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.

Wow, congratulations—you’re at an advanced level in your Afrikaans studies! Good for you. 

Hopefully, you won’t stop now, because there’s a lot more to master. To help you, we have compiled some advanced Afrikaans words and phrases in the most pertinent categories for easy access and assimilation. If you want to improve your advanced Afrikaans vocabulary, wordlists like these are among the best tools to use. Also, feel free to ask us in the comments if anything needs clarification.

Remember to keep your learning fun by using fun resources. For instance, take a look at this article about a great online resource that’s completely free!

Onthou om jou studies te geniet. / “Remember to enjoy your studies.”

Great! Let’s get busy with the most common Afrikaans advanced words right away.

Table of Contents

1. General Advanced Afrikaans Words
2. Advanced Business Vocabulary (Gevorderde Besigheidswoordeskat)
3. Advanced Medical Vocabulary (Gevorderde Mediese Woordeskat)
4. Advanced Legal Vocabulary (Gevorderde Wetswoordeskat)
5. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Ace Advanced Afrikaans Words?

1. General Advanced Afrikaans Words

1.1 Advanced Afrikaans Words – Verbs (Werkwoorde)

#1. Argumenteer / Debatteer	Mens kan argumenteer dat hierdie nie altyd van toepassing is nie. Ons kan ure hieroor debateer.
To argue, reason, or debate	One can argue that this is not always applicable. We can debate this for hours.
#2. Redeneer / Beredeneer	Mens kan redeneer oor die toepaslikheid van gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde in hierdie konteks.
	One can debate the appropriateness of advanced Afrikaans words in this context.

Note: Many Afrikaans verbs are popular Anglicisms, meaning that they sound just like their English counterparts. They are used by Afrikaans speakers despite the fact that, for the most part, there are perfectly good Afrikaans equivalents. In a sense, Anglicisms are like alien plant species—they sound fine and “work” in a sentence, but they are not historically native to the language.

#1 is the Anglicism and #2 is purer Afrikaans. Not always, but most often, the words can be used interchangeably.

Bring … bymekaar	Bring die twee bymekaar.
To bring together	Bring the two together.

Begelei	Die klavier begelei die fluit in hierdie sonata.
To accompany	The piano is accompanying the flute in this sonata.

Begeef / Begewe	Ek begeef my in die ysige water. Waarin het jy jouself nou begewe?
To venture into something despite skepticism and/or fear	I venture into the icy water. What did you get yourself into now?

Voldoen	Die Mount Nelson hotel voldoen aan die hoogste standaarde.
To conform	The Mount Nelson Hotel conforms to the highest standards.

Verskoon	Verskoon my, waar is die lys met gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde en frases, asseblief?
To pardon	Pardon me, where is the list with advanced Afrikaans words and phrases, please?

Vergesel	Vergesel die kliënt na die uitgang toe, asseblief. Asseblief sal jy my vergesel na die funksie toe?
To escort or accompany	Escort the client to the exit, please. Will you please accompany me to the function?

Weerhou	Sy weerhou haarself van koffie-drink tydens Lydenstyd. Hy weerhou ‘n skerp antwoord.
To abstain from or to hold back	She abstains from drinking coffee during Lent. He holds back a sharp retort.

 weerhou haarself van koffie-drink tydens Lydenstyd. / “She abstains from drinking coffee during Lent.”

1.2 Advanced Afrikaans Words – Adjectives (Byvoeglike Naamwoorde)

Learn more about Afrikaans adjectives in this article: The Essential Afrikaans Adjectives List. 

Bepaald	Ons gebruik bepaalde en gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde in meeste vakgebiede.
Specific / Particular	We use specific and advanced Afrikaans words in most fields of study.

Besonder	Hierdie is ‘n besondere stuk musiek.
Uncommon / Extraordinary	This is an extraordinary piece of music.

Billik	Vliegtuigkaartjies is heel billik deesdae.
Reasonable	The prices of plane tickets are quite reasonable these days.

Brutaal	Sy memoirs is brutaal eerlik.
Brutal / Brutally	His memoirs are brutally honest.

Sy memoirs is brutaal eerlik. / “His memoirs are brutally honest.”

Gedetailleerde	Die bestuurder verwag ‘n gedetailleerde verslag.
Detailed	The manager is expecting a detailed report.

Gedeeltelik / Ten dele	Sy was net gedeeltelik verantwoordelik vir die ongeluk.
Partly / In part	She was only partly responsible for the accident.

Genoegsaam / Ongenoegsaam	Die polisie het wel genoegsame bewyse.
Adequate, Sufficient / Inadequate, Insufficient	The police do have sufficient proof.

Geskik	Die uitrusting is nie geskik vir die geleentheid nie.
Suitable	The outfit is unsuitable for the occasion.

Gewone / Ongewoon	Hy het ‘n ongewone benadering tot leierskap.
Usual, Common / Unusual, Uncommon	He has an uncommon approach to leadership.

Ongeskik	Dis ongeskik om met jou mond vol kos te praat. Gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde en frases is ongeskik vir hierdie klas.
Rude / Unsuitable	It’s rude to talk with a mouth full of food. Advanced Afrikaans words and phrases are unsuitable for this class.

Onvanpas	Die groep se gedrag in die vergadering was heeltemal onvanpas.
Inappropriate	The group’s behavior in the meeting was completely inappropriate.

Presies/e	Sielkunde is nie ‘n presiese wetenskap nie.
Precise / Exact	Psychology is not an exact science.

Saai	Datavaslegging is gewoonlik ‘n saai werk. ‘n Saai landskap
Cumbersome / Tedious / Bleak	Data capturing is usually a tedious job. A bleak landscape

Datavaslegging is gewoonlik ‘n saai werk. / “Data capturing is usually a tedious job.”

Aanvaarbaar / Onaanvaarbaar	Die terme is aanvaarbaar.
Acceptable / Unacceptable	The terms are acceptable.

Uitgeput	Die voorraad is uitgeput.
Finished / Exhausted	The stock is finished.

Uitsonderlike	Ons doen dit slegs in uitsonderlike gevalle.
Exceptional	We only do that in exceptional cases.

Van toepassing	Gewone taalbeginsels is van toepassing hier.
Applicable	Ordinary language principles are applicable here.

Verwarrend	Hierdie verslag is verwarrend.
Puzzling / Confusing	This report is confusing.

Voordelig	‘n Gesonde dieët is baie voordelig vir jou gesondheid.
Advantageous / Beneficial	A healthy diet is very advantageous to your health.

