We tend to experience mistakes as either Tyrants or Teachers. Sometimes, we make regrettable mistakes that we berate ourselves over; other mistakes slide off us like rainwater.

In Afrikaans, we have a popular idiom: Probeer maak die beste geweer. (Lit. “Trying makes the best gun.”) This roughly means that you won’t know if you can hit a target unless you shoot!

The secret is simply to not give up, no matter how often you repeat a mistake in Afrikaans! We understand this very well at AfrikaansPod101.com.

Dig into this guide to avoid making any of these common Afrikaans language mistakes!

Table of Contents

1. Vocabulary and Grammatical Mistakes
2. Pronunciation Mistakes
3. Spelling Mistakes – Compounds and Emphasis
4. Other Common Afrikaans Spelling Mistakes
5. Why Afrikaans Mistakes are Nothing to Worry About
6. The Many Ways AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Correct Afrikaans Mistakes

1. Vocabulary and Grammatical Mistakes

There are a number of mistakes in Afrikaans concerning vocabulary and grammar that you should keep an eye out for.

1.1 Don’t be English!

One of the biggest Afrikaans mistakes is to use English syntax or English idiomatic language. 

Don’t beat yourself up about this, though! The truth is, very few native speakers are educated (or stuck-up!) enough to not engage in some serious language mixing themselves.

English is, after all, one of our national languages, and South Africa is very English in culture. So, this cross-pollination is to be expected.

However, if you want to be taken seriously by the academic intelligencia, then try your best to avoid this. You will undoubtedly hear your Afrikaans friends say:

• Dit was baie nice gewees! 
  “That was very nice!”

Or, translating “I was like so pissed off with him” to Ek was soos in so kwaad met hom gewees. The errors include using a very modern English interjection (“like so”), and the preposition met, instead of vir. The correct Afrikaans translation would be: Ek was so kwaad vir hom gewees.

By all means, you can talk like this too, if your audience is young and casual. Our young people, especially, talk like this. 

But if your goal is to impress your Afrikaans academic friends or colleagues, then ditch Anglicizing the language.

The following are very popular English terms to pepper your Afrikaans with. Depending on the situation, slang is quite acceptable in our society.

English Nouns	Correct Afrikaans
“boot” (not the shoe)	kattebak
“cubbyhole”	paneelkissie
“show”	vertoning, opvoering
“song”	liedjie, lied
“jam” (confectionary)	konfyt
“lift”	hysbak
“movie”	film, rolprent
“poet”	digter
“chips” (crisps)	aartappelskyfies
“fabulous,” “amazing,” “awesome” (pronouns)	fantasties, wonderlik, asemrowend

1.2 The pesky plurals

Afrikaans is a bit more difficult than English when it comes to indicating plurals. In English, you just add an “s,” most of the time. Think “one car” but “two cars.” Or “one tree” but “two trees.”

This rule works for some words in Afrikaans. For example: een meisie vs. twee meisies (“one girl” vs. “two girls”) or een seun vs. twee seuns (“one son” vs. “two sons”).

There are very few exceptions to this rule in English. But Afrikaans is a whole different kettle of fish. For the plural, we often modify the noun, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule of simply adding an “s.” Confusion about this can lead to many mistakes in Afrikaans!

For instance, saying booms instead of bome (“trees”) won’t work in Afrikaans. And saying vliegtuigs or vliegtuige instead of vliegtuie (“airplanes”) will earn a few smiles from your Afrikaans friends.

It’s best to dig in and master Afrikaans grammar! 

2. Pronunciation Mistakes

For starters, see this lesson about Afrikaans pronunciation. This will give you a good idea of a broader range of pronunciation issues.

You’ll soon see that Afrikaans pronunciation can be a bit tricky. We have a few uncommon sounds that have no approximates in, for instance, English.

The most common pronunciation mistake Afrikaans learners make is definitely with the pesky “r.”

2.1 The Afrikaans R—Don’t roll with it

Like in some other languages, Afrikaans has trilled Rs. This trilling sound is called the “dental and alveolar tap or flap” or an “alveolar consonant.”

It’s made like this: 

• Lightly press the tip of your tongue against the front edge of your hard palate, where the alveoli are situated. (The alveoli are the sockets of your superior, or front, teeth.) 

• Your tongue tip should be close to your two front teeth, but not touching them. 

• Now, say “t” (like in “train”), but push air through the opening between your tongue tip and your front palate.

• Your tongue will slightly contract and change position and shape—not a problem. If you’re doing it correctly, your tongue tip will trill.

This is quite a difficult skill to master at first, and we understand that. Trilled Rs definitely don’t have the same sound as the gentler-sounding rolled R common in English pronunciation. 

You won’t sound like a native if you roll your Rs in Afrikaans, but we won’t berate you!

Learn more about pronouncing consonants in Afrikaans with our recorded lessons by native speakers, like this one: The Pronunciation of Consonants in Afrikaans.

2.2 Those difficult diphthongs

The Google dictionary defines a diphthong as a sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable. When pronouncing a diphthong, the sound begins as one vowel and moves toward the other (as in “coin” and “loud”).

Afrikaans has a few diphthongs of its own that non-native speakers find challenging to pronounce:

IPA Phonetic Symbol	Afrikaans Diphthong	English Translation
ɪø	seun	“son”
ɪə	meet	“measure”
œi	muis	“mouse”
ʊə	stoot	“push”
ɔi	goiing	“burlap”
œː	brûe	“bridges”

To master these, you’ll probably need to learn from a native! Consider signing up for your own Afrikaans tutor with AfrikaansPod101 for nearly constant guidance.

2.3 The guttural G

This is another sound in Afrikaans that learners find difficult!

The “g” is pronounced in the back of the throat for most Afrikaans “g”-words. This sound is called a “fricative,” meaning that it’s produced by passing air through the partly constricted opening of your throat.

The only English approximation is “loch,” as in the Lochness monster. However, don’t pronounce it as “log,” or worse, “lock!” 

Make the sound you would if you had a fishbone stuck in your throat. Or if you were emulating an angry, hissing cat—there, you got the Afrikaans G!

2.4 Emphasis is everything

Where you put the emphasis in a word can change its meaning in Afrikaans. This is especially true of compounds.

The part of the compound with the emphasized syllable holds an important focus for the meaning of the word.

For instance, a native will say mieliepap (“grits,” or literally “cornmeal porridge”), with the emphasis on the first syllable. Mielies are corn, which is used to make cornmeal. 

So, by emphasizing this syllable, the exact meaning is conferred—i.e., it’s not porridge made with oats, sorghum, rice, etc.

Sample: Ek eet mieliepap.
Translation: “I eat grits.”

• If you pronounce the word with the emphasis on the second syllable, you’ll probably not be understood. Mieliepap just sounds funny.


• Emphasis on the third syllable will sound like you split the words. This will change their meaning. (Splitting the words changes “cornmeal” to “corn” in meaning. And “porridge” changes to “a pulp” in meaning. Not a combination of mielie and pap you’re ever likely to use! Think: Hy slaan die mielie pap. / “He beats the corn to a pulp.”)

3. Spelling Mistakes – Compounds and Emphasis

Let’s start with a spelling mistake in Afrikaans that trips up native speakers, too: when to join words and when to separate them.

3.1 To join or not to join? — Compound words in Afrikaans

This is an important Afrikaans mistake to avoid, because splitting words that belong together can completely change the meaning of what you’re writing.

Afrikaans language tutors often preach that the rule of thumb is to compound. They’ll tell you that your spelling will, more likely than not, be correct. 

And they’re right! 

Take, for instance: vinger + nael (“fingernail”). This is correctly spelled vingernael. 

Also, tafel + poot (“table leg”), which gets written as one word: tafelpoot.

Exceptions

There are exceptions to the rule, of course. For instance: skool + visse (“shoal of fish”). Joining these two words would completely change the meaning of the word. (Skoolvisse is not incorrect, but it would be a neologism—a newly created word—that’s rarely used. It would refer to fish belonging to a human school.)

Another exception is mediese fonds (“medical aid”). In Afrikaans, like in English, it’s incorrect to join these two words, and it should never be written that way.

Tip: For the more advanced Afrikaans students—a linguist once gave me a tip about compound words in Afrikaans. He pointed out that these, or other words that get written together, are always pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable.

3.2 Sometimes it’s good to split…

Splitting words sometimes changes the meaning legitimately.

Take, for instance, the word opsoek.

This means “looking up someone or something,” like from a directory or at a specific address. Pronounce it with the emphasis on the first syllable.

Sample: Ek gaan my niggie opsoek. (Stress the first syllable when pronouncing.)
Translation: “I’m going to look up my cousin.”

However, splitting the words will turn them into a known term: op soek. This means “to look for someone or something.” (Here, again, pronunciation is important. The emphasis will fall on the second word, which changes the meaning somewhat.)

Sample: Ek is op soek na my niggie.
Translation: “I am looking for my cousin.”

As you can see, opsoek and op soek are closely related, and the difference in meaning is nuanced. Let me explain by adding context in an example situation.

You, chatting with your partner at the breakfast table: 

• Ek gaan my niggie Riana opsoek vandag. 
  “I’m going to look up my cousin Riana today.”

Also you, addressing the guy who opened the door at your cousin’s last known address: 

• Ek is op soek na my niggie Riana. 
  “I’m looking for my cousin Riana.”

4. Other Common Afrikaans Spelling Mistakes

The following mistakes are even common among native Afrikaans-speakers! Avoid embarrassment and impress your Afrikaner boss or friend with your superior spelling skills!

This list is not exhaustive, and you’ll see that some are loan words from other languages.

Mistake in Afrikaans	Correct Afrikaans Spelling	Translation
agressie	aggressie	“aggression”
asperine	asperien	“aspirin”
Australie	Australië	“Australia”
brocolli	broccoli	“broccoli”
burgermeester	burgemeester	“mayor”
cappucino / capucino	cappuccino	“cappuccino”
deurgans	deurgaans	“throughout”
defnitief	definitief	“definitely”
dieët	dieet	“diet”
Epos / epos	e-pos	“email”
geintereseerd / geinterresseerd	geïnteresseerd	“interested”
graffitti / grafiti / grafitti	graffiti	“graffiti”
herhinder	herinner	“remind”
huistoe / winkeltoe / skooltoe	huis toe / winkel toe /  skool toe	“going home / to the shop / to school”
ingeneur	ingenieur	“engineer”
interresant	interessant	“interesting”
Japannees	Japanees	“Japanese”
knië, kniee	knieë	“knees”
kominukasie / komunikasie	kommunikasie	“communication”
komittee, kommitee, kommittee	komitee	“committee”
leêr	lêer	“file”
nogals	nogal	“kind of”
Namibia	Namibië	“Namibia”
ommelet / omellet	omelet	“omelette”
onmiddelik	onmiddellik	“immediately”
sateliet	satelliet	“satelite”
sedertien	sedertdien	“since”
waardeur / wardeer	waardeer	“appreciate”
yogurt	jogurt	“yogurt”

5. Why Afrikaans Mistakes are Nothing to Worry About

Apparently, children and Nobel Prize winners have a specific trait in common: they don’t allow mistakes to throw them off course.

And it makes sense! Think of how you learned to speak your native tongue. It took many adorable mistakes (and even more tries) before you started sounding human. 

But you didn’t give up just because your speech wasn’t perfect after the third try! You kept at it and now you can speak fluently.

Expect to make many Afrikaans language-learning mistakes. Learn to love them for the teachers they are—over time, they will disappear. Almost like they’re friends for a season.

However, there’s nothing wrong with being prepared! So, while this list of common mistakes in Afrikaans is not exhaustive, we hope that it will help you master the language. That’s our main aim at AfrikaansPod101!

In fact—ask us in the comments if you’re wondering if something is a mistake in Afrikaans! We’d be happy to help you this way.

6. The Many Ways AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Correct Afrikaans Mistakes

With AfrikaansPod101.com, you’ll be learning with the best team!

Sign up for a free online course now, and create a lifetime account. You’ll have access to the following and more:

• A vibrant online community
• Free lessons on iTunes
• Free audio books
• Excellent free apps

What’s not to love?!

If you’re serious about your learning, make use of our three different learning plans.
We’ve got you covered!

Questions are language constructs we use to elicit information from other people, making them crucial in communication! Knowing stuff helps you navigate your way in this world—every child knows this. 

And any parent will tell you that even babies know how to “ask”!

So, if your plan is to connect and communicate with Afrikaners, it’s very important to learn or brush up on the  most common Afrikaans questions and answers.

Afrikaners are nice—like the country’s climate, they’re warm and friendly. And they love to chat, especially with new friends! So at AfrikaansPod101.com, we make sure that you master the Afrikaans you need to connect with them.

Learn the most useful Afrikaans questions and answers quickly and easily in this article (and even more when you sign up)! This way, you’ll be able to converse in Afrikaans in no time, and reap all sorts of benefits.

Using Afrikaans questions, and making use of the Afrikaans question word list in this article, will boost your confidence, and can even help you make new friends. Not a bad prospect.

So, let’s not waste time. Get cracking on this list of the top Afrikaans questions and answers!

Table of Contents

1. Wat is jou naam? / What is your name?
2. Waarvandaan is jy? / “Where are you from (originally)?”
3. Waar bly jy? / “Where do you live?”
4. Waar bly jou familie? / “Where does your family live?”
5. Waar werk jy? / “Where do you work?”
6. Kan jy Engels praat? / “Can you speak English?”
7. Hoe oud is jy? / “How old are you?”
8. Wat is jou foonnommer? / “What is your phone number?”
9. Wanneer is jou verjaarsdag? / “When is your birthday?”
10. Hoeveel kos hierdie? / “How much does this cost?”
11. Bonus: Hoe sê mens ___ in Afrikaans? / “How do you say ___ in Afrikaans?”
12. AfrikaansPod101 Makes Learning Afrikaans Questions and Answers Super-Easy!

1. Wat is jou naam? / What is your name?

This is a very important question in Afrikaans when introducing yourself and getting to know someone. (Okay, well, it’s important in every language, if you want to get on with people!)

This is a pretty straightforward question, and it’s commonly used in a variety of situations. 

However, there are other ways to ask the same thing.

Alternate Ways of Asking

1.1 Hoe heet jy? / “What are you called?” (Roughly translated)

This is an antiquated way to ask for someone’s name. Because this Afrikaans question is related to Dutch, it doesn’t get used that often anymore; when it does get used, it’s usually by older folks.  

1.2 Wat kan ek jou noem? / “What can I call you?”

Even in English, this question sounds slightly flirtatious, doesn’t it? But fortunately, there’s nothing improper about it. So, if you need to put an Afrikaans-speaking person at ease, this is a nice phrase to use—with a calm, friendly smile and eye contact, of course.

1.3 Wat is jou volle name, asseblief? / “What are your full names, please?”

This is a phrase used to ask for one’s name and surname, and it’s mostly used in official situations. 

Possible Answers

Now, let’s look at some different ways you can answer these Afrikaans questions.

1.4 My naam is Annabel. / “My name is Annabel.”

A straightforward, simple answer, suitable for use in any situation.

1.5 Noem my Annabel. / “Call me Annabel.”

This is a slightly informal response, and it’s good to use if you need to be friendly and engaging.

1.6 Ek heet Annabel. / “I am called Annabel.”

The antiquated response to the antiquated Afrikaans question above (1.2).

1.7 Jy mag my op my naam noem. / “You may call me by my name.”

If someone knows your name and you want to put them at ease, you can tell them this. It indicates that you’re comfortable with a certain level of trust and informality between the two of you. 

If you guessed that this can also be the flirtatious, playful (and cheeky!) reply to question 1.3 above, you’d be right! 

It could also be a rather facetious response, so better not use it when you’re talking to someone very senior to you (e.g. a police officer, the traffic cop stopping you on the road, or a doctor).

2. Waarvandaan is jy? / “Where are you from (originally)?”

Afrikaans-speaking South Africans are, by nature, inquisitive people who want to know things about your personal history straight away! 

