Afrikaans phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Afrikaans with translation. | Free & useful
Afrikaans phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.
They are an important part of Afrikaans culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.
Afrikaans phrases you should know
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Afrikaans phrases and dialogues today.
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Greet someone in Afrikaans
If you want to greet someone in Afrikaans, it’s actually quite easy:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome! in Afrikaans | Welkom! | [ˈvɛl.kɔm] |
| Good day to you! in Afrikaans | Goeie dag vir jou! | [ˈχui.ə dɑχ fəɾ jœu̯] |
| Good morning to you! in Afrikaans | Goeie môre vir jou! | [ˈχui.ə ˈmɔː.rə fəɾ jœu̯] |
| Good evening! in Afrikaans | Goeie naand! | [ˈχui.ə nɑːnt] |
| Good to see you. in Afrikaans | Dis goed om jou te sien. | [dəs χut ɔm jœu̯ tə sin] |
| I’m glad to see you. in Afrikaans | Ek is bly om jou te sien. | [æk əs blɛi ɔm jœu̯ tə sin] |
If you are greeted in Afrikaans, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! in Afrikaans | Jy moet ook ‘n lekker dag hê! | [jɛi mut ʊək ə ˈlækər dɑχ hɛ] |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. in Afrikaans | Dankie, dis lekker om jou ook te sien. | [ˈdaŋkiə dəs ˈlækər ɔm jœu̯ ʊək tə sin] |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? in Afrikaans | Hoe gaan dit met jou? | [ɦu ˈɡɑːn dət mɛt jœu̯] |
| Are you doing well? in Afrikaans | Gaan dit goed met jou? | [ˈɡɑːn dət χut mɛt jœu̯] |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | Dankie dat jy vra, dit gaan goed met my. | [ˈdaŋki dat jɛi̯ frɑː dət χɑːn χut mɛt mɛi̯] |
| Thank you, I am fine. | Dankie, dit gaan goed met my. | [ˈdaŋki dət χɑːn χut mɛt mɛi̯] |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | Dankie, dit gaan nie so goed met my nie. | [ˈdaŋki dət χɑːn niː suə χut mɛt mɛi̯ niː] |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | Dankie, ek gaan goed. Hoe gaan dit met jou? | [ˈdaŋki ɛk χɑːn χut | ɦu ˈχɑːn dət mɛt jœu̯] |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in Afrikaans?
Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Afrikaans is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! in Afrikaans | Totsiens! | [ˈtɔtsiəns] |
| Take care of yourself! in Afrikaans | Pas jouself op! | [pɑs jœu̯ˈsɛlf ɔp] |
| Goodbye in Afrikaans | Totsiens | [ˈtɔtsiəns] |
| See you tomorrow in Afrikaans | Sien jou môre | [siən jœu̯ ˈmɔːrə] |
| See you soon in Afrikaans | Sien jou binnekort | [siən jœu̯ ˈbɪnəkɔrt] |
| See you later in Afrikaans | Sien jou later | [siən jœu̯ ˈlɑːtər] |
| Good night in Afrikaans | Goeie nag | [ˈχui̯ə nɑχ] |
| Sleep well in Afrikaans | Slaap lekker | [slɑːp ˈlækər] |
| Talk to you later. in Afrikaans | Ons praat later | [ɔns prɑːt ˈlɑːtər] |
| Nice to have met you! in Afrikaans | Aangename kennis! | [ˈɑːnχənamə ˈkænəs] |
How do I introduce myself in Afrikaans?
When travelling in South-Africa, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Afrikaans and know who you’re talking to.