Voldoende	Met voldoende oefening sal jy vinnig gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde en frases baasraak.
Sufficient	With sufficient practice, you will quickly master advanced Afrikaans words and phrases.

Waarskynlik / Onwaarskynlik	Sy se aanstelling is moontlik maar onwaarskynlik.
Probable / Improbable	His appointment is possible but improbable.

Weergaloos	Haar vertolking van die gedig was weergaloos.
Unparalleled, without parallel or comparison/measure	Her rendition of the poem was without parallel.

‘n Gesonde dieët is baie voordelig vir jou gesondheid. / “Eating healthy is very beneficial for your health.”

1.3 Advanced Afrikaans Words – Adverbs (Bywoorde)

The following list also includes adverbial phrases. As you know, adjectives and adverbs are often the same words, but they are used differently in sentences. Also look at this article on Afrikaans adverbs.

Beswaarlik	Dis beswaarlik die maatskappy se skuld.
Hardly	It’s hardly the company’s fault.

Byna	Die kos is byna genoeg vir ‘n skare.
Almost / Nearly / Not quite	The food is almost enough for a crowd.

Deeglik	Kry eers die mees algemene gevorderde Afrikaanse woorde deeglik onder die knie voor jy hierdie boek aanpak.
Thoroughly	Thoroughly master the most common advanced Afrikaans words before you tackle this book.

Grotendeels	Haar drama klas bestaan grotendeels uit kinders.
Mainly	Her acting class comprises mainly children.

Haar dramaklas bestaan grotendeels uit kinders. / “Her acting class comprises mainly children.”

Grootliks	Die span in ons kantoor is grootliks verantwoordelik vir die projek se sukses.
Largely	Our office’s team is largely responsible for the project’s success.

Letterlik	Moenie dit liewer nie letterlik interpreteer nie.
Literally	Rather don’t interpret it literally.

Matig	Dit proe matig soet.
Moderately	It tastes moderately sweet.

Min-of-meer / Ongeveer	Die lughawe is min-of-meer dertig kilometer ver van die gastehuis af.
More or less / Approximately	The airport is more or less thirty kilometers away from the guest house.

Ongewoon	Sy hand voel ongewoon warm.
Uncommonly	His hand feels uncommonly warm.

Omtrent	Twee teelepels olie is omtrent genoeg.
About	Two teaspoons of oil is about enough.

Seker / Sekerlik	Jy is seker nie ernstig nie?!
Certainly / Surely	Surely you’re not serious?!

Selde	Die Londen vlugte is selde laat.
Seldom / Rarely	The London flights are seldom late.

Die Londen vlugte is selde laat. / “The London flights are seldom late.”

Skaars	Mens merk dit skaars op.
Barely	One barely notices it.

Tans	Ons werk tans aan die probleem.
Currently	We’re currently working on the problem.

Vanselfsprekend	Verandering voel vanselfsprekend moeilik.
Obviously	Change obviously feels difficult.

Verseker	Ons sal verseker kontak hou.
Definitely	We will definitely keep in contact.

1.4 Advanced Afrikaans Words – Conjunctions (Voegwoorde)

Remember, conjunctions connect sentences and concepts, but this doesn’t mean they always appear between words or sentences. Oftentimes, they appear at the beginning (or even the end) of an expression or sentence.

Dus / Daarom	Die trein was vertraag, dus moes ons wag.
Thus / Therefore	The train was delayed; therefore, we had to wait.

Die trein was vertraag, dus moes ons wag. / “The train was delayed; therefore, we had to wait.”

Selfs al	Ons draf elke dag vir oefening, selfs al is dit moeilik in hierdie weer.
Even though	We jog every day for exercise, even though it’s difficult in this weather.

Tensy	Tensy dit binnekort reën gaan die boere swaarkry hierdie jaar.
Unless	Unless it rains soon, the farmers will suffer this year.

Maar steeds / Nog steeds	Hy werk vinnig maar steeds deeglik.
But still	He works fast but still thoroughly.

Tog / Dog	Die vrou is baie oorgewig, tog is sy lig op haar voete.
Yet / However	The woman is very overweight, yet she’s light on her feet.

Ten spyte van	Ten spyte van sy fisiese gebrek is hy steeds ‘n sukses.
Despite	Despite his physical disability, he is still a success.

Hoewel	Hoewel baie skaars en duur is truffels is ‘n gewilde delikatesse.
Although	Although very scarce and expensive, truffles are a popular delicacy.

Watookal	Watookal hulle nou sê, dit gaan nie die situasie verander nie.
No matter what	No matter what they say now, it won’t change the situation.

2. Advanced Business Vocabulary (Gevorderde Besigheidswoordeskat)

With the basics covered, it’s time for you to learn advanced Afrikaans words related to the business world. Knowing these key terms will prove useful, whether you’re looking for work in South Africa or negotiating with Afrikaans-speaking associates. 

Aanstelling n.	Ons vier my aanstelling by die firma.
Appointment	We’re celebrating my appointment at the firm.

Aanvraag n.	Daar’s ‘n groot aanvraag vir gekwalifiseerde, ervare rekenmeesters in die land.
Demand	There’s a big demand for qualified, experienced accountants in the country.

Daar’s ‘n groot aanvraag vir gekwalifiseerde, ervare rekenmeesters in die land. / 
“There’s a big demand for qualified, experienced accountants in the country.”

Aandele n.	Bitcoin aandele het baie in waarde gestyg.
Shares	Bitcoin shares have increased a lot in value.

Aandeelhouer n.	Is sy ‘n aandeelhouer in die maatskappy?
Shareholder	Is she a shareholder in the company?

Amalgameer v.	Dit maak sin vir die twee maatskappye om nou te amalgameer.
Amalgamate	It makes sense for the two companies to amalgamate now.

Bates n.	Die bates is groter as die laste.
Assets	The assets are bigger than the liabilities.

Belegging n.	Daardie was ‘n uitstekende belegging.
Investment	That was an excellent investment.

Departement n.	Ons maak ‘n nuwe departement oop in Zurich.
Department / Division	We’re opening a new department in Zurich.

Besigheidsvennoot  n.	Ons is dekades lank al besigheidsvennote.
Business partner	We’ve been business partners for decades.

Note: In Afrikaans vernacular, a business partner is often referred to simply as a vennoot.

Ons is dekades lank al besigheidsvennote. / “We’ve been business partners for decades.”

Filiaal n.	Die beheermaatskappy het slegs 20% aandele in ons filiaal.
Subsidiary	The holding company only has 20% shares in our subsidiary.

