s pain. This can be physical pain or the “injury” of embarrassment, or a bruised ego.

Eina, dit lyk seer! / “Ouch, that looks painful!”

It’s also common to say Eina, shssss!

Now let’s discuss another conversation skill—using Afrikaans questions and answering them correctly.

4. Learn Common Afrikaans Questions and Answers

One of the best ways to keep any conversation going is to ask questions and answer them appropriately. This is another elaborate topic that’s impossible to do justice to in only a few paragraphs. Also, it’s a skill that’s learned only with persistence and practice and is best supported by a native Afrikaans tutor or speaking friend.

Om vrae te vra is ‘n uitstekende gespreksvaardigheid. / “Asking questions is an excellent conversation skill.”

For a longer list of questions and answers in Afrikaans, consider this article. It’s complete with cultural context and tips—invaluable for meaningful conversations with native Afrikaners.

Also, remember that you need to raise your voice towards the end of the sentence when you ask a question in Afrikaans. Let’s take a look at some Afrikaans questions and answers commonly used in conversations.

1- Examples of Common Afrikaans Questions and Answers

The following are easy, beginner questions and answers in a relaxed, social situation.

Imagine, for instance, that you’re at a language school party where you’ve just met a girl whom you’d like to get to know better. The conversation will be informal, and after greeting her with a friendly smile and a simple “Hello”, it could go something like this: Q: Wat is jou naam? “What is your name?” A: My naam is Anna. “My name is Anna.” She may ask you the same question in return, to which you can reply in the same fashion—just insert your own name, of course! ➜ Listen to this recording to hear exactly what the dialogue sounds like.

For more advanced speakers, the questions and answers could look like this:

Q: Wat kan ek jou noem?
“What can I call you?”

A: Jy kan my sommer Anna noem.
“You can simply call me Anna.”

Another variation of the question is Wie is jy? (“Who are you?”), but just like in English, it’s not the friendliest or most polite question in Afrikaans vernacular.

Let’s suppose you’re interested to hear where Anna is from. Then you ask: Q: Waar kom jy vandaan? “Where are you from?” A: Ek is van die V.S.A. “I’m from the U.S.A.” Anna may now ask where you’re from, or you could keep the conversation going by simply offering: A: Ek is van Engeland. “I’m from England.” ➜ And this is what the Beginner questions and answers sound like.

More advanced questions and answers include:

Q: Van waar in die V.S.A is jy? 
“Where in the U.S.A. are you from?”

OR

Q: Waar het jy grootgeword?
“Where did you grow up?”

Ek het grootgeword in Seattle, Washington. / “I grew up in Seattle, Washington.”

A: Ek kom oorspronklik van die noorde af.
“I’m originally from the north.”

OR

A: Ek het grootgeword in Seattle, Washington.
“I grew up in Seattle, Washington.”

Now that you know where Anna is from, you’d like to know where she’s currently living. Q: Waar bly jy? “Where do you live?” A: Ek bly in New York. “I’m living in New York.” ➜ Listen here to what these phrases sound like.

And the advanced versions are:

Q: In watter stad of dorp woon jy tans?
“In which city or town do you currently live?”

A: Ek woon tans in New York.
“Currently, I’m living in New York.”

5. Afrikaans Conversation Starters

Finding yourself in a situation where you must start a conversation can be daunting if you don’t know the other person. This could be even more so when speaking a foreign language!

1- Examples of Afrikaans Conversation Starters

The questions under the previous heading or simply introducing yourself can also serve as excellent conversation starters for beginner learners of Afrikaans. 

If you’re at a more advanced level, consider giving a sincere compliment to open a conversation with someone. Here are a few to consider.

Imagine, for instance, you’re meeting someone for the first time. (This can be any scenario—a date, at a work function, or at a party.) You’re nervous and can see that the other person feels the same. To put them at ease, you could greet and then open a conversation with:  Jy lyk fantasties! / “You look fantastic!” Wow, jy lyk goed in daardie rok. / “Wow, you look good in that dress.” Ek hou van jou haarstyl, dis regtig cool. / “I like your hairstyle, it’s really cool.” Jy’t ‘n wonderlike tafel vir ons gekies, baie dankie. / “You’ve chosen a wonderful table for us, thank you.” Jou toespraak was inspirerend. / “Your speech was inspiring.” Ek het jou toespraak baie geniet. / “I really enjoyed your speech.”

And now, finally—the promised expert advice for developing the Afrikaans conversation skills of a winner.

6. The Secret is the Sheet…!

Peter Galante, one of the founding members of InnovativeLanguage.com, can speak several languages. He makes language acquisition look super easy, but this is because, over the years, he developed certain methods and tricks that helped him become a language-learning master.

The method I’m going to discuss is what he calls “a cheat sheet for making fast progress”, and it entails compiling and then memorizing a list of phrases that are most relevant and specific to you. Simple as that! Yet don’t be deceived—using this tip will significantly improve your conversation skills in Afrikaans.

Keep the following in mind when creating your own cheat sheet:

• The phrases should include an introduction, plus details about yourself and your life—in an idiom and language style that suits different situations or scenarios, your age, and your generation. For instance, if you’re young, add Afrikaans slang words and phrases that young people will typically use. Fortunately, Afrikaans nouns and pronouns don’t change for gender, so you don’t have to worry about this.

• Especially if you’re a beginner student, you might want to ask an Afrikaans tutor or native Afrikaans speaker to help you with this task.

• It’s OK if, at first, you overdo the list! Compile as many phrases you can think of for as many hypothetical conversations as you prefer. Then, whittle the list down to the twenty most important phrases and memorize them. The other phrases will not be a waste, as you could always refer to them as your situations and skills change.

Ek is 20 jaar oud en ek studeer voltyds. / “I’m 20 years old and I study full time.”

Let me demonstrate with a few examples. Remember that these phrases are not in a specific order. They are simply appropriate responses to specific questions or situations that you may encounter.

1-Examples of Cheat Sheet Phrases

Our first example profile is of an ambitious young woman who works extremely hard at her studies, which means she barely has time to hang out. The following are a few phrases she might consider for her list. The conversation is with a peer who introduces themselves to her and asks her out, so it’s very casual. Haai, ek’s Kim. / “Hi, I’m Kim.” Ek’s 20 jaar oud en studeer voltyds. / “I’m 20 years old and I’m studying full time. Ek swot rekenaarprogrammering. / “I’m studying computer programming.” Ek’s vodde vandag. / “I’m exhausted today.” Wat is vrye tyd?! My studies neem al my tyd op. / “What is free time?! My studies take up all my time.” Dis baie werk, ja. / “It’s a lot of work, yes.” Sorry, nie vandag nie. Maar dankie vir die invite. / “Sorry, not today. But thanks for the invite.”

Goeiedag, ek is dokter Michael Williams. / “Good day. I’m doctor Michael Williams.”

The next profile is of an ophthalmologist in his early forties. He has chosen to relocate to South Africa to further his specialization in poverty-related eye diseases, and learning to speak Afrikaans is a requirement for his internship at the famous Pretoria Eye Hospital. In this scenario, he’s meeting with the Human Resource Manager of the hospital, so the situation is somewhat formal. Goeiedag, ek is Dokter Michael Williams. / “Good day, I am Doctor Michael Williams.” Dis goed om jou te ontmoet. / “It’s good to meet you.” Ek’s dankbaar vir die geleentheid om by die hospitaal te werk. / “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to work at this hospital.” Ek het reeds ingeskryf by ‘n Afrikaanse taalskool. / “I have already enrolled at an Afrikaans language school.” My akkommodasie is bo verwagting goed, baie dankie. / “My accommodation exceeds expectation, thank you very much.” My adres is Schoemanstraat 10, Waverley. / “My address is 10 Schoeman Street, Waverley.” Ek aanvaar graag jou aanbod. / “I’ll gladly accept your offer.”

Also, consult the following articles when you create your cheat sheet:

➜ Your Guide to the Best Basic Afrikaans Phone Phrases!
➜ How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Afrikaans!
➜ Most Common Travel Phrases in Afrikaans.
➜ Useful Phrases for Conducting Business in Afrikaans.

So, are you convinced yet? How to improve your Afrikaans listening and speaking skills need not be an insurmountable task. 

Let AfrikaansPod101.com help you achieve this—we’re expertly geared to help you get nearly as fluent as a native speaker, so enroll now!

About the author: Christa Davel is an experienced, bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer, content creator, and journalist and is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.

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 advanced Afrikaans phrases.

Afrikaanse taalkunde en geskiedenis is ‘n baie interessante studieveld. / “Afrikaans linguistics and history is a very interesting field of study.”