Fear not, they’ll be willing to share the same information about themselves. “Open” and “gregarious” are terms that describe Afrikaners well. So, start unpacking your family history already—beginning with one of the most common questions in Afrikaans asked of foreigners!

This Afrikaans question is used interchangeably with another one:

2.1 Waar kom jy vandaan? / “Where do you hail from?”

Most of the time, both questions specifically ask about your place of birth and/or where you grew up.

Possible Answers

2.2 Ek kom van Utrecht af. / “I’m from Utrecht.”

This could imply that you’re still living there, but not necessarily.

2.3 Ek is gebore in Utrecht en het daar grootgeword. / “I was born in Utrecht and grew up there.”

This is a more specific answer that leaves little room for interpretation. 

These Afrikaans questions and answers are often confused with the ones directly below, even by locals! 

3. Waar bly jy? / “Where do you live?”

Yup, this person wants to know where you’re currently residing. This can mean that they’re asking for the location of your temporary or permanent residence. Depending on the situation and how much you trust the person, answer with as many (or as few) details as you prefer.

Next is a question that’s a bit more informal, and asks for the same information but with more details.

3.1 Wat is jou huisadres? / “What is your home address?”

Have it ready on a piece of paper, in case it’s the taxi driver asking! Or better—learn it by heart. Your address is an important bit of information, no matter which country you’re visiting.

Possible Answers

3.2 Ek bly tans in Kaapstad. / “I currently live in Cape Town.”

Obviously, fill in your own city or town of residence!

Answering question 3.1:

3.3 My woonadres is ___ [e.g. Stay Nice Guest House; Main Straat, 48 Blouberg Strand]. / “My residential address is ___.”

The sample (between brackets) is for a temporary address. Again, fill in your own details. You could add your permanent residential address here, too.

As an aside: Just like in any other country, don’t ditch your gut feeling or the habit of keeping personal information safe when visiting.

South Africans are, as a rule, friendly and helpful people, but charlatans and criminals can live anywhere. So, if someone or something looks or feels too good to be true…well, you know how the saying goes.

4. Waar bly jou familie? / “Where does your family live?”

This question can be asked in official situations, such as at a police station, in a hospital, or by your South African employer. Answer truthfully. And keep in mind that you’ll very likely be asked this in informal situations too, so don’t say you weren’t warned!

Relax, though. Your newly acquired Afrikaans friend is not a plotting serial killer.

They’re showing that they like and want to know more about you. This instant intimacy is a hallmark of the way we roll at the very southern point of Africa.

Answer vaguely if you don’t feel comfortable with this level of info-sharing yet. Don’t worry! Your Afrikaner friend will understand. 

That said—just don’t lie, especially if you can see this friendship going somewhere good. Later, you’ll regret not being honest. Truthfulness is an important quality in Afrikaner relationships.

Possible Answers

4.1 My familie bly in Utrecht in Nederland. / “My family lives in Utrecht in the Netherlands.”

Pretty self-explanatory. This can refer to where your birth and/or extended family still resides.

A variation of this answer is:

4.2 My familie is van Utrecht. / “My family hails from Utrecht.”

Like in English, there is a distinction. This means that your family is from that area, but not necessarily living there still.

5. Waar werk jy? / “Where do you work?”

This is very likely something you’ll be asked in both official and social situations. Your answer will probably include the name of a company and a location.

Here’s a similar question:

5.1. Wat doen jy vir ‘n lewe? / “What do you do for a living?”

The difference is nuanced, but, like in English, the answer doesn’t necessarily include the name of your employer.

Possible Answers

5.2 Ek werk vir Vodacom in Kaapstad. / “I work for Vodacom in Cape Town.”

This one is self-explanatory, but keep in mind that it’s the short version. If an official person asks this question, you could include your actual work address. Insert your own employment details, of course.

5.3 Ek is ‘n vliëenier. / “I am a pilot.”

If the conversation is informal, this is all you need to say in reply to question 5.1. 

5.4 Ek het my eie besigheid en werk van die huis af. / “I have my own business and I work from home.”

For the entrepreneurs!

6. Kan jy Engels praat? / “Can you speak English?”

A vital question in Afrikaans! Especially if you’ll battle just to understand the replies. 

Here’s a variation of this question:

6.1 Praat jy Engels? / “Do you speak English?”

This is a slightly more informal way of asking the same thing. Obviously, replace “English” with the language of your choice.

Possible Answers

6.2 Ek praat Afrikaans. / “I speak Afrikaans.”

This reply will imply that you can speak it rather well.

6.3 Ek praat nie Afrikaans nie. / “I don’t speak Afrikaans.”

This is a handy phrase, especially if you’re in deep-rural South Africa. You’d be more likely to get swift assistance if the native speaker understands that you can’t speak Afrikaans well yet.

6.4 Ek leer nog Afrikaans praat. / “I’m still learning to speak Afrikaans.”

At least you’re trying! Like in most other countries, your effort to learn the natives’ language will be much appreciated, admired, and encouraged.
6.5 Ek praat ‘n bietjie Afrikaans. / “I speak a bit of Afrikaans.”

7. Hoe oud is jy? / “How old are you?”

Uhm, not considered the most polite question in social settings—especially when addressing older women!

We also won’t ask you to divulge your age…unless you look twenty years younger than you are. But then, you’re probably used to getting this question anyway.

On the topic of social etiquette, Afrikaners are pretty down-to-earth, pragmatic, and easy-going people. 

So, in our books, there are very few unforgivable social gaffes. These are not even, strictly speaking, social gaffes. It’s your common, garden-variety bad behavior that we frown upon socially.

For instance, don’t hit a child. Nowadays, that’s a crime in South Africa, even if the child is yours. Actually, just don’t hit anyone. 

And don’t be rude, selfish, or insulting. This type of behavior lands guests on the other side of the welcome mat—probably on their butt. Most Afrikaners are great at setting boundaries.

You’ll be forgiven many small social sins, especially once we sense that you’re reliable, transparent, and a cool person!

Anyway, take the cue and rather don’t ask this Afrikaans question unless you’re making conversation with one of the kiddos! Then make a fuss of the reply, no matter what.

Possible Answers

7.1 Ek is ___. / “I am ___.”

Insert your age in the blank. (To learn Afrikaans numbers, do visit us at AfrikaansPod101.com. You can learn to count straight away—anywhere and for free!)

The longer version of this reply is:

7.2 Ek is vyf-en-twintig jaar oud. / “I am twenty-five years old.”

Again, just add your own age. Both are commonly used, but the former is the more colloquial reply.

7.3 Ek is vyftig jaar en ses maande oud. / “I’m fifty years and six months old.”

In case you need to be very specific.

8. Wat is jou foonnommer? / “What is your phone number?”

Uncomplicated and self-evident, this question can be used in any situation. You can also ask a simpler question:

8.1 Wat is jou nommer? / “What is your number?”

This will only work if the context is clear, of course.

Possible Answers

8.2 My foonnommer is ___. / “My phone number is ___.”

The short version is:

8.3 My nommer is ___. / “My number is ___.”

9. Wanneer is jou verjaarsdag? / “When is your birthday?”

Like the question about age, we don’t ask this right after learning a person’s name. But it’s not such a sensitive topic, so you won’t be ostracized if you do ask this of your new Afrikaner friend. 

And we love birthday parties!

This question, though, should not be confused with:

9.1 Wat is jou geboortedatum? / “What is your birth date?”

The difference should be evident.

Possible Answers

9.2 My verjaarsdag is 22 November. / “My birthday is November 22.”

Just fill in your own birthday.

9.3 My geboortedatum is 22 November, 1969. / “My date of birth is November 22, 1969.”

Answering question 9.1.

9.4 Ek is gebore op 22 November, in 1969. / “I was born on November 22, in 1969.”

10. Hoeveel kos hierdie? / “How much does this cost?”

In South Africa, you can’t haggle in shops; it’s unacceptable. An item’s price is its price, and it’s almost never negotiable. So, you won’t be using this question to quibble about the cost of something. Save that for the casual street markets!

However, it’s good to know this Afrikaans question when the price isn’t evident. 

A variation:

9.1 Wat is die prys hiervan? / “What is this thing’s price?”

You can use this in restaurants, for instance, to learn the price of a specific dish. It needs to be clear what you’re referring to, of course. 

You can also modify the question by adding: … in Amerikaanse dollars / “…in American dollars.”

Possible Answers

9.2 Dit kos ses-honderd Rand. / “It costs six-hundred Rand.”

The Rand, or ZAR, is South Africa’s monetary unit. This amount will get written like this: R600.

BTW, to learn about Afrikaans money, subscribe to AfrikaansPod101 now for access to a quick lesson!

11. Bonus: Hoe sê mens ___ in Afrikaans? / “How do you say ___ in Afrikaans?”

Insert the English word, or indicate what you mean. This question is especially handy when you first start learning Afrikaans, and you’re going to ask this a lot. Shorten it by leaving out in Afrikaans. 

And fear not—we’re patient with students! We’ll translate for you with a smile.

You can also ask:

10.1 Wat is ___ in Afrikaans? / “What is ___ in Afrikaans?”

The difference between the questions should be evident. Choose the one that best fits your situation.

Possible Answers

10.2 Jy sê ___. / “You say ___.”

10.3 Dit is ‘n ___. / “That is a(n) ___.”

10.4 Dit is ‘n ___ in Afrikaans. / “That is a(n) ___ in Afrikaans.”

This is a more elaborate answer. Leave out the article ‘n when you’re not referring to a specific thing.

10.5 Ek weet nie. / “I don’t know.”

Well, sometimes you just don’t.

Well done! If you know these Afrikaans questions and answers by heart, you’re well-equipped to start a conversation. 

Are there any other questions and answers in Afrikaans you want to know? Let us have them in the comments!

Before we conclude, here’s the promised list of Afrikaans question words:

Afrikaans Question Word	English Translation
Wie	“Who”
Wat	“What”
Waar	“Where”
Wanneer	“When”
Hoekom	“Why”

12. AfrikaansPod101 Makes Learning Afrikaans Questions and Answers Super-Easy!

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

But don’t fear!

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Afrikaans is a daughter-language of Dutch, which informs about ninety percent of its vocabulary. However, many other languages helped shape Afrikaans! These include Malay and all of the African languages, as well as Portuguese, Arabic, French, German, and even Russian. 

With such a mixed pot, you’d think that Afrikaans sentence patterns would be very complex and difficult to learn. You would be both right and wrong! 

Certain aspects of Afrikaans sentence structures are indeed complex, but the basics are pretty easy to master. With a bit of effort, you could be speaking like a native in no time. 

Also, at AfrikaansPod101.com, we understand that in order to master the content successfully, the learning process needs to be enjoyable. So we make sure to keep our lessons easy and fun!

In this article, we offer you a good number of Afrikaans sentence pattern examples that should help you get the basics under your belt.

But before we proceed with that—why is it important to learn these sentences as soon as you start with your Afrikaans studies?

Table of Contents

1. 1. Why is it Important to Master Afrikaans Sentence Patterns?
2. 10 Afrikaans Sentence Patterns
3. What Makes AfrikaansPod101 Different?

1. Why is it Important to Master Afrikaans Sentence Patterns?

It’s important to quickly learn at least the basic Afrikaans sentence patterns if you wish to:

1) Understand native Afrikaans-speakers more easily

2) Be better understood by native speakers when you speak Afrikaans

3) Understand Afrikaans media, such as news, movies, TV, music, books, etc., more easily

4) Significantly ease your Afrikaans learning process 

In fact, mastering any language’s sentence patterns flows naturally from learning its vocabulary—it’s part of the language’s very structure!

So, let’s get you going on these Afrikaans sentence pattern examples. Once you’ve memorized them, you should find that the language will make much more sense to you.

Note: It will also help you a lot to study our Afrikaans sentence word order blog post! 

2. 10 Afrikaans Sentence Patterns

1 – Linking Pronouns and Nouns with the Verbs “Is,” “Am,” and “Are”

The Afrikaans sentence pattern for linking nouns is very similar to that in English. You’ll see that the simplest way to join two nouns follows exactly the same structure.

Of course, more complex sentences follow different patterns, but it’s best to start with the basics first!

1.1 Ek is Gerda. / “I am Gerda.”

1.2 Ek is ‘n skrywer. / “I am a writer.”

1.3 Daardie vrou is my baas. / “That lady is my boss.”

1.4 Daardie ou is my man. / “That guy is my husband.”

1.5 Hy is ‘n vegvlieënier. / “He is a fighter pilot.”

1.6 Ons kinders is internasionale skool studente. / “Our children are international school students.”

1.7 Ons is ‘n gesin wat in die buiteland bly. / “We are a family living abroad.”

Note: Did you notice that there’s only one verb (is) in Afrikaans that modifies the pronoun and noun? English has three, each one used depending on the noun or pronoun: “is,” “am,” and “are.”

2. Describing Someone or Something

Again, the basic Afrikaans sentence construction is very similar to that in English when we describe someone or something. We use adjectives (byvoeglike naamwoorde) and adverbs (bywoorde) for this purpose. 

2.1 Jy is vriendelik. / “You are friendly.” 

2.2 My man is aantreklik. / “My husband is attractive.”

2.3 Daardie man is ‘n goeie sanger. / “That man is a good singer.” 

2.4 Die groot klavier was ‘n mooi instrument. / “The big piano was a beautiful instrument.” 

2.5 Baie dankie vir die vriendelike uitnodiging. / “Thank you very much for the friendly invitation.” 

3. Expressing Want

Afrikaans phrases for expressing want are a bit more complex than those in English. 

There are two ways to express want. One involves the use of the verb and adverb wil and hê, and the other simply uses the verb soek.

Here are some useful examples:

3.1 Ek wil ‘n koffie hê, asseblief. / “I want a coffee, please.” (You could also leave out the article ‘n, just like in English.)

3.2 Sy wil suiker hê, asseblief. / “She wants sugar, please.”

3.3 Ek wil ‘n kamer hê, asseblief. / “I want a room, please.” 

This is good and polite Afrikaans. Wil and hê always flank the object (a noun, or the thing you want) on both sides. 

You could also express want in another way. But, while it’s colloquial and often used, it’s not as grammatically pure as the previous examples.

3.4 Ek soek ‘n dokter, asseblief. / “I’m looking for a doctor, please.” 

3.5 Ek soek dringend hulp, asseblief. / “I am urgently looking for assistance, please.” 

This one’s a bit tricky, because soek also means “to search for,” as in:

3.6 Ons soek my suster. / “We are searching for my sister.”

3.7 Hulle soek die verlore hond. / “They are searching for the lost dog.” 

You will, of course, be understood if you omit asseblief (“please”), but similarly to some other languages, saying “please” is an indicator of respect in Afrikaans.

4. Expressing Need

Wants are different from needs, and this is clearly expressed in Afrikaans, too. There are two ways to express your needs.

First, the simple Afrikaans sentence structure always sandwiches the noun (object of your need) between the verb het and the adverb nodig.

4.1 Ek het kos nodig. / “I need food.” 

4.2 Die man het kos nodig. / “The man needs food.”

4.3 Ek het ‘n vurk nodig. / “I need a fork.” 

4.4 Daardie vrou het ‘n vurk nodig. / “That woman needs a fork.” 

This is good colloquial Afrikaans, and is most popularly used.

The other, more formal way of making a need clear uses the verb benodig. Use this in formal documents or speech, such as at work or in court.