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | My naam is Jonas. | [mɛi̯ nɑːm ɪs ˈjoːnɑs] |
| What is your name? | Wat is jou naam? | [fɑt ɪs jœu̯ nɑːm] |
| What is your surname? | Wat is jou van? | [fɑt ɪs jœu̯ fɑn] |
| What is your first name? | Wat is jou voornaam? | [fɑt ɪs jœu̯ ˈfuərnɑːm] |
| What is your surname? | Wat is jou van? | [fɑt ɪs jœu̯ fɑn] |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | Waar kom jy vandaan? | [vɑːr kɔm jɛi̯ fɑnˈdɑːn] |
| I am from London. | Ek is van Londen. | [ɛk ɪs fɑn ˈlɔn.dən] |
| Are you from Birmingham? | Is jy van Birmingham? | [ɪs jɛi̯ fɑn ˈbœr.mɪŋ.hɛm] |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | Nee, ek is van Madrid. | [niə ɛk ɪs fɑn mɐˈdrit] |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | Groot, ek is ook van Madrid. | [xrut ɛk ɪs ɔːk fɑn mɐˈdrit] |
| Where do you live? | Waar woon jy? | [vɑːr vuən jɛi̯] |
| I live in Berlin. | Ek woon in Berlyn. | [ɛk vuən ən bɛrˈlɛin] |
If you have problems with your Afrikaans, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Praat jy Engels? | [prɑːt jɛ ˈɛŋəls] |
| Yes, I speak English. | Ja, ek praat Engels. | [jɑː ɛk prɑːt ˈɛŋəls] |
| Yes, I speak some English. | Ja, ek praat ‘n bietjie Engels. | [jɑː ɛk prɑːt ə ˈbiːki ˈɛŋəls] |
| No, I do not speak any English. | Nee, ek praat glad nie Engels nie. | [neː ɛk prɑːt χlɑt ni ˈɛŋəls ni] |
| I only speak English. | Ek praat net Engels. | [ɛk prɑːt nɛt ˈɛŋəls] |
| I understand some Afrikaans. | Ek verstaan ‘n bietjie Afrikaans. | [ɛk fərˈstɑːn ə ˈbiːki ɑfriˈkɑːns] |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Afrikaans and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| I am English in Afrikaans | Ek is Engels. | [ɛk ɪs ˈɛŋəls] |
| I am injured in Afrikaans | Ek is beseer. | [ɛk ɪs bəˈsɪər] |
| I am here in Afrikaans | Ek is hier. | [ɛk ɪs hiːr] |
| I am hungry in Afrikaans | Ek is honger. | [ɛk ɪs ˈhɔŋər] |
| I am thirsty in Afrikaans | Ek is dors. | [ɛk ɪs dɔrs] |
| I am a single person in Afrikaans | Ek is enkel. | [ɛk ɪs ˈɛŋkəl] |
| I need help! in Afrikaans | Ek het hulp nodig! | [ɛk hɛt ɦœlp ˈnuə̯rəχ] |
| I am tired in Afrikaans | Ek is moeg. | [ɛk ɪs muχ] |
| I am happy in Afrikaans | Ek is gelukkig. | [ɛk ɪs χəˈlœnχəχ] |
| I am sad in Afrikaans | Ek is hartseer. | [ɛk ɪs ˈɦartsiːr] |
| I am in love in Afrikaans | Ek is verlief. | [ɛk ɪs fərˈlif] |
| I am ill in Afrikaans | Ek is siek. | [ɛk ɪs sik] |
| I am ready in Afrikaans | Ek is gereed. | [ɛk ɪs χəˈreət] |