Table of Contents

1. Why Learn Advanced Afrikaans Phrases?
2. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Academic Writing
3. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Resumé
4. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Business and Meetings
5. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
6. Learn the Best Advanced Afrikaans Phrases for All Occasions at AfrikaansPod101.com!

1. Why Learn Advanced Afrikaans Phrases?

Afrikaans may not be as widely spoken in the modern world as, say, English, French, and Portuguese, but there are still distinct advantages to knowing advanced Afrikaans. 

➣ One of the obvious benefits of learning useful advanced Afrikaans phrases and vocabulary is that it will enable you to communicate more efficiently with native speakers. This could be especially helpful if you travel or work in South Africa or Namibia, where Afrikaans is widely spoken. The same applies if you work in the diplomatic service of countries with ties to either South Africa or Namibia (or to both).
➣ In the continent of Africa, South Africa is considered one of the most developed and economically stable countries, and it is a popular destination for business investors. Knowing relevant advanced Afrikaans phrases will be helpful if you choose to do business with native Afrikaners.
➣ Afrikaans offers great scope for academic study. Through specialization in Afrikaans linguistics and history, it’s possible to make significant and impactful academic contributions, especially for students from different countries and continents. Due to the tumultuous political history of this relatively young language, it’s often difficult for South African academia to regard Afrikaans with the impartial objectivity that good research requires. Foreigner students of Afrikaans—who were not burdened by this inherited historical load—have made excellent contributions in the past, and some even say it’s a certain way to ensure personal academic immortality for oneself.

Om ‘n nuwe taal te leer sal nuwe wêrelde onstluit. / “Learning a new language will unlock new worlds.”

For more reasons to dig into this wonderful language, born just over three centuries ago at the Southernmost tip of Africa, take a look at this article too: 10 Great Reasons Why You Should Learn Afrikaans.

Let’s proceed to look at some of the best advanced Afrikaans phrases.

2. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Academic Writing

Academic writing is a formal style of writing used in institutes of tertiary education and for academic publications. It’s challenging in any language, and it usually takes years to master. For this reason, keep in mind that the following list of advanced Afrikaans phrases and vocabulary for writing academic papers is not exhaustive! Think of it as your “Starter Kit” for Afrikaans academic writing.

Die studie van Afrikaans bied opwindende moontlikhede vir die student wat wil spesialiseer. / “Afrikaans, as a field of study, offers exciting opportunities for the student who wants to specialize.”

Afrikaans	English
Eerstens; tweedens; derdens Eerstens word die wet bespreek; tweedens, die toepassing daarvan.	First(ly); secondly; thirdly “First, the law is discussed; secondly, the application thereof.”
Aangesien  In ag geneem Aangesien die karakter se wense nooit duidelik uitgespel word nie, kan dit nie hier in ag geneem word nie.	Seeing  In light of “Seeing that the character’s wishes are never clearly stated, they cannot be taken into consideration here.”
Neem in ag In ag geneem Dit was ‘n besondere prestasie, as die tyd waarin hy geleef het in ag geneem word.	Taking into consideration Considering that/the “It was a remarkable achievement, considering the time he lived in.”
Het betrekking op Hierdie aanhaling het betrekking op die komponis se werk in 1916.	Pertains to “This quote pertains to the composer’s work in 1916.”
Volgens… Volgens Botha et al (2014), is hierdie virus reeds geïdentifiseer in die vorige eeu.	According to… “According to Botha et al. (2014), this virus was already identified in the previous century.”
Verwys na… Hier verwys die outeur na Metchnikoff, die vader van immunologie, se werk.	Refers to… “Here, the author refers to Metchnikoff, the father of immunology’s work.”
Beklemtoon die belangrikheid van  Beklemtoon dat Einstein het telkemale beklemtoon dat eksperimente nie geboorte gee aan teorië nie.	Emphasize the importance of  Reiterate that “Einstein often reiterated that experiments don’t give birth to theories.”
Vervolgens Hierdie portuur-beoordeelde studie was dubbelblind; die pasiëntmonster beduidend groot, en pasiënt deelname was goed; vervolgens was die belowende uitkomste verwelkom.	Subsequent(ly) “This peer-reviewed study was double-blinded, the patient sample was significantly large, and patient compliance was good; subsequently, the promising outcomes were welcomed.”
Hierom; Hieroor; Daarom; Daaroor Die data oor hierdie uitvindsel is skaars, en dit gaan daarom nie breedvoerig bespreek word in hierdie opstel nie.	For this reason “Data about this invention are scarce and, for this reason, the invention will not be discussed at length in this paper.”
Met ander woorde Om dit anders te stel Anders gestel Met ander woorde, die uitvindsels is nooit behoorlik getoets nie.	This means that In other words To put it differently “This means that the inventions were never properly tested.”
Om dit eenvoudiger te stel Om dit eenvoudiger te stel—teorië se waarheid kan slegs met eksperimente getoets word.	To put more simply “To put it more simply—theories’ validity can only be tested with experiments.”
Soortgelyke Ewe belangrik Soortgelyke resultate is gevind in ander, beter-ontwerpte studies.	Similar Of equal importance “Similar results were found in other, better-designed studies.”
Hoewel / Selfs al Hoewel die werksmodelle nie werklik vergelykbaar is nie, is daar tog merkbare ooreenkomste.	(Even) though “Even though the working models are not truly comparable, they do show noticeable similarities.”
In teenstelling met In teenstelling met Einstein was Gödel minder geneë om sy teorië en idees met mede-wetenskaplikes te deel.	In contrast with/to “In contrast to Einstein, Gödel was less willing to share his theories and ideas with scientific peers.”
Ten spyte van Ten spyte van die ooglopende foute en blinde kolle in sy afleidings, is sy bevindinge steeds in die joernaal gepubliseer.	Yet / Despite “Despite the obvious mistakes and blind spots in his conclusions, his findings were still published in the journal.”
Van belang Veral ooglopend Veral ooglopend was die weglating van Satyendra Nath Bose se rol in die ontdekking van die boson.	Of importance Notable / Notably “Especially notable was the omission of Satyendra Nath Bose’s role in the discovery of the boson.”

3. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Resumé

A resumé is a summary of relevant work experience and qualifications that is submitted as part of the application process for a specific job. As a foreigner, it’s highly unlikely that you will be asked to submit an Afrikaans resumé since English is the business lingua franca of South Africa. But, as they say, you never know. For this reason, we have provided here a few key advanced Afrikaans phrases for use in your resumé. If you’re submitting it in English, you might want to consider many more phrases, but “simple and succinct” is probably the best way to go in either case.

Vir meeste werksaansoeke in Suid Afrika is dit onwaarskynlik dat ‘n resumé in Afrikaans nodig sal wees. / “For most work applications in South Africa, it’s unlikely that a resumé in Afrikaans will be necessary.”

Afrikaans	English
Konsekwente akkuraatheid is belangrik.	“Consistent accuracy is important.”
Noukeurig met besonderhede	“Meticulous with detail”
Voldoen aan die hoogste standaarde	“Meets the highest standards”
Konsentreer op resultate / Resultaat-gedrewe	“Focus on results” / “Results-driven”
Vermag blywende resultate	“Achieve permanent results”
Demonstreer die vermoë om gewenste doelwitte te bereik	“Demonstrate the ability to achieve desired results”
Bereik doelwitte, lewer resultate	“Reach goals, achieve results”
Verstaan en pas beginsels korrek toe	“Understand and apply principles correctly”
Prioritiseer tydige voltooing en inhandiging van take, asook werk wat akkuraat en van hoë kwaliteit is	“Prioritize meeting deadlines as well as submitting accurate work of high quality”
Konsekwent in die vasstelling van die betroubaarheid en akkurraatheid van feite en bronne	“Consistently ascertain the reliability and accuracy of facts and sources”

4. Useful Advanced Afrikaans Phrases—Business and Meetings

The advantages of knowing these are obvious. While not using advanced Afrikaans phrases probably won’t lose you any business deals, creating excellent rapport with your Afrikaans-speaking business partners will be much easier if you know their language well. To really make an impression, make sure you know your Afrikaans tenses (easy with this guide and a bit of study).

Goeie kommunikasie kan spanning by die werk verminder. / “Good communication can reduce stress at work.”