4.5 Ek benodig die verslag. / “I need the report.”

4.6 Die baas benodig die syfers. / “The boss needs the figures.” 

More Afrikaans sentence examples:

4.7 Ek het medisyne nodig, asseblief. / “I need medicine, please.” 

4.8 Sy het water nodig. / “She needs water.” 

4.9 Die siek kat het ‘n veearts nodig. / “The ill cat needs a vet.”

4.10 Die polisie benodig jou besonderhede. / “The police need your details.” 

4.11 Jy benodig ander dokumente om ‘n visa te kry. / “You need different documents to get a visa.”

5. Expressing a Like or Preference

When you like something, you use the verb and particle hou van to express it in the simplest Afrikaans, like this:

5.1 Ek hou van jou. / “I like you.”

5.2 Sy hou van roomys. / “She likes ice cream.”

5.3 Die man hou van kuns. / “The man likes art.”

5.4 Ek hou daarvan om op die strand te stap. / “I like taking a stroll on the beach.”

5.5 Hy hou daarvan om in die stort te sing. / “He likes to sing in the shower.”

5.6 Ek hou van Imagine Dragons se musiek. / “I like Imagine Dragons’ music.”

6. Asking Someone to Do Something

Like in English, it’s considered polite and respectful to use “please” (asseblief) when you’re asking someone to do something. It doesn’t matter whether you place it at the beginning or the end of the sentence, or just after the first verb—as long as it’s there! Here are some examples of how to make sentences in Afrikaans when asking someone to do something. 

6.1 Sit, asseblief. / “Sit, please.”

6.2 Sit dit neer, asseblief. / “Put it down, please.” 

6.3 Asseblief gee dit vir my aan. / “Please hand it to me.”

6.4 Groot-asseblief, moenie raas nie! / “Big please, don’t make a racket!”

6.5 Staan asseblief voor die kamera. / “Please stand in front of the camera.”

Note: Body language is very important, as is how you address the person whom you’re asking to do something. 

• A sharp, short tone will sound like a command. (Try to avoid this, unless you’re in the army and can pull rank!)
• A smile, a friendly hand gesture, and a calm voice will be more of an invitation to act than an order.
• A polite request will only require a friendly, calm manner while looking the other person in the eye.

7. Asking for Permission

Permission-asking is another part of the South African social etiquette. Be sure to memorize Asseblief mag ek … (“Please may I…”), because this phrase is what you can start most permission-asking sentences with.

You could also add asseblief to the end of the sentence; it won’t be incorrect.

7.1 Asseblief mag ek sit? / “Please may I sit?”

7.2 Asseblief mag ek gaan? / “Please may I go?”

7.3 Mag ek ingaan, asseblief? / “May I enter, please?”

7.4 Asseblief mag ek die badkamer gebruik? / “Please may I use the bathroom?”

7.5 Mag ek op hierdie stoel sit, asseblief? / “May I sit on this chair, please?”

7.6 Asseblief mag ek vroeg loop vandag? / “Please may I leave early today?”

Again, if you want a good response, look the person in the eye, and remain friendly and calm. 

You can also use this phrase to ask for something, such as tickets. Like this:

7.7 Mag ek kaartjies kry, asseblief? / “May I have tickets, please?”

7.8 Mag ek koffie kry, asseblief? / “May I have coffee, please?”

8. Asking for Information

South Africa is a fabulous tourist destination, and the natives are generally helpful and friendly. Yet finding your way around the country will always be easier if you know how to ask some basic questions in Afrikaans. 

When asking questions in order to obtain information, always start with a question word:

• Wat? / “What?”
• Wie? / “Who?”
• Waar? / “Where?”
• Wanneer? / “When?”
• Hoeveel? / “How much?”
• Waarom or Hoekom? / “Why?”
• Hoe? / “How?”

Of course, all of these words on their own can be used as a question to ask information, if the person you’re addressing knows what you’re referring to.

Otherwise, you can use some of the following questions with the most pertinent question words.

A. Wat / “What”

A.1 Wat is hierdie? / “What is this?”

A.2 Wat doen jy? / “What are you doing?”

A.3 Wat doen jy vir ‘n lewe? / “What do you do for a living?”

A.4 Wat moet ek aantrek? / “What must I wear?”

A.5 Wat wil jy nou doen? / “What do you want to do now?”

B. Wie / “Who”

B.1 Wie is jy? / “Who are you?”

B.2 Wie kan ek help? / “Who can I help?”

B.3 Wie kan ek vra? / “Who can I ask?”

B.4 Met wie moet ek praat? / “Who should I talk to?”

B.5 Wie kan my help, asseblief? / “Who can help me, please?”

C. Waar / “Where” AND Waarheen / “Where to”

C.1 Waar is die badkamer, asseblief? / “Where is the bathroom, please?” (Replace badkamer/”bathroom” with any noun, such as polisiestasie/”police station,” hospitaal/”hospital,” lughawe/”airport,” strand/”beach,” ingang/”entrance,” and so forth.)

C.2 Waar bly jy? / “Where do you live?”

C.3 Waar kan ek kos koop? / “Where can I buy food?”

C.4 Waar is die naaste ATM, asseblief? / “Where is the closest ATM, please?” 

(Again, replace ATM with any relevant noun.)

C.5 Waar kan ek ‘n taxi kry? / “Where can I get a taxi?”

C.6 Waarheen gaan hierdie trein? / “Where does this train go?”

C.7 Waarheen kan mens gaan om te dans? / “Where can one go to dance?”

D. Wanneer and Hoe Laat / “When” and “What time”

D.1 Wanneer kom jy? / “When will you come?”

D.2 Wanneer kom die bus? / “When will the bus come?”

D.3 Hoe laat is jou vlug? / “What time is your flight?”

D.4 Hoe laat begin die vertoning? / “What time does the show start?”

D.5 Wanneer verwag jy hom? / “When are you expecting him?”

D.6 Wanneer arriveer ons? / “When will we arrive?”

Which Afrikaans sentence patterns do you think are the most relevant to you? Share with us in the comments!

3. What Makes AfrikaansPod101 Different?

So, these common Afrikaans sentence patterns will go a long way to help you communicate fast and with clarity. At AfrikaansPod101.com, we make that process even easier with our culturally relevant content, and our practical, fun approach to learning.

When you enroll, you can expect to receive many benefits, including different membership options. Depending on your personal needs, these will unlock functions such as a personal tutor (available via text nearly 24/7), or access to knowledgeable, energetic hosts who are native Afrikaans-speakers. 

You can also get access to downloadable apps and many other tools you can use on your Android or IOS phone, tablet, or laptop—everywhere and anywhere! You can practice, for instance, an Afrikaans word a day or these 100 Core Afrikaans Words, anywhere you are! Or, on your own time, learn with the help of these Afrikaans vocabulary lists.

Get a new lesson delivered every day, and easily learn to speak Afrikaans like a native! Using these basic Afrikaans sentence patterns, you’ll soon be fluent in every way. And with enough practice, you’ll be using them like a native.

So, you know all about verbs in Afrikaans, but you’re still unsure about conjugations. No problem! Let’s learn about Afrikaans verb conjugation together.

In Afrikaans, it’s pretty simple, as verbs conjugate (vervoeg) in only a few instances. In other words, with most Afrikaans tenses, there are some changes to sentence structure and words, but not to the verb. The only exceptions are in the case of past tenses and the present participle. 

Fantastically easy, right? Yes! With AfrikaansPod101, this is definitely the case.

Let’s unpack this grammar rule in more detail, starting with some definitions.

Table of Contents

1. Inflection vs. Conjugation
2. Afrikaans Verb Inflections and Conjugations
3. Quiz – Which Ones are Conjugations?
4. How AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Master Your Conjugations!

1. Inflection vs. Conjugation

These two terms are often confused, which is understandable. They’re very closely related. Fortunately, they’re not difficult to distinguish and can, in many instances, be used interchangeably. 

“Inflections” (verbuigings) is a general term that refers to form changes that can occur to sentences, verbs, nouns, etc., based on a number of variables. 

“Conjugations” (vervoegings) is a subset of inflections that applies only to verbs. Its counterpart for nouns is called “declensions.” So, all conjugations are inflections, but not all inflections are conjugations. Also, strictly speaking, calling them “Afrikaans verb conjugations” is a tautology, meaning that the use of “verb” is redundant. This is because, by definition, only verbs can be conjugated! (Think: “The frozen ice is cold!”)

Afrikaans verbs are conjugated for time only, as previously stated. They don’t inflect (change), for instance, for nouns and pronouns, meaning the verb stays the same no matter which noun or pronoun you use. This differs from English and some other Germanic languages, where the verb does change or inflect according to the noun or pronoun.

To illustrate this unique facet of Afrikaans conjugation, take a look at the English and Afrikaans tables below:

ENGLISH

Singular Nouns and Pronouns – Present Tense	Plural Nouns and Pronouns + “I” – Present Tense
he sits; she sits; it sits; the child sits	I sit; you sit; they sit; we sit; the children sit
he eats; she eats; it eats; the koala bear eats	I eat; you eat; they eat; we eat; the koala bears eat

Singular Nouns and Pronouns – Past Tense	Plural Nouns and Pronouns + “I” – Past Tense
he sat; she sat; it sat; the child sat	I sat; you sat; they sat; we sat; the children sat
he ate; she ate; it ate; the koala bear ate	I ate; you ate; they ate; we ate; the koala bears ate

From the table above, you should notice that the verbs “sit” and “eat” inflect with an “-s” at the end for singular nouns and pronouns. For plural nouns and pronouns, only the base forms of the verbs are used, meaning the “-s” is omitted. All these changes take place when you’re using the present tense. For past tense use, they inflect again…can you spot the differences? Let us know in the comments! 

Afrikaans, in contrast, is totally easy:

AFRIKAANS

Singular and Plural Nouns and Pronouns – Present Tense

ek sit; sy sit; hy sit; hulle sit; ons sit; die kind sit; die kinders sit

ek eet; sy eet; hy eet; hulle eet; ons eet; die koalabeer eet; die koalabere eet

Here, it’s clear that the verbs (“sit” and “eat”) don’t inflect at all for any of the pronouns and nouns. Super easy! 

With past tenses, as well as the present participle, conjugation in Afrikaans is a different story.

2. Afrikaans Verb Inflections and Conjugations

For the sake of good understanding, let’s take a look at when and how conjugations and verb inflections happen in different types of Afrikaans sentences.

Important Note for Table I: Just a reminder that “inflection” refers to changes that were made to the sentence and any words other than verbs. “Conjugation” refers to changes to verbs only.

Table I

Type of Sentence	Examples of Verb Inflections (incl. Conjugations)
Imperative (orders and commands)	1. Verb: Kniel / “Bow” Example: Kniel! / “Bow (down)!” 2. Verb: Praat / “Talk” Example: Praat sagter! / Lit: “Talk softer!” Rule:  There is no conjugation.  Sag is inflected with the suffix -er
Infinitive (ongoing action)	Present:  1. Verbs: Sukkel and Loop / “Battles” and “Walk” Example: Die man sukkel om te loop. / “The man battles to walk.” 2. Verbs: Hou (daar)van and Lag / “Likes” and “Laugh” Example: Ek hou daarvan om te lag. / Lit: “I enjoy it to laugh.”   Rule:  Change in sentence – Always precede the second verb with om te. No conjugation. Past: 1. Verbs: Sukkel and Loop / “Battles” and “Walk” Example: Die man het gesukkel om te loop. / “The man battled to walk.” 2. Verbs: Hou (daar)van and Lag / “Likes” and “Laugh” Example: Ek het daarvan gehou om te lag. / Lit: “I enjoyed it to laugh.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Precede the first verb with the time word het, and the second one with om te.  Conjugation – Add the prefix ge- to the first verb. Future:  1. Verbs: Sukkel and Loop / “Battles” and “Walk” Example: Die man sal sukkel om te loop. / “The man will battle to walk.” 2. Verbs: Hou (daar)van and Lag / “Likes (to)” and “Laugh” Example: Ek gaan hou daarvan om te lag. / Lit: “I am going to like it to laugh.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Precede the first verb with the time word gaan / sal / wil, and the second one with om te.  No conjugation.
Conditional Past, Present, and Future	Past:  1. Verb: Wen / “Win” and Be-verbs Example: Hy sou gewen het as hy fikser was. / “He would’ve won if he had been/was fitter.”  2. Verb: Werk / “Work” Example: Hulle sou gewerk het as dit nodig was. / “They would’ve worked if it had been/was necessary.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Always precede the first verb with sou and follow it with het as + conditional clause + appropriate be-verb (in this case, was).  Conjugation – Add the prefix ge- to the verb. Present:  1. Verb: Eet / “Eat” and Be-verbs Example: Die hond sou eet as daar kos was. / “The dog would eat if there were food.” 2. Verb: Dans / “Dance” Example: Die vrou sou dans as daar musiek was. / “The woman would dance if there were music.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Always precede the first verb with sou, and follow it with as + conditional clause + appropriate be-verb (was, in this case).  No conjugation. Future:  1. Verb: Slaap / “Sleep”  Example: Die baba sal slaap as die kamer donker genoeg is. / “The baby will sleep if the room is dark enough.” 2. Verb: Vertrek / “Leave” Example: Ons sal vanaand vertrek as die motor reg is. / “We’ll leave tonight if the car is ready.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Always precede the first verb with a time word like sal / gaan / wil and follow it with as + conditional clause + appropriate be-verb (in this case, is).  No conjugation.
Present	1. Verb: Val / “Falls” Example: Die reën val saggies. / “The rain falls quietly.” 2. Verb: Hardloop / “Run” Example: Hulle hardloop weg. / “They run away.” Rule:  No conjugation.
Present Participle (forms perfect and passive tenses)	1. Verb: Vra / “Ask” Example: Hy kyk vraend na die vrou. / Lit: “He looks inquiringly (lit. askingly) at the woman.” 2. Verb: Hardloop / “Run” Example: Die hardlopende bok beweeg na links. / “The running antelope moves to the left.” Rule:  Conjugation – In the first example, the suffix -end is added to the second verb, which changes its word function to that of an adverb. The second example shows a conjugation with the suffix -ende on the first verb that, in this case, changes its function to that of an adjective. It’s also an example of an irregular conjugation that changes the spelling of the word.   Here are other examples of irregular conjugations that change the verb into an adjective or adverb: verloor to verlore / “lost” aankom to aankomende / “coming” vertrek to vertrekkende / “leaving” or “going” beloof to belowende / “promising” skryf to skrywende / “writing” lag to laggende / “laughing” loop to lopende / “walking” sit to sittende / “sitting” vlieg to vlieënde / “flying”
Past	1. Verb: Vlieg / “Fly” Example: Ons het gevlieg. / “We flew.” 2. Verb: Kook / “Cook” Example: Die kok het vir ons gekook. / “The chef cooked for us.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Add the time word het before the verb.  Conjugation – Add the prefix ge- to the verb.
Past Participle (forms perfect and passive tenses)	1. Verb: Vra / “Ask” Example: Hy het vraend na die vrou gekyk. / “He looked inquiringly at the woman.” (First verb changes function to an adverb.) 2. Verb: Hardloop / “Run” Example: Die hardlopende bok het na links beweeg. / “The running antelope moved to the left.” (The first verb changes function to an adjective.) Rule:  Change in sentence – Add the time word het before the second verb.  Conjugation – Add –end or –ende to the first verb, changing its function to adverb or adjective. If the first verb changes to an adverb, add the prefix ge- to the second verb. As explained above, the second example shows an irregular conjugation.
Future	1. Verb: Slaap / “Sleep” Example: Sy sal slaap. / “She will sleep.”  2. Verb: Blaf / “Bark” Example: Die hond gaan blaf. / “The dog will bark.” Rule:  Change in sentence – Add the time words sal / gaan / wil before the first verb.  No conjugation.

A bit confused?

That’s totally okay!

Let’s quickly test your knowledge with an easy quiz…

3. Quiz – Which Ones are Conjugations?

Identify the inflected verb (conjugation) in the following sentences and let us know your answers in the comment section!

1. Die man het geëet. / “The man ate.”

2. Ons sal weer lag. / “We will laugh again.”

3. ‘n Perd het kouend gestaan by die dammetjie. / “A horse stood chewing by the pond.”