| I am busy in Afrikaans | Ek is besig. | [ɛk ɪs ˈbeəsəχ] |
| I am lost in Afrikaans | Ek is verlore. | [ɛk ɪs fərˈluərə] |
| I am a tourist in Afrikaans | Ek is ’n toeris. | [ɛk ɪs ə tuˈris] |
| I am new here in Afrikaans | Ek is nuut hier. | [ɛk ɪs nyt hiːr] |
| I am confident in Afrikaans | Ek is selfversekerd. | [ɛk ɪs ˈsɛlfərˌsəkərt] |
| I am proud in Afrikaans | Ek is trots. | [ɛk ɪs trɔts] |
| I am a teacher in Afrikaans | Ek is ’n onderwyser. | [ɛk ɪs ə ˌɔndərˈvɛisər] |
| I am late in Afrikaans | Ek is laat. | [ɛk ɪs lɑːt] |
| I am 30 years old in Afrikaans | Ek is dertig jaar oud. | [ɛk ɪs ˈdɛrtəχ jɑːr ʌut] |
| I am in a hurry in Afrikaans | Ek is haastig. | [ɛk ɪs ˈhɑːstəχ] |
| I am happy in Afrikaans | Ek is gelukkig. | [ɛk ɪs χəˈlœnχəχ] |
| I am surprised in Afrikaans | Ek is verras. | [ɛk ɪs fəˈrɑs] |
| I am angry in Afrikaans | Ek is kwaad. | [ɛk ɪs kwɑːt] |
Apologising in Afrikaans
Here’s how to apologise to a Afrikaans speaker:
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise | Ek vra om verskoning. | [ɛk frɑ ʊm fərˈskunɪŋ] |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | Jammer, dit was nie die bedoeling nie. | [ˈjɑmər dət fɑs ni də bəˈdu.ləŋ ni] |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | Jammer, ek het dit nie met opset gedoen nie. | [ˈjɑmər ɛk hɛt dət ni mɛt ˈɔpsət χəˈduən ni] |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | Jammer, dit was baie lomp van my. | [ˈjɑmər dət fɑs ˈbɑjə lɔmp fɑn mɛi] |
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Useful signs and notices in Afrikaans
Useful signs and messages in Afrikaans that you will often see.
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance in Afrikaans | Ingang | [ˈɛnχaŋ] |
| Toilet in Afrikaans | Toilet | [twaˈlɛt] |
| Exit in Afrikaans | Uitgang | [ˈœytχaŋ] |
| Attention! in Afrikaans | Pasop! | [pɑˈsɔp] |
| Police in Afrikaans | Polisie | [pʊˈliːsi] |
| Emergency services in Afrikaans | Nooddienste | [ˈnuətˌdiənstə] |
| Fire brigade in Afrikaans | Brandweer | [ˈbrantveər] |
| Passage forbidden. in Afrikaans | Deurgaan verbode. | [ˈdœrχɑːn fərˈbuə.də] |
| Caution! in Afrikaans | Versigtig! | [fərˈsəχtəχ] |
| This building is under video surveillance. in Afrikaans | Hierdie gebou is onder video-toesig. | [ˈhiərdi χəˈbəu əs ˈɔn.dər ˈvi.de.o ˈtuəsəχ] |
Numbers to 25 in Afrikaans
Counting in Afrikaans is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Afrikaans from 1 to 25.