Hoofkantoor n.	Hulle hoofkantoor is in Brussels geleë.
Head office	Their head office is located in Brussels.

Kompetisie n.	Aanvanklik het Nokia min kompetisie gehad in die mark.
Competition	Initially, Nokia had little competition in the market.

Maatskappy n.	Die maatskappy het vinnig gegroei.
Company	The company grew fast.

Firma n.	Na 50 jaar doen die firma steeds goed.
Firm	After 50 years, the firm is still doing well.

Handel n.	Handel op die eiland het vinnig toegeneem.
Commerce	Commerce on the island has increased rapidly.

Handel dryf v.	Ons is oop om daar handel te dryf.
Trade	We’re open for trade there.

Handelsmerk n.	Handelsmerkregistrasie kan tot twee jaar duur in Suid Afrika.
Trademark	Trademark registration can take up to two years in South Africa.

Human Resources – HR(Menslike hulpbronne) n.	Hierdie dokumente is vir HR se aandag.
Human Resources	These documents are for HR’s attention.

Note: In Afrikaans business language, the term Menslike Hulpbronne does exist, but it is very seldomly used in the vernacular.

Kompenseer v.	Die groter mark kompenseer vir die verlieste.
To compensate	The bigger market compensates for the losses.

Mark n.	Die mark vir hierdie produk lyk belowend.
Market	The market for this product is looking promising.

Opbrengste n.	Die maatskappy se opbrengste is verbasend goed hierdie jaar, alles in ag geneem.
Returns	All considered, the company’s returns are surprisingly good this year.

Profyt n.	Ons belegging maak goeie profyt.
Profit	Our investment is making good profit.

Rekening n.	Daar is niks uitstaande op hierdie rekening nie.
Account	There is nothing outstanding on this account.

Rentekoers n.	Die rentekoerse het aansienlik gestyg die afgelope jaar.
Interest rate	Interest rates have increased significantly (over) the past year.

Tak n.	Samsung het ‘n groot tak in Johannesburg.
Branch	Samsung has a large branch in Johannesburg.

Uitkontrakteer v.	Ons sal daardie dienste moet uitkontrakteer.
Outsource	We will have to outsource those services.

Vennootskap n.	Dis ‘n standvastige vennootskap.
Business partnership	It’s a stable business partnership.

Voltydse, permanente betrekking

Full-time, permanent position

Deeltydse, vasgestelde-term kontrak

Part-time, fixed-term contract

3. Advanced Medical Vocabulary (Gevorderde Mediese Woordeskat)

Advanced Afrikaans learners should also become familiar with words and terms commonly used in medical fields. These are words you’ll need to know should you choose to study medicine in South Africa, enter a health-focused career here, or even find yourself in the emergency room! 

Aansteeklik adj.	COVID-19 is hoogs aansteeklik.
Contagious	COVID-19 is highly contagious.

Abdominaal adj.	Sy abdominale spiere is geaffekteer.
Abdominal	His abdominal muscles are affected.

Abnormaal adj.	Hierdie reaksie is nie abnormaal nie.
Abnormal	This reaction isn’t abnormal.

Abses n.	Die verpleegster het die abses reeds gedreineer.
Abscess	The nurse has already drained the abscess.

Akuut adv.	Simptome kan akuut of chronies wees.
Acute	Symptoms can either be acute or chronic.

Allergies adj.	Die kind is allergies vir bygif.
Allergic	The child is allergic to bee venom.

Behandeling n.	Asyn is nie ‘n goeie behandeling vir aknee nie.
Treatment	Vinegar is not a good treatment for acne.

Bloedtoetsn.Bloedmonster n.	‘n Bloedtoets word op die bloedmonsters uitgevoer.
Blood test Blood samples	A blood test is being done on the blood samples.

Buik n.	Hy het ‘n steekwond in die buik.
Stomach / Mid-abdomen	He has a puncture wound in the stomach.

Buikwand n.	Die mes het gelukkig nie die buikwand binnegedring nie.
Abdominal wall	Fortunately, the knife didn’t penetrate the abdominal wall.

Byniere n.	Die byniere skei adrenalien en noradrenalien af.
Adrenal glands	The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine.

Chronies adj.	Die dokter het onnodige chroniese medikasie voorgeskryf.
Chronic	The doctor prescribed unnecessary chronic medication.

Fraktuur / Breuk n.	Die breuk is betyds geset om sy been te red.
Fracture	The fracture was set in time to save his leg.

Gipsn.Heg. v.	Die gips kan maar afkom, want die been het goed geheg.
CastMend	The cast can come off because the leg/bone has mended well.

Geestesgesondheid n.	Goeie geestesgesondheid is ten dele afhanklik van wat in ‘n mens se gedagtes aangaan.
Mental health	Good mental health is partly dependent on what’s going on in your mind.

Gewas n.Goedaardig adj.	Gelukkig is die gewas goedaardig.
TumorBenign	Fortunately, the tumor is benign.

Inwendig/eadj.Besering n.	Het hy enige inwendige beserings opgedoen?
InternalInjury	Has he sustained any internal injuries?

Koorsn.Koorspen n.	Verpleegsters meet kinders se koors meestal met ‘n koorspen in die mond of die armoksels.
FeverThermometer	Nurses usually measure children’s fever with a thermometer in the mouth or the armpits.

Laboratorium n.	Is die bloedmonsters al laboratorium toe?
Laboratory	Have the blood samples gone to the laboratory yet?

Die gips kan afkom, want die been het goed geheg. / “The cast can come off because the leg/bone has mended well.”

Mangelsn.	My mangels is nooit verwyder nie.
Tonsils	My tonsils have never been removed.

Narkose / Anestesie n.	Die prosedure vereis nie narkose nie.
Anesthesia	The procedure doesn’t require anesthesia.

Newe-effek n.	Die hoofpyn is ‘n newe-effek van jou medikasie.
Side effect	The headache is a side effect of your medication.

Ontsmet / Steriliseer v.	Is die instrumente al ontsmet?
To disinfect / To sterilize	Are the instruments sterilized yet?

Pandemie n.	COVID-19 was ‘n erge pandemie wat veroorsaak is deur die Coronavirus.
Pandemic	COVID-19 was a severe pandemic caused by the Coronavirus.

Prosedure n.	Om ‘n vrat te verwyder is ‘n kort, eenvoudige prosedure.
Procedure	To remove a wart is a short, simple procedure.