Afrikaans	English Equivalent
Rompslomp vermy Ons kan baie rompslomp vermy met hierdie ooreenkoms.	Avoid red tape “We can avoid a lot of red tape with this agreement.”
Ter tafel lê Ek wil graag vandag hierdie voorstel ter tafel lê.	To put something forward for discussion “Today, I would like to put this suggestion forward for discussion.”
Op die lappe kom Teen die tyd wat die kompetisie se nuwe produk op die lappe kom, sal ons reeds besig wees met ons volgende stap.	To reveal something “By the time the competition’s new product is revealed, we’ll already be busy with our next step.”
Bankrot speel ‘n Portefeulje met ‘n oorvloed van hoë-risiko beleggings het menige besighede al laat bankrot speel.	To go bankrupt “A portfolio with an excess of high-risk investments has caused many businesses to go bankrupt.”
Platsak wees Tensy hulle die fondse beter bestuur, gaan hulle gou platsak wees.	To have empty pockets “Unless they manage the funds better, they will soon have empty pockets.”
‘n Nismark skep Ons beoog om ‘n nismark met hierdie produk te skep.	To create a niche market “We aim to create a niche market with this product.”
Sit die bal aan die rol ‘n Hersiende kontrak sal beslis die bal aan die rol sit.	To set the ball rolling “A revised contract will certainly get the ball rolling.”
Voorlopers wees Wil ons volgelinge of voorlopers wees in die mark?	To get/be ahead of the game “Do we want to be followers or to be ahead of the game?”
Die uiteinde van die saak Die uiteinde van die saak is dat ons ‘n nuwe tak gaan moet oopmaak as ons kompeterend wil bly.	The bottom line is “The bottom line is that we will have to open a new branch if we want to stay competitive.”
Die nuutste en beste Hierdie instrumente is die nuutste en beste op die mark.	The latest and best (a.k.a. “state of the art”) “These instruments are state-of-the-art.”
Kry ___ van die grond af Min kapitaal is nodig om hierdie besigheid van die grond af te kry.	To get ___ off the ground “Only a small amount of capital is needed to get this business off the ground.”
Om lont te ruik As julle lont ruik moet ons liewer die aanbod onttrek.	Literally: “to smell the burn of a fuse”  To be suspicious of something; to suspect foul play “If you suspect foul play, we should rather withdraw the proposal.”

5. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage

The idiomatic form of any language basically refers to the way a native speaker would speak—also called the vernacular. This includes the use of idioms, sayings, and proverbs. As you should surmise, knowing this set of advanced Afrikaans vocabulary (and how to use it correctly in everyday conversations) will greatly enhance your Afrikaans skills. 

This is a small collection of advanced Afrikaans phrases and words that are very commonly used in idiomatic language. Most of them are suitable for use in business settings and meetings.

➜ Need to practice sounding like a native speaker? Then read this article for some of the best Afrikaans proverbs, or study the most commonly used Afrikaans filler words with examples of their use.

Gebruik idiomatiese Afrikaans om soos ‘n Afrikaner te klink. / “Use idiomatic Afrikaans to sound like a native speaker.”

Afrikaans	English
‘n Nuuskierige agie Die nuwe sekretaresse is ietwat van ‘n nuuskierige agie.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: A nosy person This is often used in relation to inquisitive children, or when someone asks a lot of questions in a suspicious or irritating way. “The new secretary is somewhat of a nosy person.”
In die bres tree Dankie dat jy vir my so openlik in die bres getree het.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To defend or stand up for someone “Thank you for defending me so openly.”
‘n Lansie breek vir… Dankie dat jy vir my so openlik ‘n lansie gebreek het. AND In haar verslag het die bestuurder ‘n lansie gebreek vir my span se werk. Note: Important to note here is the use of the preposition vir (“for”) because a similar saying exists, but with the preposition met (“with”). However, it means something completely different—see the next phrase.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: This expression means the same as the one above, and it also means “to praise” or “to compliment.” “Thank you for standing up for me so openly.” AND “In her report, the manager praised my team’s work.”
‘n Lansie breek met… Ons het dit reggekry om ‘n vreedsame lansie te breek oor die inenting kwessie.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To settle a dispute; to wrestle something out “We managed to peacefully settle the dispute about the matter of vaccination.”
Skinderbek Sy’s baie knap met haar werk, maar ongelukkig is sy ook ‘n regte skinderbek. Note: Use this word with circumspection, as some might consider it a bit crude. It could also come across as derogatory. For instance—don’t write this in a formal work appraisal!	Translation or idiomatic approximate: A gossip “She’s very skillful in her work, but unfortunately, she’s also a real gossip.”
Beskore wees Groot rykdom sal vir meeste mense nooit beskore wees nie.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To be destined to This expression is most often used to say that someone is not destined to be (or to experience) something. “Most people are never destined to be extremely wealthy.”
Sonder om te blik of te bloos Die politikus lieg, sonder om te blik of te bloos, oor sy verhouding met sy assistente.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: Shamelessly “The politician shamelessly lies about his relationship with his (female) assistant.”
Boeglam skrik AND Maak uit die voete Die dief skrik hom boeglam vir die groot hond, en maak homself dadelik uit die voete.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: “To get a big fright” AND “To scoot off” “The thief gets a big fright because of the large dog and immediately scoots off.”
Om hare op die tande te hê Mediese personeel moet hare op hulle tande hê om in ‘n provinsiale hospitaal te kan werk.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To have hair on the teeth This phrase means to be very tough and resilient in the face of a challenge. “Medical staff need to be very tough and resilient to be able to work in a provincial hospital.”
Kant en klaar My Afrikaanse werksopdrag is kant en klaar.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: Done and dusted “My Afrikaans assignment is done and dusted.”
Liewer Bang Jan as Dooie Jan	Translation or idiomatic approximate: Rather safe than sorry This idiom can be used exactly the same way as “Rather safe than sorry.”
So slim soos die houtjie van die galg Sy’s so slim soos die houtjie van die galg.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: “Clever as the wood of the gallows”  This phrase is used to describe someone who’s clever in a sly, deceptive way, such as that person who (suspiciously!) always knows how to talk themselves out of any situation. It’s somewhat close in meaning to being cunning or having “street smarts,” but with a negative connotation. “She’s suspiciously clever.”
Moed begewe Laat ek hom tog gaan sien, voor my moed my begewe.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: Refers to someone’s courage failing them “Let me just go see him, before my courage fails me.”
Onder lede hê; Het onder lede Hy het waarskynlik Covid onder lede.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To be sick or infected with something “He’s probably sick with COVID.”
Wat het oor jou lewer geloop?	Translation or idiomatic approximate: “What walked over your liver?” Meaning: “Why are you so unsettled/angry?”
Oor ‘n mik lag/werk Daardie vertoning was so snaaks, ek het myself oor ‘n mik gelag.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: To “nearly die” laughing or working “That comedy skit was so funny, I nearly died laughing.”
Moenie ‘n moordkuil van jou hart maak nie.	Translation or idiomatic approximate: “Don’t turn your heart into a den of thieves and murderers.” This is a quote from Christian Scriptures (Matt. 21:13). It means that we should not hold on to grudges, plot revenge, or remain angry with anyone.

6. Learn the Best Advanced Afrikaans Phrases for All Occasions at AfrikaansPod101.com! 

At AfrikaansPod101.com, we can help you understand Afrikaans easily with our hundreds of recorded videos and learning resources, such as these vocabulary lists. You can also use our online dictionary to look up any word or to find translations in English and Afrikaans. One of the best ways to really master the advanced Afrikaans phrases from this article is to work with a personal online tutor, which you can access through our MyTeacher service for Premium PLUS members. With their help, you’ll be able to use the phrases correctly, expedite your Afrikaans language learning, and speak like a native in no time!

Also, start deciphering Afrikaans phrases yourself with the numerous tools we make available to you upon subscription, such as our Afrikaans Key Phrase List and the Afrikaans Core 100 Word List. 

Sign up now!

About the author: Christa Davel is an experienced bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer and editor, and she is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.

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

1. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Talking About Past Events
2. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Making and Changing Plans
3. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Explaining and Listing Reasons
4. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Making Complaints, Remarks, and Recommendations
5. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
6. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
7. Learn the best intermediate Afrikaans phrases for all occasions at AfrikaansPod101.com!

1. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Talking About Past Events

Imagine this scenario: You’re with your Afrikaans-speaking friends at a small dinner party, your favorite beverage in hand, and you’re feeling relaxed. You want to contribute to the conversation and also show off your brand-new Afrikaans skills a bit. 

Go for it! Wow your friends by asking them questions about their day or telling them about interesting past events with these easy intermediate Afrikaans phrases.

➜ Also, look at these common questions and their answers so you’ll be ready to make small talk!