4. Die mooi vrou praat sag. / “The pretty woman speaks softly.”

5. Die motor het vinnig gery. / “The car drove fast.”

6. Al die blomme is geurig. / “All the flowers smell good.”

In any language, grammar usually takes some time to master. For this reason, it’s best if you team up with…well, the best teachers you possibly can!

4. How AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Master Your Conjugations!

We hope you enjoyed learning about Afrikaans verbs and their conjugations with us. Are you ready to start practicing, or do you still have questions? Let us know in the comments!

Again, AfrikaansPod101 takes the lead with many excellent Afrikaans learning tools to help you master conjugations, inflections, and so much more—easily and almost effortlessly! While you’re learning about verb conjugations in Afrikaans, lessons like these are helpful, but we have so many more learning options for you, too! 

These tools include:

1. An extensive vocabulary list, updated regularly.

2. A new Afrikaans word to learn everyday. Master these words easily with our recordings and flashcards!

3. Access to numerous recordings, such as this Afrikaans Vocab Builder.

4. A free Afrikaans online dictionary.

5. An excellent 100 Core Afrikaans Words list!

Learn much faster with the help of a personal tutor, who will first let you take an assessment test to personalize your training.

They’re very helpful when you bump into challenges during your studies. Your very own friendly, Afrikaans-speaking teacher will be only a text away on a special app, anywhere, anytime. Using a guided learning system, which was developed by experts in language and online education, they’ll be giving you personal feedback and constant support so you can learn and improve quickly. You’ll also be tasked with weekly assignments in reading, writing, and speaking, to really hone your Afrikaans language skills. 

Don’t hesitate—enroll with AfrikaansPod101 now!

Verbs are those words in a sentence that tell us what’s being done (or if it’s being done). In other words, a verb refers to an action. 

Afrikaans verbs are, in some ways, easier to master than those in other languages. For instance, in Afrikaans, verb conjugation depends only on time! This means that the verb form remains the same for all pronouns: 

• Hy eet, ek eet, hulle eet, almal eet!

“He eats, I eat, they eat, everyone eats!”

Great, right?!

At AfrikaansPod101, we’re going to make sure that you understand Afrikaans verbs and their classification with our Afrikaans verbs list. In this blog, we explain the basic types of verbs found in Afrikaans, and offer you easy-to-use lists at your fingertips! 

Let’s not dally, but get busy and jump right in!

Table of Contents

1. Types of Verbs
2. Afrikaans Verbs and Sentence Construction
3. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Master Afrikaans Verbs!

1. Types of Verbs

There are four types of verbs in Afrikaans.

TYPE OF VERB	“Independent Verbs” Selfstandige  OR  Hoofwerkwoorde	“Auxiliary Verbs”  Hulpwerkwoorde  OR  Medewerkwoorde	“Linking verbs”  Koppelwerkwoorde	“Infinitive Verbs”  Infinitiewe
DESCRIPTION	These are “doing” words that can only be used in the simple, incomplete present tense. There are four types of independent verbs.	Afrikaans auxiliary verbs, which can never stand alone, help independent verbs express time, modality, and form. There are, therefore, three types of auxiliary verbs in Afrikaans.	These verbs can also never stand alone. They’re used to link nouns, adjectives, or pronouns with nouns.	The infinitive is a verb that’s used together with te or om te. These verbs can be used on their own in a sentence as well.

Let’s take a closer look at these types!

A. “Independent Verbs” / Selfstandige OR Hoofwerkwoorde

Hoofwerkwoorde can stand alone in a sentence. As mentioned in the table above, there are four types of hoofwerkwoorde, also called selfstandige werkwoorde, or “independent verbs” in Afrikaans. They are:

• “Transitive verbs” (Oorganklike hoofwerkwoorde) AND “Intransitive verbs” (Onoorganklike hoofwerkwoorde)
• “Reciprocal verbs” (Wederkerende hoofwerkwoorde)
• “Impersonal verbs” (Onpersoonlike hoofwerkwoorde)

1- “Transitive & Intransitive Verbs” / Oorganklike & Onoorganklike Werkwoorde

Like in English, oorganklike hoofwerkwoorde are always followed by an object in a sentence. Or, in other words, it’s always clear that the action (depicted by the verb) is “transferred” upon a person or object.

Example: bring / “brings”

Afrikaans: Hy bring die sushi. 

Translation: “He brings the sushi.”

Another easy way to identify these types of independent verbs is by trying to answer the “what?” question. As in: “What does he bring?” (Wat bring hy?) If you can’t answer this question with a noun or pronoun, the verb is not transitive.

Sentences with “intransitive verbs” (onoorganklike hoofwerkwoorde) don’t need an object—usually a noun or a pronoun—to make sense. Or, in other words, there’s no “recipient” of the action.

Example: sing / “sings”

Afrikaans: Sy sing.

Translation: “She sings.”

Also, an intransitive verb can be identified by a clause that tells more about how the action takes place.

Example: praat / “talk”

Afrikaans: Sy praat te sag op die verhoog.

Translation: “She talks too softly on stage.”

However, don’t break your head too much about these two types of independent verbs! Most transitive verbs in Afrikaans can be used as intransitive verbs too. 

In fact, there are very few true transitive verbs in Afrikaans! Here are some of them: 

• Bring / “Bring”
• Haak / “Hook”
• Dra / “Carry”

All of the following independent verbs in Afrikaans can be used either as transitives or intransitives.

– Gee / “Give” – Ontvang / “Receive” – Gooi / “Throw” – Eet / “Eat” – Skink / “Pour” – Sny / “Cut” – Hoor / “Hear” – Skiet / “Shoot” – Lees / “Read” – Brei / “Knit” – Was / “Wash” – Bel / “Phone” – Verloor / “Lose” – Wen / “Win”

– Sit / “Sit” – Hardloop / “Run” – Loop / “Walk” – Ry / “Ride” – Bestuur / “Drive” – Vlieg / “Fly” – Swem / “Swim” – Staan / “Stand” – Spring / “Jump” – Slaap / “Sleep” – Skryf / “Write” – Tik / “Type” – Verf / “Paint” – Speel / “Play”

2- “Reciprocal verbs” / Wederkerende hoofwerkwoorde

We find these in English too, but they’re slightly different in function in Afrikaans. There are two types of reciprocal verbs in Afrikaans: 

a) Toevallig wederkerende hoofwerkwoord / “Incidental reciprocal verb”

b) Noodsaaklik wederkerende hoofwerkwoord / “Imperative reciprocal verb”

A toevallig wederkerende hoofwerkwoord can be transitive. This means that the verb will always be sandwiched between a subject and an object that can, but does not necessarily, refer to the same person. 

Example: was / “washes”

Afrikaans: Hy was hom.

Translation: “He washes him.”

In this sentence, the verb was (“wash”) can refer to a man who washes himself, or it can refer to a father washing his son, for instance. In other words, it could mean that the action is being done to a second party, which means that the verb is transitive.

The noodsaaklike wederkerende hoofwerkwoord (“imperative reciprocal verb”), however, is always sandwiched between an object and a subject that refers to the same person. There’s no doubt that only one person is being referred to here.

Example: verheug / “rejoices”

Afrikaans: Sy verheug haar oor die nuus.

Translation: “She rejoices over the news.”

There aren’t many of these verbs in Afrikaans, and please note that their English translations aren’t always used reciprocally. Below is an Afrikaans verbs list to give you a better idea of these words. Afrikaans verbs with no direct translation to English are bolded.

• vererg / “annoyed”
• berus / “acquiesces” or “accepts” or “resigns”
• beroep / “appeals to”
• bekommer / “worry”
• bemoei 

There’s no direct translation for this word in English. Bemoei can denote interference or inappropriate meddling with something. But it can also refer to taking action or interest in something one is not expected to, such as a charity.

• verkyk / “gawks” or “stares in amazement”
• verlustig

There’s no direct translation for this word either, but it means to take exquisite delight in something, truly savoring the experience.

• verstom / “stunned”
• begewe / “to embark on” or “to enter into”

Begewe denotes an action with a certain risk, meaning that you’re embarking on something potentially dangerous or something that could have a negative outcome.

• bevind / “finds”
• Misgis / “misjudges”
• ontferm / “takes care of” (As in little animals, children, anything vulnerable)
• verstout / “ventures to” (Taking bold action that’s slightly risky, perhaps even a bit naughty!)
• beroem 

This word doesn’t have an English translation, and is difficult to describe! It denotes that you have a certain skill you’re proud of, almost to the point of being famous for that skill.

• beywer

This word means something between “to work” and “to campaign” with fervor. It denotes that you put in special, dedicated, and passionate effort into doing something.

• aanmatig / “presumes”
• steur

No direct translation, but the closest English approximation is probably “to be bothered.” Steur means to take notice of something, or to pay attention to it. The word is usually used in this sentence: Moet jou nie daaraan steur nie. / “Don’t be bothered by it.” or “Pay it no heed.”

• bedink / “devise”
• gedra / “behave”
• skaam 

This doesn’t have a direct English translation, but it means that you’re ashamed of something or someone.

3- “Impersonal verbs” / Onpersoonlike hoofwerkwoorde

Impersonal verbs are, as the name suggests, verbs that don’t refer to a specific person or place. 

List:

1. Dit reën en blits. (“There’s rain and lightning.”)

2. Dit sneeu in die berge. (“It’s snowing in the mountains.”)

3. Dit hael selde hier by ons. (“It seldom hails here.”)

4. Dit spook in daardie huis. (“The house is haunted.”)

5. Dit wasem op in die kar. (“Condensation is forming in the car.”)

6. Dit word nooit koud nie. (“It never gets cold.”)

7. Dit gaan goed. (“It’s going well.”)

8. Dit is onnodig. (“It’s unnecessary.”)

An easy way to identify impersonal verbs is by the subject in the sentence, which will always be the impersonal pronoun dit (“it”).

Confused and scared yet? Wait until you see the rest! 

No worries, though, because with a bit of consistent practice and some help from AfrikaansPod101, you’ll master all of these eventually. There are so many benefits of learning a new language—it’s worth sticking with it!

Also, for your convenience, here are other informative blog posts to expand your knowledge of Afrikaans grammar: 

• 100 Afrikaans Nouns
• The Essential Afrikaans Adjective List
• The Best List of Must-Know Pronouns in Afrikaans

B. “Auxiliary Verbs” / Hulpwerkwoorde

As the name suggests, these verbs help the selfstandige werkwoorde (“independent verbs”) in sentences. They help to express time, modality, and form.

1- Hulpwerkwoorde van Tyd / “Auxiliary Verbs of Time”

This is simple. There’s only one auxiliary verb in this category: het. Also, the other verb(s) in the sentence gets conjugated with the prefix ge-, such as in gepraat (“spoke”).

• Ek het gewerk. (“I worked.”)
• Hulle het fietsgery. (“They cycled.”)
• Ons het gevlieg. (“We flew.”)

2- Hulpwerkwoorde van Wyse OR Modaliteit / “Modal Auxiliary Verbs”

Afrikaans modal verbs modulate the meaning of a sentence in regard to the probability, possibility, necessity, or need of the action taken.

• Die vrou kan dit doen. (“The woman can do it.”)
• Ons mag saam wees. (“We are allowed to be together.” OR “We could be together.”)
• The man moet kosmaak. (“The man must prepare food.”)
• Hulle probeer ‘n vlieër maak. (“They try to make a kite.”)

Other modal auxiliary verbs in Afrikaans:

• sal / “shall”
• wil / “will”
• moes

This verb is used to indicate the past tense of moet, and the other verb also gets conjugated with ge-. For example: Hy moes kosgemaak het. (“He should have cooked.”)

• behoort / “should”
• hoef

This Afrikaans verb is always used together with nie, a verbal clause that means “needn’t.” For example: Julle hoef nie vroeg te kom nie. (“You [plural] don’t need to come early.”)

3- Hulpwerkwoorde van Vorm / “Auxiliary Verbs of Form”

There are only two of these auxiliary verbs: word and is. They’re used to indicate the passive voice.

• Die motor word gewas. (“The car is being washed.”)
• Daardie huis is verkoop. (“The house was sold.”)

C. Koppelwerkwoorde / “Linking Verbs”

These verbs are used to link nouns, adjectives, or pronouns with other nouns. If used alone in a sentence, the latter won’t make sense. For instance:

• Die kat is mooi. (“The cat is pretty.”)
• Hy word groot. (“He is growing up.”)
• Dit lyk goed. (“That looks good.”)

• Jy bly mooi. (“You remain attractive.”)

Take note: This is not to be confused with bly, which means “live,” as in a house. Ons bly lekker in hierdie plekkie literally translates as “We live nicely in this little place,” and it means you enjoy living there. This bly is a main or independent verb, since the sentence will still make since if lekker in hierdie plekkie is removed.

• Die kind klink moeg. (“The child sounds tired.”)
• Dit wil voorkom asof sy skuldig is. (“It appears she might be guilty.”)

D. Infinitiewe / “Infinitive Verbs”

The infinitive form in Afrikaans is indicated with the use of te and om te together with the verb. The verb can be used alone too, where the infinitive is then implicated.

a) Te and a verb

• Die rok is te koop. (“The dress is for sale.”)
• Die motor is te huur. (“The car is for hire.”)
• Hulle behoort hulle te skaam. (“They should be ashamed of themselves.”)

b) Om te and a verb

• Die sanger hou daarvan om te jodel. (“The singer likes to yodel.”)
• Sy vra hom om wyn te koop. (“She asks him to buy wine.”)
• Ek is lief om te droom. (“I love dreaming.”)

c) Omitting om te (but still implicating it)

• Swem is goed. (Instead of Om te swem is goed.) / “Exercise is good.”
• Die kind leer klavierspeel. (Instead of Die kind leer om klavier te speel.) / “The child learns to play the piano.”
• Help my die blomme plant. (Instead of Help my om die blomme te plant.) / “Help me plant the flowers.”

Hopefully you’re not too confused! 

Now let’s take a look at the basic word order of an Afrikaans sentence to understand where verbs should take their place. 

2. Afrikaans Verbs and Sentence Construction

The popular way to explain this is with the acronym STOMPI. But before you start, the golden rule to remember is this: In any DECLARATIVE sentence (stelsin) in Afrikaans, the first verb follows the subject. 

Now, to unpack STOMPI!

Note: While shortcut learning tools like STOMPI always seem more simple than they are, you’ll never be wrong if you stick to this formula! Obviously, the rules change slightly with interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences, but let’s start with declaratives. 

Subject or Who/What: 

This is the word indicating the person or thing taking the action, meaning pronouns, nouns, or proper nouns (voornaamwoorde, selfstandige naamwoorde en eiename). Or, in other words, the subject describes who or what is busy acting/doing something. 

Examples of a subject:

Sy

“She”

Die kat 

“The cat”

Marie

“Mary”

Silent V1 or Verb 1:

This one didn’t fit into the acronym, ergo its “silent” status! But it’s very important to remember that all declarative sentences in Afrikaans have this first verb AFTER the subject. This verb can be an auxiliary verb or a regular or conjugated verb (hulpwerkwoorde, en werkwoorde).

Time word or When:

This always comes after Verb 1, and answers the question “When?” It always mentions a time of day or a number.

Object or Who/What:

This is a noun or something upon which the action is performed. 

Manner – Adverbs (bywoorde):

These describe how something happens. In other words, they describe the action taking place.

Silent V2 or Verb 2:

This verb will mostly appear in future or past tense sentences.

Place or location:

These are words that indicate a place. 

Also called plekwoorde or “place words.”

Infinitive:

To do an action.

A. Example of STOMPI in action!

Die kat eet vandag die kos gretig uit die bak om te oorleef.

“Today the cat eagerly eats the food from the bowl to survive.”

Subject: die kat (“the cat”)

Silent verb 1: eet (“eats”)

Time word: vandag (“today”)

Object: die kos (“the food”)

Manner: gretig (“eagerly”)

Place: uit die bak (“from the bowl”)

Infinitive: om te oorleef (“to survive”)

Do you notice how the verb (Silent Verb 1) follows the subject in this sentence? (The Silent Verb 2 is omitted because this is set in the simple present tense.)