Sfygmometer n.	Die sfygmometer word gebruik om ‘n pasiënt se bloeddruk te meet.
Sphygmometer	The sphygmometer is used to measure a patient’s blood pressure.

Stetoskoop n.	Die stetoskoop word gebruik om na ‘n pasiënt se hartklop en asemhaling te luister.
Stethoscope	A stethoscope is used to listen to a patient’s heartbeat and breathing.

Die stetoskoop word gebruik om na ‘n pasiënt se hartklop en asemhaling te luister.
“The stethoscope is used to listen to a patient’s heartbeat and breathing.”

Simptoom n.	Maagpyn nie die ware probleem nie; dis selgs ‘n simptoom.
Symptom	Stomachache is not the real problem; it’s only a symptom.

Skildklier n.	Sy het nie nodig om chroniese medikasie te neem vir haar skildklier nie.
Thyroid	She doesn’t need to take chronic medication for her thyroid.

Uitwendig n.	Sy beserings is meestal uitwendig.
External	His injuries are mostly external.

Verdoof v.	Hierdie pille sal die pyn verdoof. Die pasiënt verkies om onder verdowing te wees vir die prosedure.
Sedate / Dull (pain)	These pills will dull the pain. The patient prefers to be sedated for the procedure.

Voorskrif n.	Jy het ‘n voorskrif nodig vir hierdie skedule pynpille.
Prescription	You need a prescription for this schedule of pain tablets.

Algemene Mediese Kondisies / “Common Medical Conditions“
Angs	Anxiety
Beroerte	Stroke
Binneoor-onsteking	Otitis media; inner-ear infection
Buiteoor-onsteking	Otitis externa; outer-ear infection
Blaasontsteking	Bladder infection
Brongitis	Bronchitis
Bosluiskoors	Tick bite fever
Coronavirus siekte	Coronavirus disease
Depressie	Depression
Diabetes	Diabetes
Duitse masels / Rubella	German measles / Rubella
Galstene	Gallstones
Griep	Influenza
Geelsug	Jaundice
Hepatitis	Hepatitis
Hoë cholesterol	High cholesterol
Isgemiese beroerte	Ischemic stroke
Hartversaking	Cardiac arrest
Kanker	Cancer
Hoë bloeddruk / Hipertensie	High blood pressure / Hypertension
Lae bloeddruk / Hipotensie	Low blood pressure / Hypotension
Mangelontsteking	Tonsillitis
Masels	Measles
Pampoentjies	Mumps
Polio	Polio
Sinusitis / Sinusontsteking	Sinusitis / Sinus infection
Urineweg infeksie	Urine tract infection
‘n Verkoue	A cold
Verworwe immuniteitsgebreksindroom (VIGS)	Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Vetsug	Obesity
Waterpokkies	Chickenpox
Kinkhoes / Pertussis	Whooping cough / Pertussis

4. Advanced Legal Vocabulary (Gevorderde Wetswoordeskat)

Die hofsaak is uitgestel. / “The court case was postponed.”

Aantyging n.	Die aantyging is baie ernstig.
Accusation / Claim	The accusation is very serious.

Aankla v.	Die politikus word aangekla van ernstige oortredinge.
Accuse	The politician is being accused of serious violations.

Aanvaller	Die aanvaller was nie alleen nie.
Assailant / Attacker	The assailant was not alone.

Afpers v.	Hy het die vrou probeer afpers.
To blackmail	He tried to blackmail the woman.

Appeleer / Appél aanteken v.	Die prokureer wil appél aanteken.
To appeal / To submit an appeal	The lawyer wants to submit an appeal.

Bedrog n.	Hy is afgedank toe hulle hom vang bedrog pleeg.
Fraud	He was fired when they caught him committing fraud.

Beslis v.	Die saak is vandag buite die hof beslis.
To determine / To settle	The case was settled out of court today.

Note: Beslis also doubles as an adverb: “definitely.” Hy is beslis vroeg. / “He is definitely early.”

Bewys/e n.	Daar was geen bewyse dat sy die misdaad gepleeg het nie.
Proof	There was no proof that she’d committed the crime.

Deurdagte adj.	Goed-deurdagte argument
Considered	Well-considered argument

Dispuut n.	Die dispuut is gelukkig vinnig opgeklaar.
Dispute	Fortunately, the dispute was quickly resolved.

Gesag n.	Die konstitusionele hof hou die hoogste wetsgesag in die land.
Authority	The constitutional court holds the highest legal authority in the country.

Getuie n.	Sy’s ‘n sterk getuie.
Witness	She’s a strong witness.

Getuig v.	Die man wou nie teen sy suster getuig nie.
Testify	The man didn’t want to testify against his sister.

Hofdatum n.	Wanneer is die hofdatum?
Court date	When is the court date?

Hofsaak n.	Die hofsaak is uitgestel.
Court case	The court case was postponed.

Jurisdiksie n.	Finansiëele bedrog val buite hierdie hof se jurisdiksie.
Jurisdiction	Financial fraud falls outside this court’s jurisdiction.

Korrupsie n.	Ongelukkig is regeringskorrupsie alledaags hier.
Corruption	Unfortunately, government corruption is very common here.

Kriminele rekord n.	‘n Skoon kriminele rekord is ‘n aansoek vereiste.
Criminal record	A clean criminal record is an application requirement.

Lasbrief n.	Is die lasbrief al uitgereik?
Warrant	Has the warrant been issued yet?

Misdaadn.Moordsaak n.	Die Kaapstadse Geweldadige Misdaadeenheid het getuig in daardie moordsaak.
Murder case	The Capetonian Violent Crimes Unit testified in that murder case.

Notaris n.	Slegs ‘n notaris kan jou verklaring sertifiseer.
Notary	Only a notary can certify your statement.

Ontbiet v.	Sy is ontbiet vir verskyning in die hof.
To summon	She was summoned to appear in court.

Openbare / Publieke aanklaer n.	Daardie publieke aanklaer is onkorrupteerbaar.
Public prosecutor	That public prosecutor is incorruptible.

Ontvoer v.	Hulle het saam beplan om die kind te ontvoer.
To kidnap	They planned together to kidnap the child.

Omkoop v.	Niemand kon daardie openbare aanklaer omkoop nie.
Bribe	Nobody could bribe that public prosecutor.

Parafeer v.	Al die bladsye van hierdie kontrak moet geparafeer word.
To initial	All the pages of this contract must be initialled.

Regsverteenwoordiger n.	Wie is jou regsverteenwoordiger?
Legal representative	Who is your legal representative?