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Hoe het dit met jou eksamen gegaan?	Meaning: “How did your exam go?” Literally: How has it with your exam went?
Hoe was werk gewees vandag?	Meaning: “How has work been today?” Literally: How was work been today?
Vertel my van laasjaar se vakansie in Peru?	Meaning: “Tell me about last year’s holiday in Peru?” Literally: Tell me of last year’s holiday in Peru?
Ek is gister bevorder by die werk. Note: The Afrikaans word for “work” and “job” are the same: werk. The use of an article (‘n / die – “a” / “the”) will indicate which one you’re talking about.	Meaning: “I got a promotion at work yesterday.” Literally: I is yesterday promote at the work.
Ek het vier jaar terug daar begin werk.	Meaning: “I started working there four years ago.” Literally: I have four years ago there start work.
Hulle het gaan inkopies doen.	Meaning: “They went shopping.” Literally: They have go shopping done.
Ons het in die berg gaan stap; dit was heerlik gewees.	Meaning: “We went hiking in the mountains; it was very enjoyable.” Literally: We have in the mountain go hike; it was very enjoyable has been. Note: Heerlik means both “delicious” and “very pleasant.”
Almal het Saterdag strand toe gegaan.	Meaning: “Everybody went to the beach on Saturday.” Literally: Everybody has Saturday beach to went.
Ek het Taalkunde by Oxford Universiteit gestudeer.	Meaning: “I studied Linguistics at Oxford University.” Literally: I have Linguistics by Oxford University studied.
My seun is in Bloemfontein gebore.	Meaning: “My son was born in Bloemfontein.” Literally: My son is in Bloemfontein born.
Ons het gisteraand se partytjie baie geniet.	Meaning: “We really enjoyed last night’s party.” Literally: We have last night’s party really enjoyed.
Die ete was heerlik gewees!	Meaning: “The meal was delicious!” Literally: The meal was delicious has been!
Daardie was die ergste dag van my lewe gewees.	Meaning: “That was the worst day of my life.” Literally: That was the worst day of my life has been.
Ek het ‘n kat met die naam van Pantouf gehad.	Meaning: “I used to have a cat called Pantouf.” Literally: I had a cat with the name of Pantouf have had.

Ek het ‘n kat met die naam van Pantouf gehad. (“I used to have a cat called Pantouf.”)

2. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Making and Changing Plans

Great, you’re an active part of the conversation! Of course, your friends are very impressed by your Afrikaans speaking skills, and they definitely want to see more of you. Now, you’ll have to be ready to make plans to meet up. And for this, you’ll need some good intermediate Afrikaans words and phrases at the ready. 

But life happens, and sometimes one can’t stick to plans or keep prior commitments. In that case, you’ll have to negotiate other terms—we’ve got you covered there, too!

➜ Also watch this short video on making plans to perfect your pronunciation.

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Wat gaan jy hierdie naweek doen?	Meaning: “What are you going to do this weekend?” Literally: What will you this weekend do?
Wat van Afrikaanse kos?	Meaning: “How about Afrikaans food?” Literally: What about Afrikaans food?
Het jy hierdie naweek tyd?	Meaning: “Do you have time this weekend?” Literally: Have you this weekend time?
Mag ek my kêrel / meisie / metgesel saambring?	Meaning: “May I bring my boyfriend / girlfriend / partner with me?” Literally: May I my boyfriend / girlfriend / partner with-bring?
Jammer, maar ek is besig hierdie naweek.	Meaning: “Sorry, but I’m busy this weekend.” Literally: Sorry, but I is busy this weekend.
Kan ons dit uitstel tot volgende week, asseblief?	Meaning: “Could we postpone it till next week, please?” Literally: Can we it postpone till next week, please?
Watter tyd sal jou die beste pas?	Meaning: “Which time will suit you best?” Literally: Which time shall you the best suit?
Hoe laat moet ek daar wees?	Meaning: “What time should I be there?” Literally: How late must I there be?
Kom ons reël ‘n Zoom afspraak vir volgende week om besonderhede te bespreek.	Meaning: “Let us arrange a Zoom meeting for next week to discuss details.” Literally: Let us arrange a Zoom meeting for next week to details to discuss.
Ek wonder of ons ‘n ander afspraak kan maak?	Meaning: “I wonder if we could reschedule?” Literally: I wonder if we a different appointment could make?
Kom ons bespreek dit later.	Meaning: “Let’s discuss it later.” Literally: Come us discuss it later.
Wat van ‘n Italiaanse restaurant vanaand?	Meaning: “How about an Italian restaurant tonight?” Literally: What of an Italian restaurant tonight?
Sal jy die partytjie kan bywoon?	Meaning: “Will you be able to attend the party?” Literally: Will you the party can attend?
Ek is nie beskikbaar Maandag nie.	Meaning: “I’m not available Monday.” Literally: I am not available Monday not.
Kom saam met ons!	Meaning: “Come with us!” Literally: Come together with us!

Wat van ‘n Italiaanse restaurant vanaand? (“How about an Italian restaurant tonight?”)

3. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Explaining and Listing Reasons

When you have to change plans, you sometimes have to give a reason for doing so. Or, when discussing different topics during a conversation, your friends might want to hear your opinion on something. Impress everybody with these useful intermediate Afrikaans phrases!

➜ Need to quickly look up the meaning of an Afrikaans word while going through this list? Why not use our free online dictionary?

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Ek moet ongelukkig kanselleer want ek is siek.	Meaning: “Unfortunately, I have to cancel because I’m unwell.” Literally: I must unfortunately cancel because I is ill.
Ek kon nie aanlyn werk nie want ons dorp se elektrisiteit was af.	Meaning: “I couldn’t work online because our town’s electricity was down.” Literally: I could not online work not because our town’s electricity was off.
Ek glo jy doen die regte ding. Dis hoekom ek jou ondersteun.	Meaning: “I believe you’re doing the right thing. That’s why I’m supporting you.” Literally: I believe you do the right thing. That’s why I you support.
Ek verkies hierdie tipe van motor vir drie redes. Eerstens, dis ekonomies en betroubaar. Tweedens, dis ‘n goeie prys. Laaste maar nie die minste nie—dis maklik om te onderhou.	Meaning: “I prefer this type of car for three reasons. Firstly, it’s economical and reliable. Secondly, it’s a good price. Last but not least—it’s easy to maintain.” Literally: I prefer this type of motor for three reasons. Firstly, it’s economic and reliable. Secondly, it’s a good price. Lastly but not the least—it’s easy around to maintain.
So jammer, maar my suster het my hulp nodig gehad. Daarom kon ek nie die vergadering bywoon nie.	Meaning: “So sorry, but my sister needed my help. Therefore, I couldn’t attend the meeting.” Literally: So sorry, but my sister has my help need had. Therefore could I not the meeting attend not.
Ek loop vinnig sodat ek by die groep kan hou.	Meaning: “I’m walking fast to stay with the group.” Literally: I walk fast so that I with the group can keep.
Die rede waarom ek daar wil werk is omdat die maatskappy goed betaal, en omdat hulle hul personeel goed behandel.	Meaning: “The reason I’d like to work there is because the company pays well, and they treat their employees well.” Literally: The reason why I there will work is because the company good pays, and because they their employees good treat.

4. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Making Complaints, Remarks, and Recommendations

People rely on other people to recommend or reject products, places, and services. So anytime we make a complaint or recommendation, we’re helping one another make good choices!

➜ Arm yourself with this restaurant-related vocabulary before dining out in South Africa.

Jy moet hierdie restaurant se sjokolade nagereg proe. Dis die beste wat ek nog ooit gehad het! (“You should try this restaurant’s chocolate dessert. It’s the best I’ve ever had!”)

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Probeer die koue Kolombiaanse koffie, dis heerlik!	Meaning: “Try the cold brew Colombian coffee; it’s very tasty!” Literally: Try the cold Colombian coffee, it’s very tasty!
Jy moet hierdie restaurant se sjokolade nagereg proe. Dis die beste wat ek nog ooit gehad het!	Meaning: “You should try this restaurant’s chocolate dessert. It’s the best I’ve ever had!” Literally: You must this restaurant’s chocolate dessert taste. It’s the best what I since ever had has.
Ek kan die Uithoek Vakansieoord aanbeveel. Ons het ons vakansie daar baie geniet.	Meaning: “I can recommend the Uithoek Holiday Resort. We enjoyed our holiday there a lot.” Literally: I can the Uithoek Holiday Resort recommend. We have our holiday there lots enjoy.
Probeer dit gerus. Ek dink jy sal dit geniet!	Meaning: “You’re welcome to try it. I think you’ll enjoy it!” Literally: Try it at ease. I think you shall it enjoy! Note: Gerus means “with confidence and peace of mind.” I don’t think there’s a single-word equivalent in English, but it’s somewhat similar to “freely” in the phrase “Ask freely.”
Daardie plek se diens is uitstekend!	Meaning: “That place’s service is excellent!”
Jammer maar die diens was uiters swak. Ek wil met die bestuurder praat, asseblief.	Meaning: “Sorry to say, but the service was extremely poor. I would like to speak to the manager, please.” Literally: Sorry, but the service was extremely poor. I will with the manager talk, please.
Hierdie botter is oud. Kan ek vars botter kry, asseblief?	Meaning: “This butter is stale. May I have some fresh butter, please?” Literally: This butter is old. Can I fresh butter get, please?
Swak diens. Kan nie die winkel aanbeveel nie.	Meaning: “Poor service. Can’t recommend the shop.” Literally: Poor service. Can not the shop recommend not.
Hulle nasorg-diens is uitstekend.	Meaning: “Their after-care service is excellent.”