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| One in Afrikaans | Een | [iən] |
| Two in Afrikaans | Twee | [tʋiə] |
| Three in Afrikaans | Drie | [driə] |
| Four in Afrikaans | Vier | [fiər] |
| Five in Afrikaans | Vyf | [fəif] |
| Six in Afrikaans | Ses | [sɛs] |
| Seven in Afrikaans | Sewe | [ˈsɛvə] |
| Eight in Afrikaans | Agt | [ɑχt] |
| Nine in Afrikaans | Nege | [ˈniəχə] |
| Ten in Afrikaans | Tien | [tiən] |
| Eleven in Afrikaans | Elf | [ɛlf] |
| Twelve in Afrikaans | Twaalf | [tʋɑːlf] |
| Thirteen in Afrikaans | Dertien | [ˈdærtin] |
| Fourteen in Afrikaans | Veertien | [ˈfiərtin] |
| Fifteen in Afrikaans | Vyftien | [ˈfəiftin] |
| Sixteen in Afrikaans | Sestien | [ˈsɛstin] |
| Seventeen in Afrikaans | Sewentien | [ˈsɛvəntin] |
| Eighteen in Afrikaans | Agttien | [ˈɑχtin] |
| Nineteen in Afrikaans | Negentien | [ˈniəχəntin] |
| Twenty in Afrikaans | Twintig | [ˈtʋəntəχ] |
| Twenty-one in Afrikaans | Een-en-twintig | [ˈiən ɛn ˈtʋəntəχ] |
| Twenty-two in Afrikaans | Twee-en-twintig | [ˈtʋiə ɛn ˈtʋəntəχ] |
| Twenty-three in Afrikaans | Drie-en-twintig | [ˈdriə ɛn ˈtʋəntəχ] |
| Twenty-four in Afrikaans | Vier-en-twintig | [ˈfiər ɛn ˈtʋəntəχ] |
| Twenty-five in Afrikaans | Vyf-en-twintig | [ˈfəif ɛn ˈtʋəntəχ] |
The colours in Afrikaans
The most common colours in Afrikaans with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Red in Afrikaans | Rooi | [rɔi] |
| Blue in Afrikaans | Blou | [blɔu] |
| Green in Afrikaans | Groen | [χrun] |
| Yellow in Afrikaans | Geel | [χiəl] |
| Orange in Afrikaans | Lemoen | [lɛˈmun] |
| Purple in Afrikaans | Pers | [pɛrs] |
| Pink in Afrikaans | Pienk | [piəŋk] |
| Brown in Afrikaans | Bruin | [brœyn] |
| Black in Afrikaans | Swart | [svart] |
| White in Afrikaans | Wit | [fət] |
Days of the week, months and seasons in Afrikaans
Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Afrikaans and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Afrikaans.
| English | Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Monday in Afrikaans | Maandag | [ˈmaːn.daχ] |
| Tuesday in Afrikaans | Dinsdag | [ˈdənz.daχ] |
| Wednesday in Afrikaans | Woensdag | [ˈvuns.daχ] |
| Thursday in Afrikaans | Donderdag | [ˈdɔn.dər.daχ] |
| Friday in Afrikaans | Vrydag | [ˈfrəi.daχ] |
| Saturday in Afrikaans | Saterdag | [ˈsɑː.tər.daχ] |
| Sunday in Afrikaans | Sondag | [ˈsɔn.daχ] |
| January in Afrikaans | Januarie | [ja.nʊˈaː.ri] |
| February in Afrikaans | Februarie | [fe.bruˈaː.ri] |
| March in Afrikaans | Maart | [maːrt] |
| April in Afrikaans | April | [aˈprəl] |
| May in Afrikaans | Mei | [məi] |
| June in Afrikaans | Junie | [ˈjyː.ni] |
| July in Afrikaans | Julie | [ˈjyː.li] |
| August in Afrikaans | Augustus | [au̯ˈχʏs.təs] |
| September in Afrikaans | September | [sɛpˈtɛm.bər] |
| October in Afrikaans | Oktober | [ʊkˈtuː.bər] |
| November in Afrikaans | November | [nʊˈvɛm.bər] |
| December in Afrikaans | Desember | [dɛˈsɛm.bər] |
| Spring in Afrikaans | Lente | [ˈlɛn.tə] |
| Summer in Afrikaans | Somer | [ˈsuː.mər] |
| Autumn in Afrikaans | Herfs | [ɦɛrfs] |
| Winter in Afrikaans | Winter | [ˈvən.tər] |
OUR TIP: If you want to learn these Afrikaans phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Afrikaans phrases and dialogues.
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More information about the Afrikaans Business Course.
Additional links
- Learn Afrikaans with Mondly
- Learn Afrikaans with Babbel
- The different ways of learning languages
- Learning vocabulary successfully
- Motivated language learning
- It is so easy to train your understanding of a language at the same time
- Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
- The different types of learners when learning languages
More information about the Afrikaans Course for Children.