Here’s another example:

Stefan het gister die bal baie hard op die tennisbaan geslaan om te wen. 

“Yesterday, Stephen hit the ball very hard on the tennis court to win.”

Subject: Stefan (“Stephen”)

Silent verb 1: het (The word literally translates as “has,” but the sentence is written in the simple past tense. “Has” only gets used in one of the perfect past tenses in English, so it’s omitted from this sentence.)

Time word: gister (“yesterday”)

Object: die bal (“the ball”)

Manner: baie hard (“very hard”)

Place: op die tennisbaan (“on the tennis court”)

Silent verb 2: geslaan (“hit”)

Infinitive: om te wen (“to win”)

The sentence above is a simple past tense sentence. As you should see, it contains both Silent Verbs.

3. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Master Afrikaans Verbs!

Like any language, all this may seem very daunting to master. Don’t fear! We have your back!

Also—why study in ways that are boring and demotivating, when you can learn Afrikaans while having fun?!

That’s our entire aim at AfrikaansPod101. Get access to thousands of enjoyable, culturally relevant, and very interesting lessons. 

For instance, check out our page on cracking the Afrikaans writing system in minutes! 

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Before you go, let us know in the comments if you think we missed any common Afrikaans verbs in our list, or if you have any questions about conjugation. We look forward to hearing from you! 

The word “pronoun” in Afrikaans is voornaamwoord. Like pronouns in most languages, Afrikaans pronouns are very necessary words to use and master. Without pronouns, a language could sound clumsy and be much more difficult to understand! But with AfrikaansPod101.com, this doesn’t have to be a problem. We help you learn not only the relevant vocabulary, but also the grammar and proper use of pronouns in Afrikaans—easily and excellently!

Let’s start with the purpose of pronouns. Basically, these are words that take the place of nouns (the very word “pronoun” should give that away!) in a sentence. This keeps us from repeating the same word or words over and over again. Also, as mentioned earlier, they ensure elegant and smooth speech and writing.

An example of a sentence without pronouns:

“Not only is Peter Pan a boy, but Peter Pan is also a fairytale character.”

The meaning of the sentence is correct, but it doesn’t sound very good, right? Here’s the same sentence with a personal pronoun. Can you spot it?

“Not only is Peter Pan a boy, but he is also a fairytale character.”

Yup, in this sentence, “he” is the personal pronoun that takes the place of “Peter Pan,” the proper noun. You can also learn the basics about nouns in Afrikaans in our blog post: Learn the 100 Most Common Nouns in Afrikaans.

Now that we’re on the same page regarding the nature of a pronoun, let’s dig into different examples of pronouns in Afrikaans! In Afrikaans, we classify nine types of pronouns.

Table of Contents

1. Personal Pronouns / Persoonlike Voornaamwoorde
2. Impersonal Pronouns / Onpersoonlike Voornaamwoorde
3. Possessive Pronoun / Besitlike Voornaamwoord
4. Relative Pronouns / Betreklike Voornaamwoorde
5. Interrogative Pronouns / Vraende Voornaamwoorde
6. Indefinite Pronouns / Onbepaalde Voornaamwoorde
7. Reflexive & Intensive Pronouns / Noodsaaklike & Toevallige Wederkerende Voornaamwoorde
8. Reciprocal Pronouns / Wederkerige Voornaamwoorde
9. Demonstrative Pronouns / Aanwysende Voornaamwoorde
10. AfrikaansPod101 and Afrikaans Pronouns—Why We’re the Best!

1. Personal Pronouns / Persoonlike Voornaamwoorde

As the name suggests, Afrikaans personal pronouns specifically take the place of the names of people, places, and things in a sentence.

Personal Pronoun: English	Persoonlike Voornaamwoord: Afrikaans
I	ek
ek	jy
you (formal)	u
she	sy
he	hy
we	ons
you (formal plural)	u
you (informal plural)	julle
they	hulle
it	dit

Note: Unlike in English, the Afrikaans pronoun used when you refer to yourself (ek / “I”) isn’t always written in capital letters. Ek is written with a capital letter only at the start of a sentence.

See if you can identify every personal pronoun in Afrikaans in the following sentences!

Examples:

Afrikaans: Ek het my selfoon by die huis vergeet. My vriendin het gesê dat sy dit vir my sal bring.

Translation: “I forgot my cell-phone at home. My friend said she would bring it to me.”

Afrikaans: Hy will by julle aansluit.

Translation: “He wants to join you.” (Plural, informal “you”)

Afrikaans: My vriende is hier; ons gaan nou eet.

Translation: “My friends are here; we’re going to eat now.”

Afrikaans: Meneer, kan u Afrikaans praat? U vrou sê sy kan nie.

Translation: “Sir, can you speak Afrikaans? Your wife says she can’t.” (Singular, formal “you”)

Afrikaans: Hulle het ‘n nuwe kar. Dit is baie spoggerig. 

Translation: “They have a new car. It is very grand.”

2. Impersonal Pronouns / Onpersoonlike Voornaamwoorde

There are only two impersonal pronouns in Afrikaans: dit (“it”) and daar (“there”).

Examples:

Afrikaans: Dit reën buite. 

Translation: “It’s raining outside.” 

Note: This dit is used mostly in reference to natural phenomena like the weather.

Afrikaans: Daar is niks wat mens hieraan kan doen nie.

Translation: “There’s nothing one can do about it.”

Note: This Afrikaans pronoun is mostly used in the passive voice. Don’t confuse it with daardie! Read on to learn more about this.

3. Possessive Pronoun / Besitlike Voornaamwoord

As the name suggests, Afrikaans possessive pronouns indicate possession.

Possessive Pronoun: English	Besitlike Voornaamwoord: Afrikaans
my / mine	my / myne
your / yours	jou / joune
her / hers	haar / hare
his	sy / syne
our / ours	ons / ons s’n
your / yours (plural informal)	julle / julle s’n
your / yours (plural formal)	u / u s’n
their / theirs	hulle / hulle s’n

Examples:

Afrikaans: Die kaartjie is myne. Dis vir my vlug na London.

Translation: “The ticket is mine. It’s for my flight to London.”

Afrikaans: Dis jou nuwe iPad. Die nuwe skootrekenaar is ook joune.

Translation: “That is your new iPad. The new laptop is also yours.”

Afrikaans: Haar sitplek is hare; sy sitplek is syne.

Translation: “Her seat is hers; his seat is his.”

Afrikaans: Julle hond is julle s’n.

Translation: “Your dog is yours.” (Informal, plural)

Afrikaans: Hulle tafel is hulle s’n. Ons gaan by ons s’n sit.

Translation: “That table is theirs. We’re going to sit at ours.”

Afrikaans: U ete is voorberei. Die vegetariese disse is u s’n.

Translation: “Your meal is prepared. The vegetarian dishes are yours.” (Formal, singular or plural)

4. Relative Pronouns / Betreklike Voornaamwoorde

Afrikaans relative pronouns are relative to, or have to do with, a noun that occurs first in the sentence. They’re used to connect a phrase or a clause to a noun. 

There are four pronouns in this category: wat, wie se, waaroor, and waarin. The literal translations for these pronouns are not used in the same way they are in English. 

In the example sentences below, the noun which is being referred to is underlined.

Examples:

Afrikaans: Die persoon wat praat is die kind se ma.

Translation: “The person who’s speaking is the child’s mother.”

Afrikaans: Die onderwerp waaroor sy praat is belangrik.

Translation: “The topic that she is discussing is important.”

Afrikaans: Die kind wie se tas gevind is, is nie hier nie.

Translation: “The child whose suitcase was found is not here.”

Afrikaans: Die drama waarin hy optree begin vanaand.

Translation: “The drama in which he performs is opening tonight.”

5.  Interrogative Pronouns / Vraende Voornaamwoorde

As the name suggests, these Afrikaans pronouns are used to ask questions. You’ll see that most of them can be used as relative pronouns too.

Interrogative Pronouns: English	Vraende Voornaamwoorde: Afrikaans
who	wie
what	wat / waarvan
about what	waaroor
with what	waarmee
what…for	waarvoor
which	watter
which	wanneer
why	waarom / hoekom

Tip: If you can answer the question with a noun, then you know there’s a vraende voornaamwoord in the sentence!

Examples:

Afrikaans: Wie het die Lotto gewen?

Translation: “Who won the Lotto?”

Afrikaans: Wat gaan jy met die geld doen?

Translation: “What are you going to do with the money?”

Afrikaans: Waarvan hou jy die meeste?

Translation: “What do you like the most?”

Afrikaans: Waaroor wil jy skryf?

Translation: “About what do you want to write?”

Afrikaans: Waarmee wil jy die koffie roer?

Translation: “With what do you want to stir the coffee?”

Afrikaans: Waarvoor gebruik mens hierdie ding?

Translation: “What do you use this thing for?”

Afrikaans: Watter take gaan jy nou aanpak?

Translation: “Which tasks are you going to tackle now?”

Afrikaans: Wanneer is ons reis na Skotland?

Translation: “When is our trip to Scotland?”

Afrikaans: Waarom huil jy?

Translation: “Why are you crying?”

Note: Waarom can be used interchangeably with hoekom. They’re similar in meaning.

6. Indefinite Pronouns / Onbepaalde Voornaamwoorde

These pronouns in Afrikaans don’t refer to any specific thing, place, or person. 

Indefinite Pronouns: English	Onbepaalde Voornaamwoorde: Afrikaans
any	enige
anybody / anyone	enigiemand / enigeen
nobody	niemand
some	sommige
everybody	almal
few	min / enkele
everything	alles
several	verskeie
no	geen
all	alle
both	albei
each	elkeen
enough	genoeg
much	baie

Examples:

Afrikaans: Laat hulle enige troeteldiere hier toe?

Translation: “Do they allow any pets here?”

Afrikaans: Vra enigiemand, dis ‘n aangename plek hierdie.

Translation: “Ask anybody, this is a pleasant place.”

Afrikaans: Niemand mag ingaan nie.

Translation: “Nobody may enter.”

Afrikaans: Sommige mense hou van oefening, maar net enkeles neem deel aan professionele sport.

Translation: “Some people like to exercise, but few participate in professional sport.”

Afrikaans: Dis goed ons het baie kos gemaak, want min het oorgebly.

Translation: “It’s good we made a lot of food, because little was left.”

Afrikaans: Die orkaan het almal geaffekteer maar gelukkig het niemand alles verloor nie.

Translation: “The hurricane affected everyone, but fortunately no one lost everything.”

Afrikaans: Daar is verskeie resepte wat enigeen kan kook.

Translation: “There are several recipes that anyone can cook.”

Afrikaans: Geen persoon kan na agtuur inkom nie want alle deure is dan toegesluit.

Translation: “No person can enter after eight o’clock because all doors will be locked then.”

Afrikaans: Albei is my kinders, en ek het genoeg liefde vir elkeen.

Translation: “Both are my children, and I have enough love for each.”

7. Reflexive & Intensive Pronouns / Noodsaaklike & Toevallige Wederkerende Voornaamwoorde

These pronouns are used when both the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or thing.
There are two categories of reflexive pronouns in Afrikaans: noodsaaklik wederkerend (reflexive) and toevallig wederkerend (intensive). It’s clear that the former (reflexive) refers to the same subject in a sentence, so that’s easy. However, it’s possible for the latter (intensive) to refer to any person or object, so the –self suffix is added for clarification.

Reflexive & Intensive Pronouns: English	Wederkerende Voornaamwoord: Afrikaans
I – myself	Ek – my
He – himself	Hy – hom
She – herself	Sy – haar
We – ourselves	Ons – ons
They – themselves	Hulle – hul

Examples of Reflexive Pronouns / Noodsaaklik Wederkerende Voornaamwoorde:

Afrikaans: Ek verwonder my aan hoe hy hom verspreek het.

Translation: “I am amazed by his slip of the tongue.”

Afrikaans: Sy het haar misgis met hoeveel hulle hul bekommer het.

Translation: “She misjudged how much they worried themselves.”

Afrikaans: Ons het ons gelukkig nie vasgeloop nie.

Meaning: “Fortunately, we didn’t encounter obstacles.” (There is no literal translation for this phrase!)

Tip: The astute will notice the lack of the self suffix! This is omitted when it’s clear who performs the action.

Examples of Intensive Pronouns / Toevallig Wederkerende Voornaamwoorde:

Here, the suffix –self is added for the sake of clarity. This means that, in a sentence, it’s possible that the action can be performed on another object or person.

Afrikaans: Hy was homself.

Translation: “He washes himself.”

Afrikaans: Hulle prys hulself.

Translation: “They praise themselves.”

Afrikaans: Sy trek haarself aan.

Translation: “She dresses herself.”

8. Reciprocal Pronouns / Wederkerige Voornaamwoorde

These pronouns are used to indicate that two or more people are carrying out, or have carried out, a specific action. Only two Afrikaans pronoun forms exist in this category: mekaar (“one another”) and die een die ander (“each other”).

Afrikaans: Ons staan mekaar by met die werk .

Translation: “We support each other with the work.”

Afrikaans: Ons help die een die ander met opruim.

Translation: “We help one another to clean up.”

9. Demonstrative Pronouns / Aanwysende Voornaamwoorde

These pronouns don’t take the place of nouns, but are always used together with the noun. Again, only two words are used as aanwysende voornaamwoorde: hierdie (“this”) and daardie (“that”).

Afrikaans: Hierdie vlug gaan aangenaam wees.

Translation: “This flight will be pleasant.”

Afrikaans: Daardie paartjie is gelukkig.

Translation: “That couple is happy.”

Well done! Now the question: “What is a pronoun in Afrikaans?” need not mystify you any longer! Also be sure to check out our other blog post, the Essential Afrikaans Adjectives List. 

10. AfrikaansPod101 and Afrikaans Pronouns—Why We’re the Best!

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Word order, or syntax, in any language is often a challenging thing to master, and Afrikaans is no exception. But once you’re familiar with the most basic Afrikaans sentence structure rules, you’ll find that the rest comes with less difficulty. At AfrikaansPod101.com, we know how to make it easy for you, so with a bit of effort, you’ll have Afrikaans word order under your belt in no time!

Table of Contents

1. Structural Patterns in Languages
2. Afrikaans Sentence Structure Rules
3. STOMPI
4. Explanation of the Sentence Elements in Sv1TOMPv2I
5. More Examples of the Basic Afrikaans Sentence Structure: STOMPI
6. Why AfrikaansPod101 is the Best Choice to Learn Afrikaans Sentence Structures!

1. Structural Patterns in Languages

To briefly explain what we’re looking at: In linguistic typology as a field of study, the structural and functional features of all languages are studied and compared. 

Syntactic typology, dealing with the order, form, grammar, and choice of words, is a subset of this discipline, and is also the one we’re dealing with here. 

In the largest number of languages in the world, all of the simplest, most basic statement sentences have the following word order pattern:

1) Subject: I

2) Object: Afrikaans

3) Verb: study.

Or: “I Afrikaans study.” (Obviously, neither English nor Afrikaans follow this pattern!)

This Subject – Object – Verb (SOV) sentence pattern or word order gets used in languages such as Japanese,  Korean, Mongolian, Turkish, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, the Dravidian languages, and more.

Other structural patterns in language include:

• Subject – Verb – Object (SVO)
• Verb – Object – Subject (VOS) 

Many synthetic languages (including Latin, Greek, Persian, Romanian, Assyrian, Russian, Turkish, Korean, Japanese, Finnish, and Basque) have no strict word order. Rather, the sentence structure is flexible and reflects the practical aspects of what’s being said, according to Wikipedia.

In this sense, then, word order in Afrikaans follows the SVO pattern, meaning that the most basic statement sentence will always look like this:

1) Subject: Ek (I)

2) Verb: studeer (study)

3) Object: Afrikaans. (Afrikaans.)