➜ Feeling intimidated regarding the use of these intermediate Afrikaans words and phrases in a conversation? Don’t worry, that’s normal! We recommend you watch this short AfrikaansPod101 video to learn some wonderful tips on how to break through any resistance you feel when it comes to speaking Afrikaans (or any other language)!

5. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations

Once you’ve mastered all of the previous Afrikaans phrases for intermediate students, you’ll have to be ready for when you’re on the receiving end. Here’s how to respond!

Uitstekende voorstel, kom ons doen dit. (“Excellent suggestion. Let’s do it.”)

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Ek sal dit beslis probeer.	Meaning: “I will definitely try it.” Literally: I shall it definitely try.
Ek ken dit en ja, dis heerlik.	Meaning: “I know it, and yes, it’s delicious.”
O nee, dis nie vir my nie! Ek hou nie daarvan nie.	Meaning: “Oh no, that’s not for me! I don’t like it.” Literally: Oh no, that’s not for me not! I like not there-from not.
Dis fantastiese nuus! Ek is bly vir jou.	Meaning: “That’s fantastic news! I’m happy for you.” Literally: That’s fantastic news! I is happy for you.
Dankie dat jy my vroegtydig sê.	Meaning: “Thank you for letting me know in advance.” Literally: Thank you that you me early-timely say.
Uitstekende voorstel, kom ons doen dit.	Meaning: “Excellent suggestion. Let’s do it.” Literally: Excellent suggestion, come we do it.
Ek het ook lus daarvoor!	Meaning: “I also feel like having that!” Literally: I have also desire there-front!
Ek is jammer om dit te hoor. Hoop jy voel gou beter.	Meaning: “I’m sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon.” Literally: I is sorry to it to hear. Hope you feel soon better.
Fantasies! Ek’s bly jy kan kom.	Meaning: “Fantastic! I’m glad you can make it.” Literally: Fantastic! I’s happy you can come.
Jammer jy kon nie daar wees nie.	Meaning: “Sorry you couldn’t be there.” Literally: Sorry you could not there be not.
Dankie vir die aanbeveling / raad / waarskuwing.	Meaning: “Thanks for the recommendation / advice / warning.”
Dis goed om te weet, dankie. Ek sal dit in gedagte hou.	Meaning: “That’s good to know, thanks. I will keep it in mind.” Literally: It’s good around to know, thanks. I shall it in thought keep.
Dis indrukwekkend / ongelooflik / fantasies / ‘n jammerte.	Meaning: “That’s impressive / unbelievable / fantastic / a pity.”
Ag wel, dis ‘n jammerte, maar dit kan nie verhelp word nie.	Meaning: “Ah well, that’s a pity, but it can’t be helped.” Literally: Ah well, that’s a sorry-ness, but it can not helped be not.
Moenie bekommerd wees nie, ek verstaan.	Meaning: “Don’t worry; I understand.” Literally: Don’t worried be not, I understand.
Ek sien wat jy bedoel en ek stem saam.	Meaning: “I see what you mean, and I agree.” Literally: I see what you mean and I vote together.
Ek voel ook so!	Meaning: “I feel the same!” Literally: I feel also so!
Jammer vir die ongerief; ek sal dit gou regstel / regmaak.	Meaning: “Sorry for the inconvenience; I’ll quickly fix it.” Literally: Sorry for the inconvenience; I shall it quick right-set / fix.
My ervaring was anders gewees.	Meaning: “My experience was different.” Literally: My experience was different has been.
TUSSENVOEGSELS / INTERJECTIONS
Sjoe!	Wow! / Phew!
Rerig? / Werklik?	Really? / Truly?
Baie geluk!	Congratulations!
Wraggies, nê?!	Meaning: “Who’d have thought, hey?!” / “Impressive, hey?!” Note: The word wraggies has no direct English translation or equivalent. The phrase is close but not entirely similar in meaning to “Really, hey?”
Fantasties!	Fantastic! / Awesome!
Jy speel seker…!	Meaning: “You’re joking!” Literally: You play probably…!
Haai?!	Literally: Shark?! Note: I don’t think this interjection has an equivalent in English. It’s close in meaning to the Yiddish exclamation of dismay and upset “Oy!” It’s used as an expression of surprise or incredulity, especially when you think something is shocking, inappropriate, or naughty. It’s characterized by a rising intonation at the end of the word, like when you’re asking a question.
Askies. / Skiestog. Note: These are informal and semi-informal homophonic interjections.	” ‘scuse me.”
Verskoon my. Note: This is the formal version of the previous interjections.	Meaning: “Excuse me.” / “Pardon me.” Literally: Ver-clean me.
Example Dialogue: A: Ek is gister bevorder by die werk. B: Wraggies, nê? Baie geluk! Dis fantastiese nuus! Ek’s bly vir jou. Meaning: A: “I was promoted at work yesterday.” B: “Impressive! Congratulations! That’s fantastic news! I’m happy for you.”

6. Intermediate Afrikaans Phrases—Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings

Doing business with Afrikaners? Make sure to get your etiquette just right, and blow their socks off with your polished command of their language! Below are several intermediate phrases in Afrikaans you can use to put your best foot forward.

➜ Also, take a look at this video for some great business-related Afrikaans words and phrases.

Baie dankie, ek verstaan dit nou beter. (“Thanks a lot, I understand it better now.”)

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Bly te kenne, ek’s Carol. Note: This is an acceptable but slightly antiquated greeting.	Meaning: “Pleased to meet you. I’m Carol.” Literally: Pleased to know (you), I’m Carol. Informal and semi-formal
Ek is Carol. Lekker om jou te ontmoet.	Meaning: “I am Carol. Nice to meet you.” Literally: I is Carol. Nice to you to meet. Informal
My naam is Carol. Dis goed om jou te ontmoet.	Meaning: “My name is Carol. It’s good to meet you.” Literally: My name is Carol. It’s good to you to meet. Formal
Gaan dit goed?	Meaning: “Are you well?” Literally: Goes it well?
Welkom hier by ons.	Meaning: “Welcome!” Literally: Welcome here with us.
Asseblief, maak jouself tuis.	Meaning: “Please make yourself at home.” Literally: Please, make yourself home.
Smaaklike ete!	Meaning: “Bon appetit!” Literally: Tasty meal! Semi-informal and formal
Lekker eet!	Meaning: “Enjoy the meal!” Literally: Nice eat! Informal
Dankie, ek waardeer jou moeite.	Meaning: “Thanks, I appreciate your effort.”
Kan ek help met enigiets?	Meaning: “Can I help with anything?”
Vra gerus as enigiets onduidelik is.	Meaning: “Feel free to ask if anything is unclear.” Literally: Ask with ease if anything unclear is.
Vra gerus as jy enigiets nodig het.	Meaning: “Feel free to ask if you need anything.” Literally: Ask freely if you anything need have.
Geen probleem, ek help graag.	Meaning: “I will help, no problem.” Literally: No problem, I help gladly.
Kan jy dit herhaal, asseblief?	Meaning: “Could you repeat that, please?” Literally: Can you it repeat, please?
Asseblief kan jy hierdie vir my verduidelik?	Meaning: “Would you please explain this to me?” Literally: Please can you here-this for me explain?
Baie dankie, ek verstaan dit nou beter.	Meaning: “Thank you very much. I understand it better now.” Literally: Many thank, I understand it now better.
Dit was baie aangenaam om jou hier te hê.	Meaning: “It was very pleasant to have you here.” Literally: It was very pleasant to you here to have.
Ek sien uit om gou van jou te hoor.	Meaning: “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” Literally: I look out around quickly of you to hear.
Voorspoedige reis!	Meaning: “Have a safe / good trip!” Literally: Prosperous journey!

7. Learn the best intermediate Afrikaans phrases for all occasions at AfrikaansPod101.com!

At AfrikaansPod101.com, we can help you understand Afrikaans easily with our hundreds of recorded videos and variety of themed vocabulary lists. With our help, your transition to the intermediate phase in Afrikaans will be smooth and enjoyable. We’ll make sure you’re able to use essential phrases correctly and speak like a native in no time!