Regsgeding n.	Hulle is tans betrokke in ‘n regsgeding oor die saak.
Lawsuit	They are currently involved in a lawsuit regarding the matter.

Uitspraak n.	Die finale uitspraak word vandag gelewer.
Verdict	The final verdict will be delivered today.

Verteenwoordiger n.	Hulle sal ‘n verteenwoordiger aanstel.
Representative	They will appoint a representative.

Wetsadvies n.	Dit sal beter wees as jy wetsadvies kry.
Legal counsel	It will be better if you get legal counsel.

How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Ace Advanced Afrikaans Words?

We hope you enjoyed our article on the most common advanced Afrikaans words! 

Afrikaans, which is closely related to Dutch, is both an easy and a challenging language to master, especially if your own is not Germanic-based. 

Let us make it easier for you with our innovative approach to language learning. You can expect the following:

• Plenty of recorded words, phrases, and conversations in Afrikaans to train your ear and help you with pronunciation

• Situational and culturally appropriate phrases to arm yourself with in any situation

• Plenty of free online tools upon subscription to make your life easier while learning to speak Afrikaans (for instance, this free Afrikaans dictionary)

• Thousands of lessons tailored to meet you at your level of language proficiency, and access to plenty of learning materials straight away (such as this free list of Afrikaans Key Phrases)

• Several learning options that suit your pocket and your language needs (for instance, fasttrack your fluency with access to your own online teacher)

Enroll with us at AfrikaansPod101.com now for a lifetime membership, and become an expert in advanced Afrikaans words!

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

No more biting your nails over your pending Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) Afrikaans proficiency test! Anxiety only serves a good purpose if it motivates you to prepare well, because, as the saying goes, “Good preparation makes its own luck.”

Also, uncontrolled anxiety is bad for you and can definitely spoil your chances of performing well. We truly understand this at AfrikaansPod101.com, so we aim to help you reach your language goals so you can ace any Afrikaans exam with ease and confidence!

In this article, we’ll start with a look at why taking the OPI standardized language competency test can be helpful to you. 

Then we’ll move on to:

A) more details about the OPI, which is one of the oldest and best-known international Afrikaans proficiency tests available, offered by the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL);

B) what you can expect the test to look like;

C) tips on how to prepare for the test like a boss;

D) other Afrikaans proficiency tests on offer

Table of Contents

1. How Can Taking the OPI Afrikaans Proficiency Test Benefit You?
2. More Reasons Why AfrikaansPod101 is an Excellent Choice for Preparing for OPIs!

1. How Can Taking the OPI Afrikaans Proficiency Test Benefit You?

Afrikaans competency tests are required by some institutes of higher education, such as colleges and universities, for the entrance and exit exams of certain programs. 

Passing an Afrikaans proficiency test may also be a job requirement, if you’re, for instance:

• working or planning to work in South Africa
• working with South African Afrikaans-speaking business clients, patients, or others
• working abroad with an Afrikaans Embassy or Consulate

These are not the only benefits, however.

On their exclusive licencee’s website (where you can order the tests), the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages lists a few other uses for their flagship assessment test (the OPI).

These include:

• Language fluency certification
• Earning college credit (Official OPI ratings are recommended for college credit based on the American Council on Education credit-by-examination review.)
• Certain program evaluation and performance
• Linguist or teacher credentialing
• For research purposes
• For employment selection (In this case, an employer will most likely require that every applicant do this test.)
• It could also benefit you if you’re applying for a South African work or residential visa. Afrikaans is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the country—almost 7,000,000 residents are fluent speakers.

A. ACTFL’s Afrikaans Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

The ACTFL is one of the oldest institutions of its kind. Founded in 1967, it promotes language-learning and proficiency around the world, and has a whole center dedicated to assessment, research, and development.

At this point, the only Afrikaans exam available through the ACTFL (the OPI exam) is for the evaluation of speech.

In the ACTFL’s own words, the OPI is a “valid and reliable means of assessing how well a person speaks a language.” Third-party studies have documented the OPI’s reliability in this, and the ACTFL is furthermore rigorous in its training and monitoring of language professionals as testers.

There are two types of OPIs: a commercial one and an official/certified one. The main difference between them is that commercial OPIs are single-rated, and the certified one is double-rated. Read on for more information about that. 

B. What You Can Expect the Test to Look Like

The Oral Proficiency Interview takes the form of a rater conducting a one-on-one telephonic interview with the testee in order to record a ratable speech sample.

In the case of official or certified OPIs, the sample is also evaluated by another rater, based on the same criteria. The two raters’ scores must agree independently before a rating is issued.

If it’s a commercial OPI, the speech sample is rated only once, by the tester.

Then a score is assigned, based on the Interagency Language Roundtable (IRL)’s scaling system, which has six levels: 0 – 5. The scale and ratings are based on criteria determined by the IRL’s Language Skill Level Descriptions for Speaking.

According to the IRL website, each of the scale’s six “base levels” implies control of any previous “base level’s” functions and accuracy. Therefore, getting a “0” means that a testee has no conversational Afrikaans skills, while a “5” means that the testee has the oral ability of a highly articulate, well-educated native Afrikaans speaker.

The IRL also offers completely computerized OPIs, but this testing option is not yet available for Afrikaans.

The duration of the call lasts between twenty and thirty minutes. The conversation is continuously adapted by the rater based on the testee’s interests and abilities, so it’s highly personalized and relates to real life. 

Therefore, it’s not possible to know the exact content of the conversation beforehand. However, you can expect the interview to be based on this formula, consisting of four mandatory phases:

• Warm-up 
• Level checks
• Probes
• Wind-down

It should be clear that the tester will be looking at your ability to use Afrikaans effectively and appropriately in real-life situations. 

1- What it isn’t

• The test has nothing to do with checking when, where, why, or how you acquired Afrikaans. 
• It isn’t an achievement test assessing specific aspects of course and curriculum content for academic purposes.
• Neither is it connected to any specific instructional method.
• The test isn’t comparative, meaning that your performance is not compared to other testers’.

2- How to Schedule a Test

All of the ACTFL’s assessments are done through their exclusive licensee, Language Testing International (LTI). 

The ordering and scheduling of tests are done online via the LTI’s website. Simply select the OPI assessment, based on your abilities and what you need it for; the procedures and steps to follow should be indicated clearly online. 

Individuals can apply for language certification, as can organizations, in which case different procedures and steps will apply. The site’s instructions are easy to follow.

C. How to Prepare for the OPI Like a Boss

Since it’s clear that the oral proficiency assessment is to ascertain your real-life conversational skills, it is, as said, difficult to predict what you’ll be asked during the test with the interviewer.