Ek studeer Afrikaans. (“I study Afrikaans.”)

or

1) Subject: Ek (I)

2) Verb: hou (like)

3) Object: daarvan. (it.)

Ek hou daarvan. (“I like it.”)

If you can manage to remember this, you’ve covered a lot! Also, English follows the same pattern for many basic statement sentences.

2. Afrikaans Sentence Structure Rules

There’s only one rule concerning Afrikaans sentences – no matter the type of sentence, the first verb, or Verb 1, will always take the second place.

Except for two types of sentences: questions starting with a verb and commands.

Here are some samples. Notice the position of Verb 1.

Questions Starting with a Verb and Command Sentences

Question Sentences	Translation	Command Sentences	Translation
Eet die man vinnig?	“Eats the man fast?” / “Does the man eat fast?”	Eet vinniger!	“Eat faster!”
Skenk hulle geld?	“Donate they money?” / “Do they donate money?”	Skenk die geld, asseblief.	“Donate the money, please.”
Oefen jy jou Afrikaans?	Lit. “Practice you your Afrikaans?” / “Do you practice your Afrikaans”	Oefen nou jou Afrikaans.	“Practice your Afrikaans now.”

Not too difficult, right? And it gets easier – all because of STOMPI.

3. STOMPI

Afrikaans sentence structure is most often illustrated with this acronym, which is very commonly used in language studies. If you’ve been studying Afrikaans sentence structure rules at all, then you’ve probably encountered the famous STOMPI by now. 

It stands for the different parts of the sentence:

Subject

Time

Object

Manner

Place

Infinitive

Note: A stompie in Afrikaans means “short” or “a little piece of.” We also use it to refer to a cigarette butt. Or a really short person. Cute, hey?

If this format seems to lack a thing or two, don’t worry. We use STOMPI because the word falls nicely on the tongue, making it easy to remember! But you’re right—where are the verbs in this format?

The complete format looks like this:

Subject

V1 – Verb 1 (Some call this the Invisible Verb 1!)

Time

Object

Manner

Place

V2 – Verb 2 (And this is the Invisible Verb 2.)

Infinitive

Note: Not all sentences contain all the elements. That would be a much-expanded sentence. However, the acronym is helpful because it shows you exactly where the elements belong, no matter which you use in your sentence.

4. Explanation of the Sentence Elements in Sv1TOMPv2I

Before we proceed to look at how STOMPI is employed in Afrikaans, let’s recap what the different elements mean.

1) SUBJECT:

• The subject is what the sentence is all about.
• It’s the answer to the question “Who?” or “What?”
• The subject is usually found at the beginning of the sentence.

Types of Words Used: 

Nouns, proper nouns, pronouns, and articles.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

Lit: “The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

2) VERB 1:

• It’s called “Verb 1” because it’s the first verb of the sentence.
• All Verb 1s fall into one of two groups:
  • 1) Present Tense: Here, Verb 1 is the main and only verb in the sentence.
  • 2) Past and Future Tenses: Here, Verb 1 is always a helping verb or a hulpwerkwoord.

Samples of Afrikaans Helping Verbs: 

Past tenses: het, wou, sou, kon, moes (“have/has, would, could, should have”)

Future tenses: sal, wil, kan, moet (“shall, will, can, must”)

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

(No English translation for the simple past tense het.) 

3) TIME:

• This word or phrase is always the answer to the question “When?”

Types of Words/Phrases Used: 

Adverbs of time such as gister (“yesterday”); more (“tomorrow”); elke dag (“every day”); gewoonlik / (“usually”); oor tien minute / (“in ten minutes”); etc.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

4) OBJECT:

• This word or phrase can be identified as the thing upon which the action (indicated by the verb) is transferred. For instance, in a sentence such as “The boy kicks the ball,” the ball is the object. This is because the boy is performing an action (kicking) on the ball. Or, the ball is the receiver of the action, so to speak.
• Sometimes the subject and the object can look the same, depending on what voice is used: Passive or Active.

Types of Words/Phrases Used: 

Nouns, pronouns, and articles.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

5) MANNER:

• This is the word or phrase that answers the question: “How?”
• Manner words can have degrees of comparison (e.g. “hard – harder – hardest”).

Types of Words Used: 

This is always an adverb, as it describes Verb 1 or 2 (i.e. the action).

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

6) PLACE:

• The word or clause you can answer the question “Where?” with is your place word.
• The place word is always accompanied by a preposition (voorsetsel) such as in (“in”), agter (“behind”), voor (“in front” OR “ahead of”), oor (“over”), bo-op (“on top of”), onder (“under”), etc.

Types of Words Used: 

Prepositions + articles, pronouns, and nouns.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

7) VERB 2:

• No present tense sentence contains a second verb.
• Only the future and past tenses have a Verb 2, which is always the main verb.
• In the past and some future tense sentences, this verb is always conjugated with the prefix ge–.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.

“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

(Read about Afrikaans verb conjugation in this blog post!)

8) INFINITIVE:

• The infinitive is always a phrase in Afrikaans, and it’s the easiest to identify. 
• It answers the question “Why?” as it explains the reason for the action taken.

Types of Words Used: 

Always includes the words om te (“to”) in some way. In addition: articles, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs.

Example: 

Die kinders het altyd die rekenaarspeletjie luidrugtig in die kamer gespeel om te ontspan.“The children always played the computer game loudly in the room to relax.”

Easy, isn’t it? Using the acronyms mentioned under A above, see if you can spot the sentence structure now. Then post it in the comments!

5. More Examples of the Basic Afrikaans Sentence Structure: STOMPI

When you start sentences with different words, the basic Afrikaans sentence structure (and type!) is modified, but not a lot. In these columns, you should be able to see this very clearly.

Note, however, how Verb 1 is ALWAYS in the second place.

TENSES	Subject	verb1	Time	Object	Manner	Place	verb2	Infinitives
STARTING WITH THE SUBJECT – Sv1TOMPv2I
Present	Die vlieënier The pilot	vlieg flies	elke dag every day	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	in die lug in the air	/ /	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Past	Die vlieënier The pilot	het /	elke dag every day	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	in die lug in the air	gevlieg flew	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Future	Die vlieënier The pilot	sal will	elke dag every day	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	in die lug in the air	vlieg fly	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.

TENSES	Time	verb1	Subject	Object	Manner	Place	verb2	Infinitives
STARTING WITH THE TIME – Tv1SOMPv2I
Present	Elke dag Every day	vlieg flies	die vlieënier the pilot	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	in die lug in the air	/ /	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Past	Elke dag Every day	het /	die vlieënier the pilot	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	hoog high	gevlieg flew	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Future	Elke dag Every day	sal will	die vlieënier the pilot	met die vliegtuig with the airplane	hoog high	in die lug in the air	vlieg fly	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.

TENSES	Object	verb1	Subject	Time	Manner	Place	verb2	Infinitives
STARTING WITH THE OBJECT – Ov1STMPv2I
Present	Die vliegtuig The airplane	word is being	deur die vlieënier by the pilot	elke dag every day	hoog high	in die lug in the air	gevlieg flown	Note: With this sample sentence, the particular infinitive phrase will be confusing!
Past	Die vliegtuig The airplane	was has	deur die vlieënier by the pilot	elke dag every day	hoog with the airplane	in die lug in the air	gevlieg. flown.	/ /
Future	Die vliegtuig The airplane	sal will	deur die vlieënier by the pilot	elke dag every day	hoog with the airplane	in die lug in the air	gevlieg word. be flown.	/ /

TENSES	Manner	verb1	Subject	Time	Object	Place	verb2	Infinitives
STARTING WITH THE MANNER – Mv1STOPv2I
Present	Hoog High	vlieg flies	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	in die lug in the air	/ /	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Past	Hoog High	het /	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	in die lug in the air	gevlieg flew	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Future	Hoog High	sal will	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	in die lug in the air	in die lug in the air	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.

TENSES	Place	verb1	Subject	Time	Object	Manner	verb2	Infinitives
STARTING WITH THE PLACE – Pv1STOMv2I
Present	In die lug In the air	vlieg flies	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	hoog high	/ /	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Past	In die lug In the air	het /	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	hoog high	gevlieg flew	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.
Future	In die lug In the air	sal will	die vlieënier the pilot	elke dag every day	die vliegtuig the airplane	hoog high	vlieg fly	om sy werk te doen. to do his job.

6. Why AfrikaansPod101 is the Best Choice to Learn Afrikaans Sentence Structures!

We hope you enjoyed this article! Hopefully you feel more knowledgeable about Afrikaans sentence structure rules, and learned something you can use soon.

In fact, why not write out a simple Afrikaans sentence, using STOMPI and the tips you learned in this lesson? Come on, you know you can! Then share with us in the comments. 😀

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Like knowing your way around dates in Afrikaans (learn about that in our blog!), being able to tell time in Afrikaans is an equally important conversational skill to master. Also, it could save you a lot of embarrassment. 

What good would it be if you knew you had to pitch somewhere on Dinsdag (Tuesday), but you didn’t know the meaning of agtuur (“eight o’clock”)? Or which agtuur of the day was being referred to? 

Let AfrikaansPod101 make it easy for you. If you want, you can start with recorded vocabulary lessons like Talking about Time and dialogue examples such as Arriving at the Right Time in South Africa! 

First, let’s quickly get clarity on the two ways we tell time. Both are used to indicate time in Afrikaans.

Twelve-Hour Clock

This way of telling the time divides the twenty-four-hour day into two twelve-hour periods. These are referred to as a.m. (ante meridiem) and p.m. (post meridiem).  

Afrikaners use this clock the most. The terms commonly used are voormiddag or the abbreviation v.m. (to indicate “ante meridiem/a.m.”), and namiddag or its abbreviation n.m. (to indicate “post meridiem/p.m.”).

These are most employed in writing, such as in: elf v.m. (“eleven a.m.)” or 09h00 n.m. (“09h00 p.m.”). 

In conversations, though, you’ll most likely use other adjectives that indicate p.m. or a.m. in Afrikaans. Read on for more about this.

Twenty-Four-Hour Clock

The twenty-four-hour clock is also called military or astronomical time. This time format is based on the entire twenty-four-hour period, with each hour of the day having its own number. 

When keeping time this way, the day starts at midnight and is indicated like this: 00:00. The last minute of the day is written as 23:59, or one minute before the next midnight. This system is clever and efficient. Therefore, it’s used by armed forces, pilots and airlines, astronomists, governments, hospitals, emergency services, and so forth. 

In South Africa, this way of indicating the time isn’t commonly used colloquially, but more in writing.

How to write time in Afrikaans depends on the type of document you’re writing it down for. If you’re indicating the time in a non-fiction document, such as in a formal report, statement, or legal document, you can use either 12h00 or 12:00. Depending on which clock you use, you’ll either omit or add p.m. or a.m. in Afrikaans.

If you’re noting the time in a work of fiction, such as part of a dialogue, you’ll write it out in full, such as in “six o’clock” (sesuur).

Let’s get cracking on how to ask what time it is in Afrikaans, and how to tell it!

Table of Contents

1. How to Ask for the Time in Afrikaans
2. Hours / Ure
3. Minutes / Minute
4. Periods of Time in Afrikaans
5. General Time References
6. Adverbs of Time in Afrikaans
7. BONUS! Time Proverbs, Sayings, and Odd Terms in Afrikaans
8. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Tell the Time in Afrikaans in No Time!

1. How to Ask for the Time in Afrikaans

1- Formal

The following are polite and socially refined ways of asking the time in excellent Afrikaans. Use it if you want to impress someone! 

Afrikaans: Kan u my sê wat die tyd is, asseblief?

Translation: “Could you tell me the time, please?”

Note: The u (“you”) in Afrikaans is the formal type of address, mostly used when talking to complete strangers, dignitaries, or older people you don’t know well. You can also use this sentence with the informal “you,” which is jy.

Afrikaans: Mag ek verneem wat die tyd is, asseblief?

Translation: “May I ask the time, please?”

2- Informal

Afrikaans: Hoe laat is dit nou, ‘seblief?

Translation: “What’s the time now, please?”

Note: “How late is it now, please?” is the literal translation of this Afrikaans sentence, but in English, you’d ask the question in a specific context. You’d use it, for instance, if you wanted to know how late at night it is, to which an answer could be: “very late” or “still early.”

In Afrikaans, though, this question is a common way of asking the time. Also note the contraction of asseblief (“please”). If you don’t know the person very well, or if you’re addressing a parent or older family member, it’s polite to use ‘seblief. If it’s your mate and you’re comfortable with one another, it’s okay to omit this word when asking for the time.

Afrikaans: Wat’s die tyd?

Translation: “What’s the time?”

Note: The same applies for ‘seblief as above. Also note the contraction for wat is to wat’s. (Like “what is” becomes “what’s.”)

Afrikaans: Hoe lank gaan dit neem om daar te kom?

Translation: “How long will it take to get there?”

Afrikaans: Hoe laat/Watter tyd moet ons by die lughawe wees?

Translation: “How late/What time must we be at the airport?”

What would the reply look like to questions like these?

2. Hours / Ure

There’s no distinction between a formal and informal way of telling time in Afrikaans. Keep in mind that you can also use an approximation with adverbs or adjectives.

Afrikaans: Dis nou presies agtuur.

Translation: “It’s now exactly eight o’clock.”

Afrikaans: Dit neem ongeveer ‘n uur om daar te kom.

Translation: “It takes approximately an hour to get there.”

Afrikaans: Ons vlieg nege-uur vanaand. So ons moet om-en-by sewe by die lughawe wees.

Translation: “We’re flying at nine o’clock tonight. So we must be at the airport around seven.”

Note: Just like with “o’clock,” the uur is sometimes omitted in casual conversations.

3. Minutes / Minute

Like in most casual and conversational English, noting the precise number of minutes isn’t very common in Afrikaans. Simply add the appropriate number to minuut (singular) or minute (plural). 

Afrikaans: Hy hardloop vir ‘n minuut.

Translation: “He runs for a minute.”

Afrikaans: Ek gaan vir so twintig minute stort.

Translation: “I’m going to shower for approximately twenty minutes.”

Afrikaans: Die winkel is nog oop vir ‘n uur en vyftien minute.

Translation: “The shop is still open for an hour and fifteen minutes.”

Afrikaans: Sy praat nou al vir ses-en-dertig minute!

Translation: “She’s been talking for thirty-six minutes already!”

4. Periods of Time in Afrikaans

This has got nothing to do with Downton Abbey or Outlander. It refers to the divisions of an hour into quarters and halves. 

This is how we say it in Afrikaans:

Afrikaans: kwart oor drie and kwart voor vyf

Translation: “quarter past three” and “quarter to five”

Note: Here, “quarter” and kwart are contractions of “quarter of an hour” and kwartier. It is, of course, a fifteen-minute increment.

Afrikaans: half vier

Translation: “half past three”

Note: Nope, it’s not wrong, and it can seem confusing. But it’s very easily explained. In English, talking about half of an hour (“half past three”) literally means: “It’s now a half-an-hour past/after three o’clock.” In Afrikaans, instead, talking about half of an hour (half vier) means: “It is now a half-an-hour to/before four o’clock.” Same thing, different angles, so to speak! It takes a bit of practice if you’re not used to it, but once you understand the concept, it’s very easy.

Afrikaans: Ons vertrek oor ‘n halfuur van die huis af.

Translation: “We’re leaving home in half an hour.”

Afrikaans: Die taxi gaan oor ‘n driekwartier hier wees.

Translation: “The taxi will be here in three quarters of an hour/forty-five minutes.”

5. General Time References

The following time words in Afrikaans are common references pertaining to time.

Afrikaans: oggend and aand

Translation: “morning” and “evening”

Example: Die oggend is koel, net soos die aand. 

Translation: “The morning is cool, just like the evening.”

Afrikaans: nag and middernag

Translation: “night” and “midnight”

Example: Die nag is stil en middernag is donker.