Also, decipher Afrikaans phrases yourself with the numerous tools we make available to you upon subscription, such as the Afrikaans Key Phrase List and the Afrikaans Core 100 Word List. Also, keep our Afrikaans online dictionary closeby for easy translation! 

Sign up now!

About the author: Christa Davel is a bilingual (Afrikaans and English) writer currently living in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.

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 klip pot die teiken reg in die middel. (“The stone pots the target right in the center.”)
• Sy vuis pot die dief op die ken. (“His fist hits the thief on the chin.”) 

In Afrikaans, it’s generally used this way more often than in English, though.

The second part of the word, gooi, is also a verb. It means “to throw,” or…wait for it…”to cast.”

Luister na ‘n potgooi enige plek, enige tyd. (“Listen to a podcast anywhere, anytime.”)

So, if you found the word a bit puzzling, that’s okay. As you now know, nobody’s throwing around kitchenware or potted plants when using potgooie (“podcasts”). In English, “cast” is derived from “broadcast,” which is exactly what these digital audio files are: a form of online episodic broadcasting. “Pod” is short for “iPod“—the portable electronic media player that replaced Walkmans in the early 2000s.

Table of Contents

1. Why You Should Use Afrikaans Podcasts for Language Learning
2. The Best Afrikaans Podcasts for Learners
3. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Podcasts Help You Learn Afrikaans?

1. Why You Should Use Afrikaans Podcasts for Language Learning

Why should you love Afrikaans podcasts? Free language learning tools abound on the internet, and podcasts are among the most popular of these. Here are a few reasons why they’re ideal for learning Afrikaans.

• Podcasts are extremely convenient and easy to use. All you need is internet access.
• You can download podcast episodes onto your device to listen to repeatedly—anywhere, anytime.
• It’s an economical means of sharpening your Afrikaans skills (such as pronunciation and vocabulary acquisition) because, as mentioned previously, many of them are free.
• Podcasts come in all lengths and deal with every topic under the sun. This makes them an interesting way to learn about the country of your target language, too. 

→ If you’re also interested in learning about foreign countries, take a look at this article about a prominent tourist destination in South Africa.

‘n Goeie potgooi kan ‘n nuwe wêreld ontsluit vir die luisteraar. (“A good podcast can unlock a new world for the listener.”)

2. The Best Afrikaans Podcasts for Learners

So, what’s available in terms of useful Afrikaans podcasts? We’ve done the research, and while there aren’t many for beginner students of Afrikaans, there’s quite a selection of high-quality recordings to choose from for intermediate to advanced students.

2.1 AfrikaansPod101.com

Levels: Beginner to Advanced
Costs: Free and Paid options
Linguistic Purity: High
Profanity: None

Irrespective of your current competency level, AfrikaansPod101.com is definitely the most extensive online resource for Afrikaans-language acquisition. As the site name (AfrikaansPod101.com) suggests, the main learning tool here is short, topic-focused podcasts. But upon subscribing for a free lifetime membership, plenty of other resources become available too. 

The Premium PLUS paid subscription (at a low monthly cost) includes access to an online, native Afrikaans-speaking teacher or coach—valuable, if fluency and accurate pronunciation are important to you.

Our podcast selection is updated regularly, and our content focus is on useful, day-to-day themes. Take, for example, this bite-size podcast on how to introduce yourself in Afrikaans.

Also, a large selection of these podcasts is available on podcast sites such as Radio South Africa, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, and so forth. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse and comprehensive Afrikaans learning site, and the fact that it includes so many free resources makes it the optimal choice for learners at every level.

AfrikaansPod101.com bied verreweg die beste potgooie om Afrikaans mee te leer. (“AfrikaansPod101 hands-down offers the best podcasts to learn Afrikaans with.”)

2.2 RSG (Radio Sonder Grense – “Radio Without Borders”)

Levels: Upper-intermediate to Advanced
Costs: Free
Linguistic Purity: High
Profanity: None

Radio is the grandfather of today’s podcasts, so it only makes sense for us to take a peek at the website of one of South Africa’s premier radio broadcasting stations. The RSG radio station upholds a high standard of talk radio, and it doesn’t disappoint in terms of quality podcasts either.

This radio broadcaster’s site is replete with professionally created episodic recordings for every taste. I particularly like the ongoing Sterre en Planete (“Stars and Planets”) documentary series, which is easily accessible on the podcast site Player FM. Episodes are under 30 minutes long and get updated every two weeks. Also, the content is riveting. Did you know that bottles of South African wine were sent into space for over 400 days? Listen to Episode 16 Mei 2021 (“May 16, 2021”) to learn how this unusual location affected the wine’s aging and taste.

If you love learning Afrikaans with the help of stories and fiction, RSG‘s collection of radio dramas and book readings are a treasure trove. Another podcast site, IONO FM, is a great resource for this, too. For instance, under the heading Radioteater (“Radio Theater”), one-hour-long radio dramas ignite the imagination with colorful characters and storylines. Episodes are approximately an hour long and get updated every week over two seasons each year: April to June and October to December.

Leer in ‘n RSG potgooi hoe wyn verouder is in die ruimte. (“Learn in an RSG podcast how wine was aged in space.”)

2.3 Afrikaans.com

Levels: Upper-intermediate to Advanced
Costs: Free
Linguistic Purity: Medium
Profanity: None

Afrikaans.com is a fairly new journalistic, online collaboration between a group of Afrikaner women who aim to verken (“explore”), vier (“celebrate”), and bemagtig (“empower”) the Afrikaans language. The site’s offerings are diverse, but listeners need to understand the spoken language fairly well for the best experience. 

I liked the podcast series with host Edwin van der Walt, who interviews young, inspiring South Africans from all walks of life. They all share their struggles and ideals, and the language is pretty standard for that demographic. Each episode is approximately an hour long, and the series is updated every two months or so.

Also consider the newly introduced series called Luister (“Listen”), which kicks off with the reading of Padkampstories (“Road Camp Stories”), written by Amanda Greeff. The book comprises the memoirs of a girl who was raised on the road, so to speak. Her father was a laborer in the government road-building teams, whose families often traveled along and lived in padkampe (“road camps”) during very long projects. If you can get past the slightly irritating backing track, this is an excellent way to practice your pronunciation skills and simultaneously be entertained by a sometimes-nostalgic look into a specific Afrikaner subculture.

Geniet Afrikaanse radiodrama en voorlesing potgooie—teater van die verbeelding. (“Enjoy Afrikaans radio drama and reading podcasts—theater of the imagination.”)

2.4 Niche Afrikaans Podcasts

Levels: Advanced
Costs: Free
Linguistic Purity: Medium – High
Profanity: None

Interested in business? Agriculture? Traveling? Health? If you have the Afrikaans language under your belt and can understand it fairly well, these niche podcasts are a must:

➢ BoerPot (“Farmer’s Pot”) Podcast: Whether you’re ‘n boer in murg en been (literally: “a farmer in marrow and bone”), a student of agriculture, or simply curious about the industry, this series of Afrikaans podcasts are sure to fascinate and inform. Seasoned journalist and radio presenter, Jacques Basson, conducts informative and very professionally executed interviews with successful South African farmers and entrepreneurs. While the series, unfortunately, lacks race and gender diversity, the podcasts are nevertheless of high quality—this makes them ideal for practicing your Afrikaans listening, comprehension, and articulation skills. Episodes are updated periodically and are available for listening on multiple platforms.

➢ Weg Stories (“Away Stories”) Podcast: Does your soul long for savannas and long, quiet roads? With these excellent traveling podcasts, let your imagination transport you to a few of South Africa’s beautiful neighboring countries. Sadly, the series was terminated after only seven episodes, but it remains more than worth the listen. Each episode is approximately an hour long and professionally presented (in beautiful Afrikaans) by skilled presenter Francois Haasbrook. He converses with colleagues, experts, and seasoned travelers.

➢ Klipkouers (“Rock Munchers”) Podcasts: This is another podcast series presented by Jacques Basson, but here he interviews inspiring Afrikaans entrepreneurs and “impact makers,” as he calls them. These movers and shakers are from various industries and share inspirational life stories and tips for success. I especially liked the interview with Morné Basson, whose triumph of the spirit translated into a great service for young fatherless boys. The series is also not very diverse in terms of race and gender, but it provides quality listening and learning material nevertheless. It’s played on many platforms, and each episode is approximately one hour long. Note that, here and there, episodes overlap with Boerpot.