Also, you probably won’t be able to fool the tester—they’re very highly trained!

Therefore, the best preparation strategy would be to dig in and do some good old grafting in preparation for this assessment. AfrikaansPod101 can be of great help to you with this—just read on!

Meanwhile, here are some expert tips to help you prepare for an oral Afrikaans exam:

1- Practice, Practice, and More Practice

You can’t dodge this step! You’ll need to practice your Afrikaans-speaking abilities a lot if you want to get a good score on the OPI.

The best way to do this, according to foreign language-learner gurus, is to have as many conversations with (preferably native) Afrikaans-speakers as possible. According to one, “An hour of conversation, with corrections and a dictionary for reference, is as good as five hours in a classroom and 10 hours with a language course by yourself!”

That’s the bad news. And it’s even worse if you have no Afrikaans-proficient friends to speak with or don’t know where to meet these creatures!

The good news is that AfrikaansPod101 has an easy answer to this problem: get your own native Afrikaans-speaking teacher. This is one-on-one action you can’t do without if you wish to get a good score on the OPI.

Your friendly host will even do level assessments along the way. What better preparation can you possibly get, if you don’t live in South Africa or have a native Afrikaans-speaking friend?

If you have absolutely no knowledge of Afrikaans, start with our 100 Core Afrikaans Words list. Memorizing these will help you get a very basic conversation off the ground, and give you an immediate sense of accomplishment. Very encouraging.

2- Study, Study, Study

Another one you won’t be able to dodge is just the well-known ABC study technique. It involves Applying your Bottom to a Chair and doing the necessary intellectual labor to understand Afrikaans grammar, learn Afrikaans vocabulary, and so forth!

Here’s a great hack, though: Once you’ve learned something, make sure you use it numerous times in conversation with your native Afrikaans-speaker or Afrikaans tutor. Quick application is the best way to graft new knowledge into your gray matter. And the first sentence to learn in Afrikaans is definitely:

• Hoe sê mens …?
  “How do you say …?”

Use this often and without hesitation!

Here, too, AfrikaansPod101 scores high. Everything you learn via our recorded and downloadable lessons is practical for real-life and applicable in numerous situations. This means that the topics aren’t obscure or out-there; they’re relevant and immediately usable!

Once you enroll, you’ll also get access to online apps for different devices that can help you learn Afrikaans on-the-go. That hour to and from work on the train or bus can be put to excellent use now.

Also be sure to carry your free online Afrikaans dictionary with you everywhere. This way, you can easily look up vocabulary pertaining to your life and your world—most likely what the OPI tester will be questioning you on!

3- Intense and Frequent Trumps Classic Old School

Studying four hours a day for two months, instead of three to four hours a week for four months in a class, is more likely to get you better results. The intense everyday studying will more deeply imprint new information into your mind than the less-intense study schedule will. 

4- Talk Afrikaans – In Your Head

Become your own Afrikaans buddy by having Afrikaans conversations with yourself in your head all day, every day! This type of practicing can be great fun.

We all have a continuously running voice inside our heads, anyway; it can just as well be an Afrikaans one! It’s also a good way to discipline yourself to think in another language.

Conducting chats with yourself is also a good way to prepare for conversations you’ll very likely have in the future, if you intend to work or live among Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.

And when you’re alone, do it out loud with a recorder.

5- Record Yourself

Imagine yourself as a famous TV personality talking to an audience, and record your “live transmissions.” This way, you can hear yourself speak and, comparing it to a native speaker’s version, correct your own pronunciation mistakes.

The recordings could also be a nice tool to share with your AfrikaansPod101 tutor!

But studying doesn’t need to be all drudgery and work, work, work…

6- Afrikaans Movies, Radio & Audiobooks Galore

Engaging with recorded Afrikaans in creative, interesting media is not only a way to get to know the Afrikaner culture well; it’s also an effortless way to train your ear to the way natives speak.

Some learners even sleep with the recordings on; it’s said to help with unconscious learning.

Also, this study method is fun and entertaining. After all, young children learn a language by simply listening and observing (and trying the language themselves)!

7- Don’t Become Discouraged by Your Mistakes

Like a young child, be willing to make stupid and seemingly millions of mistakes when speaking Afrikaans, especially at first. Don’t let any failure discourage you.

Your tutor or Afrikaans friend will understand that you’re not on top of the language just yet, and will be very prepared to help. Also, don’t berate yourself; just stick with endless practicing. You’ll get to “proficient” sooner than you think!

D. Other Afrikaans Proficiency Tests Currently on Offer

There are a couple of other good Afrikaans tests available for different competencies, such as reading, writing, and listening. They tend to be on the more expensive side, but are also accredited and worth the money you spend. 

These tests appear to be mostly conducted on site, but at least one reading competency test can be ordered via the mail.

We recommend that you take a good look at their official sites, and follow the instructions indicated.

1) Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service (FLATS) is offered through the University of Central Florida, and at the time of writing, an Afrikaans reading test can be conducted in a paper/pencil format.

2) The New York University’s School of Professional Studies offers language testing services on site. Two types of Afrikaans exams are on offer, depending on your needs. These tests seem to be very thorough, and have a comprehensive guide available for better understanding.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had any experience with these, or if you have any pressing questions about them. We will do our best to assist you!

2. More Reasons Why AfrikaansPod101 is an Excellent Choice for Preparing for OPIs!

As explained earlier, we’re well-geared to help you master this sonorous language for conversations. 

Using the latest in technology, such as our Afrikaans pronunciation app, you’ll have instant online access to thousands of recorded lessons. These are presented by friendly native speakers who let you hear exactly how the language is spoken. 

Enrollment opens a lifetime account, with numerous features (many of them free!), irrespective of the learning program you choose. These include the following tools to easily practice Afrikaans phrases and pronunciation:

1) An Afrikaans Key Phrases List: Quickly learn how to greet, introduce yourself, say no and yes—all of those important phrases and words!

2) Thousands of culturally relevant lessons, recorded and downloadable.

3) Themed and targeted vocabulary lists that don’t overwhelm because they’re disjointed and not related!

4) A Word a Day: To keep your memory jogging and fresh.

Afrikaans is a pleasant, easy language to learn and use, and is closely related to Dutch. Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll find Dutch very easy to master—two birds with one stone, almost! Don’t hesitate, and start learning Afrikaans online for free with AfrikaansPod101.com. Consider our website a complete guide to the Afrikaans language!