Translation: “The night is quiet and midnight is dark.”

Afrikaans: vroegoggend and laataand

Translation: “early morning” and “late in the evening”

Example: Ons vertrek vroegoggend en keer laataand terug.

Translation: “We leave early in the morning and will return late in the evening.”

Afrikaans: laatnag

Translation: “late at night”

Example: Hy verkies dit om laatnag te ry.

Translation: “He prefers driving late at night.”

Afrikaans: sonsopkoms

Translation: “sunrise”

Example: Die sonsopkoms is asemrowend mooi. 

Translation: “The sunrise is breathtakingly beautiful.”

Afrikaans: sonsondergang

Translation: “sunset”

Example: Die sonsondergang is net so mooi.

Translation: “The sunset is equally beautiful.”

Afrikaans: vanmiddag

Translation: “afternoon”

Example: Wat gaan ons vanmiddag eet? 

Translation: “What are we eating this afternoon?”

Afrikaans: middag

Translation: “midday”

Example: Teen die middag was hy gesond. 

Translation: “By midday, he was well.”

6. Adverbs of Time in Afrikaans

Afrikaans: onmiddelik

Translation: “right now” or “immediately”

Example: Hy wil sy kos onmiddelik hê. 

Translation: “He wants his food right now.”

Afrikaans: oombliklik

Translation: “instantly” 

Example: Die kos is oombliklik reg.

Translation: “The food is instantly ready.”

Afrikaans: ‘n oomblik

Translation: “momentarily”

Example: Sy bly ‘n oomblik stil.

Translation: “She pauses momentarily.”

Afrikaans: tans

Translation: “currently”

Example: Dis tans winter by ons.

Translation: “It’s currently winter here.”

Afrikaans: intussen 

Translation: “meanwhile”

Example: Intussen, neem die pynstillers tot die dokter beskikbaar is.

Translation: “Meanwhile, take the painkillers until the doctor is available.”

Afrikaans: voor en na

Translation: “before” and “after” OR “afterward”

Example: Moenie die pille neem voor jy geëet het nie. Neem dit na die tyd.

Translation: “Don’t take the pills before you’ve eaten. Take them afterward.”

Afrikaans: terselfdertyd OR die selfde tyd

Translation: “simultaneously”

Example: Moenie pille en drank terselfdertyd neem nie.

Translation: “Don’t take pills and alcohol simultaneously.”

Afrikaans: binnekort and amper 

Translation: “soon” and “almost”

Example: Ons gaan binnekort ry. Ek is amper reg.

Translation: “We’re leaving soon. I’m almost ready.”

Afrikaans: nou-nou

Translation: “in a while”

Example: Die taxi is nou-nou hier.

Translation: “The taxi will be here in a while.”

Afrikaans: vir ‘n lang tyd

Translation: “for a long time”

Example: Gaan julle ‘n lang tyd weg?

Translation: “Are you going away for a long time?”

Afrikaans: lankal

Translation: “for a long time already/now”

Example: Ons is al lankal hier.

Translation: “We’ve been here for a long time already.”

Afrikaans: enige tyd 

Translation: “anytime”

Example: Bel my enige tyd.

Translation: “Call me anytime.”

Afrikaans: so gou as moontlik

Translation: “as soon as possible”

Example: Ek sal jou so gou as moontlik kontak.

Translation: “I will call you as soon as possible.”

7. BONUS! Time Proverbs, Sayings, and Odd Terms in Afrikaans

Afrikaans is a colorful, literal language, and some of its sayings about time are very quaint. Here are the most common and interesting Afrikaans time sayings! 

Afrikaans: Moenie wors in ‘n hondehok soek nie.

Translation: “Don’t look for sausage in a kennel.”

Meaning: Don’t waste time on a lost cause!

Afrikaans: draaikous

Translation: Literally, this translates as “turn sock.” Nope, we don’t know either! But it means the same thing as “dawdler.”

Example: Die seun is ‘n regte draaikous!

Meaning: “That boy is a real dawdler!”

Afrikaans: hanna-hanna

Translation: There’s not a literal translation for this term.

Meaning: It’s an old Cape-Afrikaans saying that gets used when someone takes their time doing something.

Example: Jy hanna-hanna nou lekker met jou huiswerk, nê?

Translation: Approximation – “You’re dawdling with your homework, hey?”

Afrikaans: Die oggendstond het goud in die mond.

Translation: “Early dawn has gold in the mouth.”

Meaning: This means that those who rise early get more done.

Afrikaans: hoeka

Translation: Another one without a translation! An approximation would be “for a while now,” which means almost the same as lankal (discussed under the previous heading).

Example: Hy wag hoeka vir daardie verslag. 

Translation: “He’s been waiting a while already for the report.”

Afrikaans: gevrek

Translation: “dead”

Meaning: Literally, it means something is dead, but it’s often used to indicate that someone is very slow and takes their time. It’s not a very flattering or polite way to describe a person, though!

Example: Die diens hier is maar gevrek!

Translation: “The service here is very slow!”

Do you have a favorite proverb or saying about time in your language? Share with us in the comments!

8. AfrikaansPod101 Can Help You Tell the Time in Afrikaans in No Time!

Don’t be a draaikous and waste precious time—enrol now with AfrikaansPod101! As a beginner, you’ll get access to helpful audio lessons, such as Choosing a Delivery Time in South Africa. Intermediate learners get access to dialogue examples such as What Time is it in South Africa? All of our lessons are designed to teach you how to sound like a native speaker from the word “go!”

That’s not all—you’ll have plenty of FREE learning tools at your disposal, such as many culturally-relevant vocabulary lists, a fantastic online Afrikaans Dictionary, and thousands of lessons in different formats!

Easily learn and practice Afrikaans grammar, vocabulary, reading & writing, comprehension, and much more with AfrikaansPod101!

Getting lost is never fun, even less so in a foreign country. Knowing how to give or ask for directions in Afrikaans is therefore a very helpful skill to have when visiting South Africa! Fortunately, most South Africans speak English, Afrikaans, and/or Zulu, three of the country’s eleven national languages. They’re normally a helpful, friendly people. So, if you know all about asking for directions in Afrikaans, you won’t easily get lost!

Learn the basics about how to give directions in Afrikaans (and ask for them), and more, at AfrikaansPod101. It’s our goal to keep your learning fun and easy!

Let’s start with the basic vocabulary you need to master. Whether you’re asking or giving directions in Afrikaans, knowing certain words and how native speakers pronounce them will make your life much easier on South African roads. For instance, “left” in Afrikaans is links, while “right” in Afrikaans is regs. There—you already know two of the most important direction words in the language! 

Here’s an example of directions in Afrikaans to show you how you would use them in a sentence:

Basic sentence: Hou regs verby die Uniegeboue.

Translation: “Keep right (as you pass) the Union Buildings.”

Complex: Hou regs verby die Uniegeboue, en kyk uit links vir die hospitaal.

Translation: “Keep right as you pass the Union Buildings, and look out for the hospital on the left.”
“Straight” in Afrikaans is reguit, which is where we’re heading now—to vocabulary and phrases!

Table of Contents

1. Directions in Afrikaans: On the Road
2. Directions in Afrikaans: On a Map
3. Directions in Afrikaans: Survival Questions and Phrases
4. Directions in Afrikaans: Landmarks
5. Learn the Best Directions in Afrikaans at AfrikaansPod101!

1. Directions in Afrikaans: On the Road

Fortunately, Afrikaans and English are both Germanic languages. This means that they use the same alphabet; most Afrikaans can be translated literally into English and vice-versa.

ry reguit af — “drive/ride straight down”

Simple Sentence: Ry reguit af met Long Street.

Translation: “Drive straight down Long Street.”

Complex Sentence: Draai links en ry dan reguit af met Long Street.

Translation: “Turn left and then drive straight down Long Street.”

Note: The two languages share an expression that has to do with direction: “As the crow flies” / Soos die kraai vlieg. This means that something moves in a straight line from point A to point B. The expression allegedly originated in Scotland, with reference to a turnpike, or the so-called “crow road,” which denoted a direct route without detours. 

The reference to a crow’s flight is somewhat mysterious, though. The bird can certainly be observed flying in a very straight and steady line at times. Yet this behavior isn’t particular only to crows or ravens, and they do circle a lot too. Some say it may refer to an ancient sailing practice, when ravens were released to point the sailors to land, but this can’t be historically confirmed.

gaan af met — “go down with”

Simple Sentence: Gaan af met daardie straat.

Translation: “Go down that street.”

Complex Sentence: Gaan af met daardie straat om die V & A Waterfront se ingang op links te kry.

Translation: “Go down that street for the entrance to the V & A Waterfront on your left.”

draai links / regs — “turn left / right”

Simple Sentence: Draai regs by die verkeerslig.

Translation: “Turn right at the traffic light.”

Complex Sentence: Draai regs by die verkeerslig en dan onmiddelik links by die ingang van die Voortrekker Monument.

Translation: “Turn right at the traffic light and then immediately left at the entrance of the Voortrekker Monument.”

gaan oor — “go over”

Note: Here, “go over” isn’t used literally. In English, we say “cross.”

Simple Sentence: Gaan oor daardie brug.

Translation: “Cross that bridge.”

Complex Sentence: Gaan oor daardie brug om by die Nelson Mandela Museum te kom.

Translation: “Cross that bridge to get to the Nelson Mandela Museum.”

oppad na — “on the way to”

Simple Sentence: Clarens is oppad na die Golden Gate Highland National Park.

Translation: “Clarens is on the way to the Golden Gate Highland National Park.”

Complex Sentence: Clarens is oppad na die Golden Gate Highland National Park, so draai links af van die hoofweg soontoe.

Translation: “Clarence is on the way to the Golden Gate Highland National Park, so turn left off the highway to go there.”

oorkant — “opposite” 

Simple Sentence: Dis oorkant die apteek.

Translation: “It’s opposite the pharmacy.”

Complex Sentence: Dis oorkant die apteek wat jy moet regs draai en dan weer onmiddelik links.

Translation: “It’s opposite the pharmacy so you have to turn right and then immediately left again.”

langs — “next to”

Simple Sentence: Parkeer langs die motorhuis.

Translation: “Park next to the garage.”

Complex Sentence: Draai in by die tweede hek en parkeer langs die motorhuis.

Translation: “Turn in at the second gate and park next to the garage.”

voor and agter — “in front of” and “behind”

Simple Sentence: Ry voor in.

Translation: “Drive in at the front.”

Complex Sentence: Ry voor in en parkeer dan agter die huis.

Translation: “Drive in at the front and then park behind the house.”

ver and naby — “far” and “close”

Simple Sentence: Dis ver na Muizenberg strand toe.

Translation: “It’s far to Muizenberg Beach.”

Complex Sentence: Jy gaan ver ry om naby Muizenberg strand te kom.

Translation: “You’re going to drive far to get close to Muizenberg Beach.”

by die kruising — “at the crossing”

Simple Sentence: Gaan links by die kruising.

Translation: “Go left at the crossing.”

Complex Sentence: Gaan links by die kruising en hou reguit aan tot by die eerste verkeerslig.

Translation: “Go left at the crossing and keep straight until the first traffic light.”

om die draai — “around the corner”

Simple Sentence: Die kruidenier is net om die draai.

Translation: “The grocer is just around the corner.”

Complex Sentence: Die kruidenier is net om die draai van die publieke swembad.

Translation: “The grocer is just around the corner of the public swimming pool.”

Note: In both Afrikaans and English, this sentence can be an expression that means that something isn’t far from another thing. It could also serve as a literal direction in both languages.

binne stapafstand — “within walking distance”

Simple Sentence: Die winkel is binne stapafstand.

Translation: “The shop is within walking distance.”

Complex Sentence: Die winkel is binne stapafstand van die polisie stasie wat net oorkant die stadsaal is.

Translation: “The shop is within walking distance of the police station which is just opposite the city hall.”

gaan terug — “go back”

Simple Sentence: Gaan terug na Gautrein stasie.

Translation: “Go back to Gautrain Station.”

Complex Sentence: Gaan terug na Gautrein stasie se hoofingang en neem ‘n taxi na die middestad.

Translation: “Go back to Gautrain Station’s main entrance and take a taxi to the city center.”

X kilometer ver van — “X kilometers away from”

Simple Sentence: Kaapstad is 1400 kilometer ver van Johannesburg.

Translation: “Cape Town is 1400 kilometers away from Johannesburg.”

Complex Sentence: Dis beter om te vlieg as jy haastig is want Kaapstad is 1400 kilometer ver van Johannesburg.

Translation: “It’s better to fly if you’re in a hurry because Cape Town is 1400 kilometres away from Johannesburg.”

2. Directions in Afrikaans: On a Map

Fortunately, all the directions stay the same on a map, no matter where in the world you find yourself. Giving directions in Afrikaans could be made much easier when you have one of these in front of you—geared with the correct Afrikaans vocabulary, of course!

noord and suid — “north” and “south”

Simple Sentence: Draai noord by die meer.

Translation: “Turn north at the lake.”

Complex Sentence: Hou reguit aan met die grondpad en draai dan noord by die meer.

Translation: “Keep straight on with the gravel road and turn north at the lake.”

oos and wes — “east” and “west”

Simple Sentence: Oos, wes, tuis bes.

Translation: “East, west, home best.”

Note: This is an Afrikaans expression that means what it says: no matter how far and wide you travel, home remains the best place to return to.

Complex Sentence: By die stopstraat, kyk wes om die Tafelberg kabelkar te sien.

Translation: “At the stop street, look west to see the Table Mountain cable car.”

noordwes and noordoos — “northwest” and “northeast”

Simple Sentence: Mafikeng is in Noordwes provinsie

Translation: “Mafikeng is in North West Province.”

Complex Sentence: Zimbabwe is noordwes van Johannesburg, maar noordoos van Maputo.

Translation: “Zimbabwe is northwest of Johannesburg but northeast of Maputo.”

suidwes and suidoos — “southwest” and “southeast”

Simple Sentence: Namibië word ook Suidwes Afrika genoem.

Translation: “Namibia is also called Southwest Africa.”

Complex Sentence: Die Uil Huis is in Nieu Bethesda, wat suidoos lê van De Aar.

Translation: “The Owl House is in Nieu Bethesda, which lies southeast of De Aar.”

suidwesterlike and suidoosterlike — “southwestern” and “southeastern”

Simple Sentence: Die suidwesterlike deel van Suid Afrika is meestal woestynland.

Translation: “The southwestern part of South Africa is mostly desert land.”

Complex Sentence: Die Kaapse Dokter is ‘n sterk, droë suidoosterlike wind wat Kaapstad se besoedelde lug skoonmaak elke September.

Translation: “The Cape Doctor is a strong, dry southeastern wind that cleans Cape Town’s polluted air every September.”

noordwestelike and noordoostelike — “northwestern” and “northeastern”

Simple Sentence: Richardsbaai Wildreservaat lê in ‘n noordoostelike rigting vanaf Pietermaritzburg.

Translation: “Richard’s Bay Game Reserve lays in a northeastern direction from Pietermaritzburg.”

Complex Sentence: Gaborone, die hoofstad van Botswana, lê in ‘n noordwestelike rigting redelik naby aan Johannesburg.

Translation: “Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana, lays in a northwestern direction fairly close to Johannesburg.”

3. Directions in Afrikaans: Survival Questions and Phrases

Example: Waar is die stasie, asseblief?

Translation: “Where is the station, please?”

Example: Hoe kom ek by die hoofweg uit van hier af?

Translation: “How do I get to the highway from here?”

Example: Kan ek die trein soontoe neem? 

Translation: “Can I take the train there?”

Example: Wat is die kortste roete na die lughawe?

Translation: “What is the shortest route to the airport?”