➢ SFM Streek Potgooi: This is another radio broadcast station with a designated potgooi section. Though still under development, SFM‘s podcast service is a promising enterprise that gives a glimpse into regional (specifically Southern Cape) news and lifestyle. Also, many episodes are bite-size, ranging from as short as five minutes to as long as 30 minutes. Topics, so far, include health and wellbeing, religion (Christian), and Allegaartjie (a quaint Afrikaans term that means the same as “hotchpotch” or “mixed pot”).

Radio-uitsendings is die voorvader van potgooie. (“Radio broadcasts are the forefather of podcasts.”)

3. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Podcasts Help You Learn Afrikaans?

As previously mentioned, podcasts can be a very helpful tool to help you learn Afrikaans. Here’s how we suggest you make use of them. But before you do—sign up and download the AfrikaansPod101 app straight away! It’s a versatile and very useful tool for students on the go.

3.1 Practice Shadowing

“Shadowing” is the term for repeating words and phrases after a native speaker. Or, to put it differently, you listen to a recorded lesson or a podcast, repeating what you hear as you go along. You could also download the audio tracks from the site to replay them over and over again. (Use the Pause button in a podcast so you never have to miss a beat. The AfrikaansPod101 app is great for this!) You can do this anytime you have a moment to practice, such as when you’re sitting in the subway, commuting on the bus, or driving in your car.

3.2 Set Specific Goals for Easy Conversation

Set a specific goal and practice regularly. Speaking is almost always the weakest skill for language learners. To improve yours, start by deciding on an everyday topic, such as the weather, and then search for the appropriate podcast with a transcript. From the transcript, jot down a few sentences that you’d like to memorize. Now use both the recording and the written sentences to practice, practice, practice, till you can use the phrases with ease in any conversation!

3.3 Commit to a Few Minutes of Practice Every Day

If you really want to use podcasts to learn Afrikaans, commitment matters. Put time into your learning and make it a goal to practice shadowing for at least five to ten minutes a day, for instance. Alternate between using the podcast’s transcript and not using it; this will enhance your understanding and challenge you a bit. Peter Galante, co-founder and COO of InnovativeLanguage.com, calls these short sessions “productive practice.”

3.4 Record Yourself

Record yourself on any device, such as your smartphone or your computer. This tactic allows you to hear what your Afrikaans sounds like so you can more easily improve your pronunciation.

3.5 Learn the Grammar! 

Grammar is the theoretical backbone of any language. The rules provide structure and order, which makes a language easier to study. If you’re following a specific learning path, such as those we offer at AfrikaansPod101.com, you will be constantly evaluated to see how you’re doing with the grammar aspect of your learning. Podcasts highlight different aspects of grammar and can be an invaluable resource in this regard.

3.6 Get Feedback from Native Speakers

Feedback, while difficult to receive sometimes, is a very necessary part of learning. Receiving feedback from a tutor or native Afrikaans speaker is the only way you’re going to know how you’re really doing. With your own AfrikaansPod101 teacher (a real person—not an algorithm or a bot!), you’ll be required to record yourself for evaluation. They’ll give you valuable advice and help you with specific grammar and pronunciation issues.

Don’t hesitate—enroll with AfrikaansPod101 today and start learning with Afrikaans podcasts straight away!

About the author: Christa Davel is an experienced bilingual (Afrikaans and English) freelance writer and editor, and is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.

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

1. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: Social Etiquette
2. Easy Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: Greetings and Introductions
3. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: On the Move
4. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: In Shops and Restaurants
5. More Essential Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners
6. Formal vs. Informal Speech for Afrikaans Beginners
7. Easily Learn Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners at AfrikaansPod101.com!

1. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: Social Etiquette

I’m going to start with the most common Afrikaans words and phrases for beginners that will ensure a positive response from native speakers. These phrases specifically oil the gears of civil, friendly conversation, so they’re important to know. Why not memorize them straight away? (You could use this free audio lesson, too.)

Gebruik goeie Afrikaanse beginner frases in enige situasie. / “Use good Afrikaans beginner phrases in any situation.”

In South Africa, using the following phrases is considered good social etiquette. One could view them as pleasantries, or “polite social remarks,” as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary would have it.

You’ll notice that they’re very similar to the pleasantries used in other Germanic languages.

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Baie dankie.	Meaning: “Thank you very much.” Literally: Many thank you.
Dankie.	Meaning: “Thank you.”
Nee, dankie.	Meaning: “No, thanks.”
Ja, dankie.	Meaning: “Yes, thanks.”
Plesier!	Meaning: “Pleasure!” Informal
Dis ‘n plesier. NOTES: This, and the previous pleasantry, are the Afrikaans responses to any form of dankie (“thank you”). The Afrikaans equivalents of “You’re welcome,” “It’s nothing,” and “No problem,” are adapted from English. However, Dis ‘n plesier is one of the oldest recorded responses to Dankie.	Meaning: “It’s a pleasure.” Formal and semi-formal
Asseblief NOTES: Like native English speakers, Afrikaners use “please” and “thank you” often because it’s considered a show of respect. This is important, especially when dealing with strangers. More important than that, though, is your tone of voice and body language.  You will be forgiven if you forget to say “please” or “thank you” to a stranger, as long as you’re addressing them calmly and with an appropriate level of friendliness while maintaining eye contact. (No need to stare like a psycho! Simply being friendly and sincere will do.)	Meaning: “Please”
Verskoon my. / Ekskuus. NOTE: Like in English, these polite terms are used to attract someone’s attention.	Meaning: “Pardon me.” / “Excuse me.” Formal
Jammer! / Askies! NOTE: These can be used in lieu of Verskoon my or Ekskuus, somewhat like the British habit of apologizing for just about everything!	Meaning: “Sorry!”

2. Easy Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: Greetings and Introductions

First impressions matter! Boost yours enormously by fluently greeting, introducing yourself, and saying goodbye with these basic Afrikaans phrases for beginners.

Maak ‘n goeie indruk op jou Afrikaanse kollegas met jou Afrikaanse taalgebruik. / Approximate: “Impress your Afrikaans colleagues with your good grasp of the language.”

Many of these greetings can be used on their own in both informal and formal situations. (Read on for more information about formal forms of address!)

Now, let’s look at these easy Afrikaans beginner phrases for greetings and introductions.

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Haai! / Hallo!	Meaning: “Hi!” / “Hello!” Very casual
Haai daar! / Hallo daar!	Meaning: “Hi there!” / “Hello there!” Very casual
Goeiemore / Goeiedag / Goeienaand, Meneer Smit.	Meaning: “Good morning / Good day / Good evening, Mister Smit.” Formal
Goeiemore / Goeiedag / Goeienaand, Bernard!	Meaning: “Good morning / Good day / Good evening, Bernard!” Informal
Wat is jou naam?	Meaning: “What is your name?” Semi-informal and informal
Aangename kennis, my naam is Carol.	Meaning: “Pleased to meet you; my name is Carol.” Literally: Pleasant acquaintance; my name is Carol. Formal and semi-formal
Goeienaand. Ek is Carol.	Meaning: “Good evening. I am Carol.” Informal and semi-informal

→ Do you think you’ll need some additional Afrikaans phrases for beginners when you first meet people? Then take a look at this article too: How to Say “Hello” in Afrikaans Like a Native Speaker!

Goeiemore! Hoe gaan dit? / “Good morning! How are you?”

In many cultures, inquiring about someone’s well-being is part of the greeting ritual. It’s the same in Afrikaner culture—we consider it polite and appropriate to ask someone how they’re doing when we’ve greeted them. 

Depending on how well we know each other, the reply can be contextual, detailed, and personal, or it can simply be an affirmation that everything’s fine. 

Here are the best Afrikaans beginner phrases for asking after someone’s well-being. We have also included phrases you could use in reply to these questions. 

→ Want to work on your pronunciation and build your vocabulary? Great! Check out this fantastic resource that’s completely free.

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Hoe gaan dit?	Meaning: “How are you doing?” Literally: How goes it? Informal
Goed, dankie!	Meaning: “Doing well, thank you!” Literally: Good, thank you! Informal
Hoe gaan dit met jou?	Meaning: “How are you doing?” Literally: How goes it with you? Formal and semi-informal
Dit gaan goed met my, dankie.	Meaning: “I’m doing well, thank you.” Literally: It goes good with me, thank you. Formal and semi-informal

3. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: On the Move

Are you a traveler planning to visit one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world? Great! For a better travel experience in South Africa, we recommend arming yourself with these Afrikaans phrases for beginners.

Waar is die winkels? / “Where are the shops?”

Note: In all these phrases, the nouns can be replaced as needed. For instance, in the question Waar is die winkels? (“Where are the shops?”), the specific article and the noun—die winkels (“the shops”)—can be replaced with the unspecific article ‘n (“a”) and any appropriate noun.