Want to have easy access to your Afrikaans friend’s hearth and heart? Learn which holidays they observe and the life events they celebrate, and you’re nearly there! Then, it will be good to know what messages they use on these occasions, including how to say “Happy Birthday” in Afrikaans, for instance. Another important one to know is “Happy New Year!” in Afrikaans.

We teach you these and many more at AfrikaansPod101, ideal for learning without stress or struggle! Celebrating these life events is an excellent way to practice your Afrikaans and learn how to pronounce these phrases like native speakers do.

Improve your vocabulary and overall speaking skills with these handy phrases. Using these, and engaging with your Afrikaans friend when wishing them well, you’ll pick up key vocabulary, sayings, and phrases, as well as cultural insights that you won’t find in any travel guide.

In this article, we share with you the key phrases popularly used in South Africa to celebrate life events and South African holidays. Adapt these for social media, or hand-written cards to go with gifts. The best way, though, would be to deliver them in person, using your own voice!

But before we continue, tell us in the comments below how to say “Happy birthday” in your native language! And “Merry Christmas?” In fact, let us know any important life event message you can think of!

Table of Contents

1. Congratulations in Afrikaans for Birthdays
2. Baby Showers and Christenings/Baptisms
3. Holiday Greetings in Afrikaans
4. Other Special Occasions & Greetings in Afrikaans
5. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Learn Important Life Event Messages?

1. Congratulations in Afrikaans for Birthdays

Like in most other cultures, birthdays are special events. The traditions followed in South Africa are mostly Anglo-American, with some sort of celebration marking the day whose birthday is being observed. Traditionally, children get parties with lots of special treats, while older children and adults get to dictate what type of celebration they prefer—small and quiet, or large and loud!

What’s your favorite way of celebrating a birthday? Share with us in the comments…

Gelukkige verjaarsdag! is a direct translation of “Happy birthday.” While it won’t be incorrect to use as is, it’s probably a more suitable message for that Afrikaans colleague or friend you don’t know very well. It’s an informal phrase.

Lots of creative license is allowed here, though, as most Afrikaners enjoy originality, especially if you know the birthday person well.

How to say “Happy birthday” in Afrikaans is easy. It has a few permutations, but the traditional one is still the most popularly used. All of the following are suitable for use in any format you prefer, whether it be writing, texting, or a verbal congratulations in Afrikaans.

1- Informal Birthday Wishes

Afrikaans: Baie geluk met jou verjaarsdag!
Translation: “Congratulations on your birthday!”
Notes: This wish is the traditional “Happy birthday” in Afrikaans, and is suitable for use in any situation and for any person, no matter how well you know them. Replace the informal pronoun jou (you) with the more formal u. The latter is used when addressing people much older than yourself, a dignitary, or a person senior to you in position at work. This is especially necessary in large corporations with a more formal work environment.

Afrikaans: Baie geluk en hoop jou dag is spesiaal!
Translation: “Congratulations and hope your day is special!”

Afrikaans: Geluk en mag jou verjaarsdag wonderlik wees!
Translation: “Congratulations, and may your birthday be wonderful.”

2- Formal Birthday Wishes

Afrikaans: Baie geluk met u verjaarsdag. Mag die lewensjaar wat voorlê baie voorspoedig wees.
Translation: “Congratulations on your birthday. May the (life) year ahead be very prosperous.”

Afrikaans: Baie geluk en beste wense op u verjaarsdag.
Translation: “Congratulations and best wishes on your birthday.”

Also, if you’ve missed a birthday, rectify it with this phrase:

Afrikaans: Laat verjaarsdagwense! Hoop dit was ‘n wonderlike dag gewees.
Translation: “Belated birthday wishes! Hope it was a wonderful day.”

2. Baby Showers and Christenings/Baptisms

Babies and kids are big news among Afrikaners. News of a new one on its way will almost always elicit “Aaaaaw!”s and many congratulations from friends and strangers alike! Most often, the pregnant mom gets a surprise “baby shower” (ooievaarstee) from her close female family, friends, and colleagues. The event normally involves a lavish tea party with gift-giving to spoil both Mom and new Baby, obviously accompanied by many good wishes.

Once the little one has arrived, many religious Afrikaans parents choose to observe the well-known Christian blessing ceremony, A.K.A. a christening (also called “baptism” ) or a doop. The event is usually celebrated in style, with a huge family lunch after the church ceremony. Giving gifts on this occasion isn’t common, but still welcome.

All these well-wishes can be adapted for texting, delivered in person, or expressed in a hand-written card or letter. Also, these are such intimate events in the lives of families that all heartfelt, sincere messages are appropriate and welcome. This means there’s normally no distinction between formal and informal messages. If you’re addressing a very senior person, you could perhaps replace the informal pronouns (jou; julle / “you” ) with the formal u in Afrikaans.

1- Baby Shower

Afrikaans: Baie geluk met die nuweling! Mag hy/sy jou net vreuge bring!
Translation: “Congratulations on the new baby! May he/she bring you only joy!”
Note: Obviously, use the gender pronoun only if you know it.

Afrikaans: Baie gelukwense met julle/jou bondeltjie vreugde!
Translation: “Many congratulations on your bundle of joy!”
Note: Jou = singular and julle = plural for “you.”

Afrikaans: Welkom by ons, Kleinding!
Translation: “Welcome, Little One!”

2- Christenings

Afrikaans: Liefde en seënwense aan almal op (baby’s name) se doopdag.
Translation: “Love and wishes of blessings to everyone on (baby’s name)’s day of christening.”

Afrikaans: Mag julle kleinding se lewe geseënd en voorspoedig wees.
Translation: “May your little one’s life be blessed and prosperous.”

Afrikaans: Wense van seën, voorspoed en liefde aan julle kleinding en die familie op hierdie spesiale dag!
Translation: “Wishes of blessings, prosperity, and love to your little one and the family on this special day!”

3- Social Media Posts for Baby Showers and Christenings

If you like keeping your social media friends and followers updated on big life events, you could consider these posts, preferably with a photo or two:

Afrikaans: My spesiale ooievaarstee..! Baie dankie, almal!
Translation: “My special baby shower…! Thank you so much, everyone!”

Afrikaans: Soveel spesiale geskenke van spesiale mense. Het nie woorde nie…!
Translation: “So many special gifts from special people. Have no words…!”

Afrikaans: Die doop seremonie was pragtig en geseënd. Dankie vir mooi herinneringe.
Translation: “The christening ceremony was special and blessed. Thank you for beautiful memories.”