Note: Unfortunately, like most countries, South African cities have their dangerous spots. It could sometimes be prudent to ask for the safest route somewhere, as in: Wat is die veiligste roete na XXX? / “What is the safest route to XXX?” Or, before heading out on your own somewhere, you could ask: Is dit ‘n veilige area om te besoek? / “Is it a safe area to visit?”

Example: Ek het verdwaal. Kan u my help, asseblief? (Here the formal “you” is a polite, safe way to address strangers!)

Translation: “I am lost. Could you help me, please?”

Example: Hoe vêr is is dit te voet na die busstasie van hier af?

Translation: “How far is it by foot from here to the bus station?”

Example: Verskoon my, waar is die ruskamer, asseblief?

Translation: “Excuse me, where is the restroom, please?”

Example: Kan u my wys hoe om by die restaurant uit te kom, asseblief?

Translation: “Could you show me how to get to the restaurant, please?” 

Example: Baie dankie vir u hulp! Ek waardeer dit baie.

Translation: “Thank you very much for your assistance! I really appreciate it.”

4. Directions in Afrikaans: Landmarks

When a map is either unavailable or useless, a landmark could make all the difference in finding your way in a strange city. Many landmarks have been used in the sentences above, but for your convenience, here’s a handy vocabulary list of the most common landmarks found anywhere.

English	Afrikaans
“airport”	lughawe
“train station”	treinstasie
“bus station”	busstasie
“bus stop”	busstop
“taxi rank”	taxistaanplek
“rental car depot”	huurmotor depot
“harbor”	hawe
“city center”	middestad
“suburb”	buurt
“park”	park
“museum”	museum
“aquarium”	akwarium
“cinema”	rolprentteater
“vending machine”	vending machine
“theme park”	pretpark
“hospital”	hospitaal
“church”	kerk
“zoo”	dieretuin
“garden”	tuin
“fountain”	spuitfontein
“waterpark”	waterpark
“elevator”	hysbak
“escalator”	roltrap
“revolving doors”	swaaideure / draaideure
“bathroom”	badkamer
“parking lot” / “parkade”	parkeerplek / parkade
“gate”	hek
“statue”	standbeeld

5. Learn the Best Directions in Afrikaans at AfrikaansPod101!

So, reader, how do you feel about giving or asking for directions in Afrikaans now? Is there anything you still want to know about directions in Afrikaans? Let us know in the comments; we’ll be glad to help! 

Learning with us, you’ll be thoroughly trained to ask for and give directions in Afrikaans. We teach Afrikaans directions with vocab lessons that use listening comprehension, hundreds of vocab lists, many Afrikaans reading exercises, lessons with slideshows and recorded audio (such as this The Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Travel lesson), and so much more! Arm yourself with an online Afrikaans dictionary, thousands of Afrikaans key phrases, and a Word of the Day to stay at the top of your game. 

Never get lost anywhere in South Africa with AfrikaansPod101. Sign up today!

Who doesn’t love receiving compliments?! If they’re sincere, they can make our whole being light up like a Christmas tree.

Giving compliments also has benefits, and Afrikaners know this! Praising people makes us feel connected to them, and this improves our own sense of well-being. After all, South Africans believe in and uphold the spirit of ubuntu. This popular philosophy implies that our own humanity is only fulfilled through the recognition and appreciation of another’s uniqueness and humanity.

So, spread ubuntu by learning to give Afrikaans compliments (komplimente) like a native speaker at AfrikaansPod101.com—we make it fast, easy, and fun!

Table of Contents

1. Why is it Important to Know How to Give and Receive Compliments in Afrikaans?
2. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Learn Important Afrikaans Compliments?

1. Why is it Important to Know How to Give and Receive Compliments in Afrikaans?

Before we start, let’s first look a bit at the importance of giving sincere compliments.

Let’s look at what the research says.

According to studies, compliments and praise can have the following effects:

1) It can boost one’s efficiency at work.
2) It can make you feel more efficient.
3) You will act and work more autonomously if you get praised often.
4) Praise increases a sense of well-being in both the compliment giver and the receiver.
5) Compliments have been shown to be a good incentive for task engagement.
6) Praise and compliments increase motivation, which, in turn, accelerates motor skill performance.
7) We also know that by focusing on the positive in our lives, we feel better about ourselves, others, and the world.

These are seven excellent reasons to start dishing out Afrikaans compliments, isn’t it?

But…and this is an important “but”…

A) Compliments and Praise Must Be Sincere

Most South Africans, including Afrikaners, are gregarious, generous people with big hearts. They love to celebrate good stuff—it’s ingrained in their culture.

Look, for instance, at a movement that’s recently taken South Africa (and the world) by storm!

#ImStaying was started on Facebook as an initiative for South Africans to be consciously and deliberately positive about their country. South Africa is still, even after decades of being a true democracy, in recovery from its very painful past of gross human rights infringements. Even in the face of slow but sure improvement, many still feel negative, even hopeless, about their future and lives.

#ImStaying proved a fast-growing and fast-moving social media phenomenon, with many South Africans from literally everywhere connecting through positive and complimentary attitudes toward each other.

This is because giving compliments in Afrikaans, or in any of the other ten national languages, turns out to come quite naturally for South Africans. Many even report that the group changed their lives.

Yet Afrikaners expect the same transparency and strength of character if you want to win their friendship and trust, and most of all, their respect.

“What you see is what you get” is a fairly common cultural trait, and they expect the same from others.

Also, insincere flattery won’t get you far. In fact, this and other false behaviors are probably the easiest ways to lose an Afrikaner’s trust and respect. They’re not alone in this.

In an interview with Huffingtonpost Australia, Professor Nick Haslam (School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne) explained that false compliments are likely to have the opposite effect as genuine ones.

According to Haslam, those on the receiving end of false flattery will often sense the insincerity and perceive the compliments as ill-intentioned. This will undermine any positive effects a person might feel about being praised, he said.

So, rather stay real!

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s engage in the feel-good stuff. These are the best Afrikaans compliments to memorize.

B) Complimenting Someone’s Appearance

Especially when we’ve taken extra care with our appearance, we want others to notice it and comment favorably. Here are some good compliments (and pick-up lines!) in Afrikaans.

1) Jy lyk goed vandag/vanaand. (“You’re looking good today/tonight.” )

This is an understated and gender-neutral compliment in Afrikaans that any Afrikaner will appreciate. As long as it’s delivered with respect and the appropriate personal distance, you can also use this one at work.

Afrikaner men aren’t used to being complimented on their appearance, but they’re not immune to its mojo! This phrase is probably the one you’d want to use.

Making it Stronger…

One way to make this compliment in Afrikaans stronger is by adding and emphasizing regtig (“really” ) or baie (baie translates literally as “a lot,” but in this case, it means “very” ), as in:

• Jy lyk regtig goed vandag. (“You look really good today.” )
• Jy lyk baie goed vandag. (“You look very good today.” )

If you’re truly blown away by the person’s appearance, you could even add both regtig and baie:

• Jy lyk regtig baie goed vandag. (“You look really very good today.” )

2) Jy lyk mooi! (“You look pretty!” )

This common Afrikaans compliment can serve well as platonic and romantic praise. The phrase is usually directed at women and/or girls. Female friends and colleagues are more open in their exchange, and they use this compliment often and spontaneously.

Making it Stronger…

To add strength to this compliment, you could again add regtig and baie, just like in the examples above.

• Jy lyk regtig baie mooi! (“You look really very pretty!” )

Or, you could just say: Jy lyk baie mooi! (“You look very pretty!” )

Other words you can replace mooi (“pretty” ) with include:

• pragtig (“beautiful” )
• verruklik (“enchanting” )
• asemrowend (“breathtaking” )
• beeldskoon (“gorgeous” )

Note: These adverbs are already the superlative form of mooi (“pretty” ). They’re generally eloquent enough for Afrikaners, so, unlike in English, you won’t use baie (“very” ) to enhance their impact. However, you could add regtig (“really” ), if you prefer.

• Jy lyk regtig pragtig. (“You look really beautiful.” )

3) Being Specific

When someone has taken extra care with a specific aspect of their appearance, it’s only good manners and social etiquette to compliment them on it. Also, it could make their day!

Speak up, for instance, when it’s clear that someone has visited the hairdresser or bought new clothes.

3.1 At Work

It’s necessary to be careful about how you compliment someone at work. Boundaries can be easily overstepped, unfortunately. So, don’t get too personal with your praise, unless you and a colleague are also social buddies.

Yet few things oil the wheels of pleasant working relations like compliments! So here’s how to go about giving compliments in Afrikaans while at work:

It’s best to treat men and women equally by phrasing the compliment in a somewhat muted, almost formal manner.

• Jou hare lyk goed. (“Your hair looks good.” )
• Is dit ‘n nuwe uitrusting? Dit pas jou goed. (“Is this a new outfit? It fits you well.” )
• Ek hou van jou jas. (“I like your coat.” )
• Jy het ‘n mooi hemp aan. (“You’re wearing a nice shirt.” )
• Daardie rok lyk goed aan jou. (“That dress looks good on you.” )

3.2 At Home or on a Date

In informal situations, with people you know well, you can be more effusive!

• Jou hare lyk fantasties! (“Your hair looks fantastic!” )
• Ek is mal oor jou rok. (“I’m crazy about your dress.” )
• Jy het die mooiste tande! (“You have the prettiest teeth!” )
• Jy is die mooiste vrou met wie ek nog ooit uitgegaan het. (“You are the prettiest woman I’ve ever dated.” )
• Jy ruik lekker. (“You smell good.” )
• Jy het sulke mooi oë. (“You have such beautiful eyes.” )
• Jou glimlag is pragtig. (“Your smile is beautiful.” )
• Wow, jy’t groot spiere! (“Wow, you have big muscles!” ) Note: Avoid telling this to a woman. Unless she’s a bodybuilder, of course.

C) Afrikaans Compliments for a Job Well Done

The majority of adults spend most of their lives working. Therefore, being complimented for what you’re doing feels really good!

Here are some of the top Afrikaans compliments to use when someone has excelled at their tasks. The compliment is often an expression of gratitude as well.

1) Dankie vir jou werk. (“Thank you for your work.” )

This is a thank-you that also serves as a gender-neutral, understated Afrikaans compliment. It can be delivered either in person, or in a written note.

Making it Stronger…

Adding baie before dankie will strengthen this phrase. In this case, it translates as “very much.” To the same effect, you could also add harde (which means “hard” ) in front of werk.

• Baie dankie vir jou harde werk. (“Thank you very much for your hard work.” )

Note: This stronger phrase is somewhat nuanced, as it sounds less obligatory, indicating that you really mean it. If you rarely give compliments at work, though, the first, less embellished phrase is perfectly fine.

2) Goeie werk. (“Good/nice job.” )

Depending on how effusive your delivery usually is, and how you compliment other staff, this terse compliment could come across as a veiled insult.

Or, it could simply be a muted but sincerely meant compliment. Gauge the situation wisely, and make it stronger by adding baie, as in:

• Baie goeie werk. (“Very good job.” )

Baie goeie can be replaced with the following superlatives:

• uitstekende (“excellent” )
• fantastiese (“fantastic” )
• indrukwekkende (“impressive” )
• uitstaande (“outstanding” )

3) Geluk, dis uitstekende werk. (“Congratulations, that’s excellent work.” )

This phrase adds a congratulation, and is quite strong and expressive. Best save this for work that’s exceptionally well-executed.

Again, emphasize your amazement with a brilliant piece of work by adding baie:

• Baie geluk, dis uitstekende werk.

There’s no common English equivalent for this expression, but it literally translates as: “Many congratulations, it’s excellent work.”

4) Jy’t fantasties goed gedoen. (“You’ve done fantastically well.” )

This is a less formal compliment on a job well done, probably better suited for a more informal work environment.

Also, that Afrikaans friend who attained her medical degree with honors? Or your Afrikaans neighbor’s daughter who performed her first piano concert to great acclaim? Use this phrase to acknowledge and compliment their accomplishments.

Making it Stronger…

If you feel almost overwhelmed with admiration, you could add regtig to this Afrikaans compliment:

• Jy het regtig fantasties goed gedoen. (“You have really done fantastically well.” )

Depending on your relationship with the receiver, you could add a phrase like: Ek is beïndruk. (“I am impressed.” )

Note: If you’re a parent, lecturer, or teacher complimenting someone on a brilliant assignment or excellent grades, adding this phrase would be a personal touch that can be very encouraging. This is also the case if you have a fairly personal, almost mentoring relationship with the person.

However, be sensitive about how you use it, because some could construe it as patronizing. It’s probably best not to compliment, for instance, your CEO on his work performance with this phrase.

5) Other Commonly Used Afrikaans Compliments for Good Work

• Wonderlike idee! (“Wonderful idea!” )
• Ek het gehou van jou presentasie. (“I liked your presentation.” )
• Goed waargeneem. (“Well observed.” )

D) Complimenting Someone’s Skills in Afrikaans

Sometimes someone exhibits exceptional skills. This is how you show your admiration and compliment them in Afrikaans.

1) In the Kitchen:

• Jy is ‘n wonderlike kok. (“You are a wonderful cook.” )
• Die gereg is uitstekend voorberei. (“The dish is excellently prepared.” )
• Dankie, dit was heerlik! (“Thank you, that was delicious!” ) Note: This can be used formally or informally.
• Dankie vir die lekker kos! (“Thank you for the tasty food!” ) Note: This is a more informal compliment.
• Ek het baie lekker geëet, baie dankie! (There’s no direct translation, but it means: “I’ve really enjoyed the meal, thank you very much!” )
• Jy maak die beste koffie onder die son. (“You make the best coffee under the sun.” ) Note: Replace koffie (“coffee” ) with any beverage or food for a heartwarming compliment.

2) In the Garden:

• Jy het groen vingers! (“You have green fingers!” ) Note: This compliment means exactly the same in English; the person is an exceptional gardener, or they can make any plant grow or flourish.
• Jy het die gras goed gesny. (“You mowed the lawn well.” )
• Die blomme is wonderlik gerangskik. (“These flowers are wonderfully arranged.” )

3) In the House:

• Jy het ‘n slag met binneshuise versiering! (“You have a knack for interior decorating!” )
• Jy’ het hierdie kamer so mooi reggemaak. (“You fixed this room so beautifully.” )
• Ek dink jy het baie goeie smaak. (“I think you have very good taste.” )

4) General:

• Jy praat Afrikaans asof dit jou voertaal is. (“You speak Afrikaans like it’s your mother tongue.” )
• Jy praat Afrikaans soos ‘n Afrikaner! (“You speak Afrikaans like an Afrikaner!” ) Note: The former is the more formal version of this compliment.
• Jy tokkel die klavier soos ‘n meester! (“You play the piano masterfully!” ) Note: Tokkel is a casual word that refers to piano playing. It may have been derived from “tickle the keys,” also a reference specific to piano playing. This is a genial, humorous compliment.
• Jy het vele talente. (“You have many talents.” )
• Dans jy professioneel? (“Do you dance professionally?” )
• Jy het ‘n goeie sin vir humor. (“You have a good sense of humor.” )
• Jy het ‘n slag met woorde. (“You have a way with words.” )

E) Behavior and Body Language

Afrikaners love receiving sincere compliments, as said. Only the most arrogant celebrities are immune to this!

When you deliver a compliment, a warm smile while looking the person in the eye will, in most cases, be the appropriate body language and behavior. Your open admiration or appreciation will probably elicit a shy smile, embarrassed laughter, and muffled self-deprecation from most South Africans. Simply assure them that you mean it, and enjoy feeling good because you made someone else feel great!

2. How Can AfrikaansPod101 Help You Learn Important Afrikaans Compliments?

Which is your favorite Afrikaans compliment? Tell us in the comments!

Learning how to give compliments 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 at your fingertips, together with free resources such as apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, and Kindle Fire.

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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.

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• Culturally relevant lessons
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• Access to Afrikaans Key Phrases
• Hundreds of lessons in different formats

Don’t hesitate—enroll now and learn the best Afrikaans compliments to make friends and influence people!