• ‘n hospitaal / “a hospital”
• ‘n petrol stasie / “a gas station”
• die polisie stasie / “the police station”
• ‘n taxi / “a taxi”
• ‘n bus / “a bus” 

→ To learn more about Afrikaans nouns and how to use them in sentences, also visit our blog post on the 100+ most common nouns in Afrikaans.

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Links Regs Reguit Voor Agter Langs / Bo op	Left Right Straight Ahead / Before Behind / After Next to / On top of
Ek is hier.	Meaning: “I am here.”
Ons het geland.	Meaning: “We have landed.”
Hy vertrek nou.	Meaning: “He’s departing soon.” Literally: He departs now.
Ek is van België af.	Meaning: “I am from Belgium.” Literally: I is from Belgium of.
Ek is op die lughawe.	Meaning: “I am at the airport.” Literally: I am on the airport.
Waar bly jy?	Meaning: “Where do you stay?” Literally: Where stay you?
Ek bly in die Mount Nelson Hotel.	Meaning: “I’m staying at the Mount Nelson Hotel.” Literally: I stay in the Mount Nelson Hotel.
Ons gaan strand toe.	Meaning: “We’re going to the beach.” Literally: We go beach to.
Waar is die winkels?	Meaning: “Where are the shops?” Literally: Where is the shops?
Ek soek ‘n apteek.	Meaning: “I’m looking for a pharmacy.” Literally: I seek a pharmacy.
Asseblief wys my op die padkaart.	Meaning: “Please show me on the roadmap.”
Waarheen gaan hierdie trein?	Meaning: “Where is this train going?” Literally: Whereto goes this train?
Hoe laat vertrek ons?	Meaning: “What time are we leaving?” Literally: How late leave we?
Hoe laat arriveer ons?	Meaning: “What time will we arrive?” Literally: How late arrive we?
Die vlug is vertraag.	Meaning: “The flight has been delayed.” Literally: The flight is delayed.
Op watter dag?	Meaning: “On which day?”

4. Basic Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners: In Shops and Restaurants

Shopping and eating are two inevitable activities, no matter where you find yourself. Here are the best phrases in Afrikaans for beginners who plan to eat out and rummage through flea markets and shops.

Die kos is heerlik. / “The food is delicious.”

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Ek het ‘n bespreking.	Meaning: “I have a reservation.”
Het julle ‘n tafel oop?	Meaning: “Do you have a table available?”  Literally: Have you a table open?
Die spyskaart, asseblief?	Meaning: “The menu, please?”
Bedien julle wyn?	Meaning: “Do you serve wine?” Literally: Serve you wine?
Enige vegetariese disse?	Meaning: “Do you serve vegetarian dishes?”  Literally: Any vegetarian dishes?
Ek is allergies vir ___.	Meaning: “I am allergic to ___.”
Ek wil hierdie hê, asseblief.	Meaning: “I want this, please.” Literally: I will this want, please.
Ek wil water hê, asseblief.	Meaning: “I want water, please.” Literally: I will water want, please.
Die kos is heerlik.	Meaning: “The food is delicious.”
Dankie, dit was lekker. NOTES: This phrase can be used not only to praise food, but also when an activity or experience was enjoyable. Lekker is a common slang word that’s used to indicate approval and enjoyment. When dining in a formal context, however, only use this word to praise the food.	Meaning: “Thanks, that was nice.” Literally: Thanks, that was tasty.
Die rekening, asseblief?	Meaning: “The check, please?”
Ek wil betaal.	Meaning: “I want to pay.” Literally: I will pay.
Neem julle kredietkaarte?	Meaning: “Do you take credit cards?” Literally: Take you credit cards?
Het jy kontant?	Meaning: “Do you have cash?” Literally: Have you cash?
Hoeveel kos dit?	Meaning: “How much does this cost?” Literally: How much costs this?
Jammer, dis te duur.	Meaning: “Sorry, that’s too expensive.”

5. More Essential Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners

Here are a few good emergency and survival phrases to memorize!

Waar is die kleedkamer? / “Where is the bathroom?”

AFRIKAANS	ENGLISH
Waar is die toilet? NOTE: This is okay to ask in casual situations. However, if you’re in more polite or formal company, you might want to use kleedkamer (“restroom”) or badkamer (“bathroom”) instead of toilet (“toilet”).	Meaning: “Where is the bathroom?” Literally: Where is the toilet?
Praat jy Engels?	Meaning: “Do you speak English?” Literally: Speak you English?
Ek praat nie Afrikaans nie.	Meaning: “I don’t speak Afrikaans.” Literally: I speak not Afrikaans not.
Ek verstaan net Engels.	Meaning: “I only understand English.” Literally: I understand only English.
Ek verstaan nie.	Meaning: “I don’t understand.” Literally: I understand not.
Ek verstaan.	Meaning: “I understand.”
Ek weet nie.	Meaning: “I don’t know.” Literally: I know not.
Ek weet.	Meaning: “I know.”
Sê weer, asseblief?	Meaning: “Say again, please?”
Skryf dit neer, asseblief.	Meaning: “Write it down, please.”
Ek het verdwaal.	Meaning: “I’m lost.” Literally: I have lost.
Kan jy my help?	Meaning: “Could you help me?” Literally: Can you me help?
Help my, asseblief.	Meaning: “Help me, please.”
Dis dringend.	Meaning: “It’s urgent.”

6. Formal vs. Informal Speech for Afrikaans Beginners

Need to become acquainted with formal Afrikaans for an upcoming meeting with VIPs? No problem!

Formele aanspreekvorme is steeds belangrik in sommige werksopsette. / “Addressing people formally is still important in some work settings.”

Formal Afrikaans is indicated by the use of a single formal pronoun. Especially in cities, the use of the formal pronoun is not that prevalent—unless:

• you’re meeting with government dignitaries, officers of the law, etc. (in other words, people whose official rank demands a level of formality and a respectful demeanor);
• you’re meeting someone senior to you at work for the first time (unless they introduce themselves by their first name); or
• you’re meeting elderly Afrikaners for the first time, irrespective of their status or rank.

In these instances, you would always use the formal Afrikaans pronoun, and you could add the person’s title and surname if you happen to know them. You would also use the title and surname of these people if you need to indicate who you’re talking about in conversation, as in:

Ek wil graag vir President Ramaphosa ontmoet.
“I would like to meet President Ramaphosa.”

Other appropriate titles include: 

• Professor (“Professor”)
• Dokter (“Doctor”)
• Dominee (Approximate: “Pastor” / “Preacher”)

And more common formal forms of address include:

• Meneer (“Mr.” / “Mister”)
• Mevrou (“Mrs.” / “Madam”)
• Mejuffrou / Me (“Ms.” / “Miss”)
• Dame (“Lady”) – if you don’t know their marital status

Social etiquette requires that you either wait for an invitation to address the person by their first name, or until you are told to drop the formal speech.

A lot of information? Don’t worry! Most of these pertinent phrases in Afrikaans for beginners can be used with the following pronouns:

Informal Pronouns	Formal Pronoun
jy / jou (“you” / “your”)	U (“you” / “your”)

→ For a more in-depth look at Afrikaans pronouns and how we use them, also check out this article.

Keep It Simple, Silly!

Tip: As a student, always remember the KISS rule. If you ever feel stuck in or overwhelmed by the intricacies of your studies, go stand in front of the mirror and remind yourself (nicely and kindly!) to “Keep It Simple, Silly!” Then give yourself an encouraging smile!

Seriously though—simple is good. It’s a wise learning strategy to master the simple basics first; that way, you’ll be laying a sound foundation for more complex, difficult content. 

Also, nobody’s expecting you to be perfect! Afrikaners tend to be a nice crowd; we won’t call the Grammar Police if you make any kind of mistake while trying to speak Afrikaans. In fact, we’re much more likely to be impressed and pleased that you’re making an effort to learn our language, no matter how simple your speech.

7. Easily Learn Afrikaans Phrases for Beginners at AfrikaansPod101.com!

Which of these Afrikaans phrases for beginners do you think you would be most likely to use? 

At AfrikaansPod101.com, we can help you understand Afrikaans easily with our hundreds of recorded videos and other useful study tools (such as these vocabulary lists). With our help, you’ll be able to use each of these phrases correctly and speak like a native in no time.

You can decipher Afrikaans phrases for beginners with the multiple resources we make available to you upon subscription, such as the Afrikaans Key Phrase List and the Afrikaans Core 100 Word List. Also, keep our Afrikaans online dictionary closeby for easy translation.

Still hesitating? Don’t! Subscribe now. You will be very happy you did.

About the author: Christa Davel is a bilingual (Afrikaans and English) writer currently living in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been writing for InnovativeLanguage.com since 2017.