Afrikaans: Wonderlike bymekaarkom na die doop. (Baby’s name) loved it!
Translation: “Wonderful get-together after the christening. (Baby’s name) loved it!”

3. Holiday Greetings in Afrikaans

Wishing someone a happy holiday in Afrikaans mostly involves religious days observed by Christians, especially Christmas (Kersfees) and Easter (Paasfees). The only other holiday greeting worth noting is “Happy New Year” in Afrikaans. This is celebrated on the first day of January each year, based on the Gregorian calendar. Of course, other religions’ festivals are also observed, such as Jewish Hanukkah, the Indian Dipawali (Indian Festival of Light), and the Chinese Lunar New Year, but these are not public holidays in South Africa.

The most simple greetings, such as “Merry Christmas” in Afrikaans, are still the most popular and used formally and informally, in any format. This could be formulated by simply adding a Geseënde (blessed) or a Gelukkige (happy/merry) in front of the festival or holiday’s name. Such as in:

Afrikaans: Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar!
Translation: “Happy New Year!”

Afrikaans: Geseënde Hanukkah!
Translation: “Blessed Hanukkah!”

If you need to be a bit more creative, you can use the following holiday greetings in Afrikaans.

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees! Mag dit ‘n vreugdevolle tyd vir almal wees.
Translation: “Blessed Christmas! May it be a merry time for everyone.”

Afrikaans: Mag die nuwe jaar propvol goeie verrassings wees!
Translation: “May the new year be full of good surprises!”

Afrikaans: Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar vir jou en jou geliefdes!
Translation: “Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!”

Afrikaans: Geseënde vakansie hierdie jaar!
Translation: “Happy holidays this year!”

Afrikaans: Beste wense vir die nuwe jaar!
Translation: “Best wishes for the new year!”

Other best wishes in Afrikaans are appropriate for events such as funerals, graduations, landing a new job, and so forth.

These are the most widely-celebrated occasions, but of course, there are others too.

4. Other Special Occasions & Greetings in Afrikaans

Let’s take a look at other special events and their messages.

1- Condolences: Funerals, Illnesses, etc.

Any heartfelt condolences in Afrikaans will go down well—the Afrikaners appreciate real and sincere more than socially or grammatically correct! Your well-wishes from the heart in times of death, illness, or anything stressful will be much appreciated.

Tip: These Afrikaans condolences messages themselves can be used formally or informally. Here, they’re all written for informal address. Change it to formal address by replacing all pronouns (jy; jou; julle) that refer to the person being addressed, to u in Afrikaans.

Afrikaans Condolences: Funeral and Bereavement

Afrikaans: Innige simpatie met jou verlies. Ons hou jou in ons harte.
Translation: “Sincere condolences for your loss. We hold you in our hearts.”

Afrikaans: Diepe meegevoel met julle groot hartseer. Julle is in ons gebede en gedagtes.
Translation: “Sincere condolences for your huge sadness. You are in our prayers and thoughts.”
Note: This “you,” or julle, refers to more than one person. Change it to the singular “you” by simply replacing julle with jou in the first sentence, and jy in the second.

Afrikaans: Woorde is ontoereikend in hierdie tyd van hartseer en verlies. Mag jy omring word met vrede en liefde.
Translation: “Words are inadequate in this time of sadness and bereavement. May you be surrounded with peace and love.”
Note: This “you,” or jy, refers to a single person. Change it to the plural “you” by simply replacing jy with julle.

Afrikaans Condolences: Illness and Operations

Afrikaans: Mag jy gou aansterk en vinnig op die been wees na die operasie!
Translation: “May you recover quickly after the operation!”

Afrikaans: Beste wense met ‘n vinnige herstel! Laat weet as ek met enigiets kan help.
Translation: “Best wishes for a quick recovery! Let me know if I can help with anything.”

Afrikaans: Baie voorspoed en liefde in hierdie tyd van siekte en swaarkry. Jy is in my gedagtes en gebede.
Translation: “Best wishes and love in this time of illness and suffering. You are in my thoughts and prayers.”
Note: This message is suitable if you want to wish someone well after a bad diagnosis of a dreaded disease such as cancer.

2- Best Wishes: Weddings, Job Promotions, Graduations, etc

Afrikaans Wedding Congratulations

Afrikaans: Hiermee net die mooiste wense vir die mooiste paartjie! Mag julle huwelik geseënd wees met geluk en voorspoed.
Translation: “With this, only the most beautiful wishes for the most beautiful couple! May your marriage be blessed with happiness and prosperity.”

Afrikaans: Uiteindelik – die troue waarvoor almal gewag en na uitgesien het! Mag die dag wonderlik wees met ‘n leeftyd van geluk wat voorlê.
Translation: “At last—the wedding everyone waited for and looked forward to! May the day be wonderful, with a lifetime of happiness ahead of you.”

Afrikaans: Geluk met julle huwelik, en hoop die jare vorentoe is vol vreugde en seën.
Translation: “Congratulations on your marriage and may the years ahead be filled with joy and blessings.”

Promotion, New Job, etc

Afrikaans: Baie geluk met die nuwe werk/promosie!
Translation: “Congratulations on the new job/promotion!”

Afrikaans: Veels geluk met die promosie! Jy het dit verdien.
Translation: “Congratulations on the promotion! You deserved it.”

Afrikaans: Geluk met die nuwe werk – hulle kon nie ‘n beter persoon aangestel het nie…
Translation: “Congratulations on the new job—they couldn’t have chosen a better person…”

Graduation

Afrikaans: Baie geluk met jou graduering!
Translation: “Congratulations on your graduation!”

Afrikaans: Dit was nooit ‘n geheim dat jy kon nie! Baie gelukwense met jou prestasie.
Translation: “It was never a secret that you could! Many congratulations on your accomplishment.”

Afrikaans: Geluk met jou graduering; ons is trots op jou!
Translation: “Congratulations on your graduation; we are proud of you!”

How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Learn Important Life Event Messages?

Learning how to say “Happy New Year!” in Afrikaans is easy and fun, just as we designed it to be! With over a decade of experience, we draw on expert knowledge of online language-learning techniques to offer you a unique learning space. Thousands of Afrikaans lessons are available, together 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!

Many enrollment options are available to suit your personal needs. For instance, don’t be alone in your learning—sign up for your personal tutor with Premium Plus. Our friendly hosts are available 24/7 online to help you master Afrikaans easily. With a bit of effort and perseverance, you could do so in record time. So, don’t wait—sign up now and wish your Afrikaans friends well in their own language during their next big life event!