Words and phrases are the constituents that make up daily conversations. Some phrases are often used frequently compared to others and are important to navigating our daily lives. Knowing these phrases will allow you to strike up meaningful conversations and navigate your way through each. In this post, we will look at some essential words and phrases in Afrikaans that will make a massive difference in your stay in South Africa or Namibia. These essential phrases are used in daily conversations, and it will be great if you can get yourself accustomed to them.
To simplify everything, I have sectioned the Afrikaans phrases into different categories. So, let’s get started.
General Greeting Words
When you first meet a friend or stranger, the ideal thing to do is to start with a greeting. You can say hello or greet depending on the time of the day. Here are a few basic phrases that are used for greetings.
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| Hello | Hallo/Haai | / |
| Good morning | Goeie môre | |
| Good afternoon | Goeie middag | |
| Good day | Goeie da | |
| Good evening | Goeie naand | |
| Good night | Goeie nag | |
| Goodbye | Totsiens |
Introduction And General Phrases Used In Daily Conversations
Find yourself in a gathering, and you want to introduce yourself. Or are you being bombarded with questions like ‘What is your name?’, ‘Where are you from?’… Whatever the case may be, this is a comprehensive list of introductory phrases and words used in daily conversations.
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| How are you? | Hoe gaan dit met jou? | |
| What is your name? | Wat is jou naam? | |
| My name is… | My naam is .. | |
| Where are you from?… | Waar kom jy vandaan? | |
| I am from… | Ek kom van … | |
| Where do you live? | Waar woon jy? | |
| I live in.. | Ek woon in | |
| How old are you? | Hoe oud is jy? | |
| Nice to meet you | Bly om jou te ontmoet! | |
| How was your night? | Hoe was jou aand? | |
| Do you speak Afrikaans? | Praat jy Afrikaans? | |
| What do you do for a living? | Wat is jou beroep? | |
| I don’t understand | Ek verstaan nie | |
| Excuse me | Verskoon my | |
| See you later | Sien jou later | |
| Yes | Ja | |
| No | Nee | |
| Please | Asseblief | |
| Thank You | Dankie | |
| Congratulations | Gelukwensing! | |
| You’re welcome | Dis ‘n plesier |
Shopping Vocabulary
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| How much is this? | Hoeveel kos dit? | |
| Do you accept cash? | Aanvaar jy kontant? | |
| Do you accept credit card? | Aanvaar jy kredietkaart? | |
| I will buy it | Ek sal dit koop | |
| I want… | Ek wil… | |
| Cheap | Goedkoop | |
| I am looking for… | Ek is op soek na… | |
| It is too expensive | Dit is te duur |
Dining Out And Accommodation Phrases
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| I need a hotel | Ek het ‘n hotel nodig | |
| Are there rooms available? | Is daar kamers beskikbaar? | |
| Where is the elevator? | Waar is die hysbak? | |
| I want to check-in | Ek wil inklok | |
| I want to check-out | Ek wil betaal | |
| I want a bigger room | Ek wil ‘n groter kamer hê | |
| Are pets allowed? | Word troeteldiere toegelaat? | |
| Where do I find… | Waar vind ek? | |
| Can I see the menu? | Kan ek die spyskaart sien? | |
| What should I eat? | Wat moet ek eet? | |
| Can I see your breakfast? | Kan ek die ontbytspyskaart sien? | |
| The bill, please | Die rekening asseblief | |
| I will have this one please | Ek sal hierdie een hê, asseblief | |
| I don’t want spicy food | Ek wil nie pittige kos hê nie | |
| Do you have any vegetarian dishes? | Het jy enige vegetariese geregte? | |
| Can I get one more serving, please? | Kan ek nog een porsie kry, asseblief? | |
| I am on a diet | Ek is op ‘n dieet. | |
| I am allergic to… | Ek is allergies vir… |
General Question Words
Let’s look at the interrogative pronouns used in asking questions and other phrases South Africans usually use to ask questions.
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| What | Wat | |
| When | Wanneer | |
| How | Hoe | |
| Why | Hoekom | |
| Who | Who | |
| What is the time? | Hoe laat is dit? | |
| How much is this? | Hoeveel kos dit? | |
| Who is at the door? | Wie is by die deur? | |
| What did you say? | Wat het jy gesê? | |
| Can you repeat yourself? | Kan jy jouself herhaal? | |
| How do I get… | Hoe kry ek… | |
| Can I take you out next week? | Kan ek jou volgende week uitneem? |
Days Of The Week
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| Monday | Maandag | |
| Tuesday | Dinsdag | |
| Wednesday | Woensdag | |
| Thursday | Donderdag | |
| Friday | Vrydag | |
| Saturday | Saterdag | |
| Sunday | Sondag |
Numbers In Afrikaans
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| One | een | |
| Two | twee | |
| Three | drie | |
| Four | vier | |
| Five | vyf | |
| Six | ses | |
| Seven | sewe | |
| Eight | agt | |
| Nine | nege | |
| Ten | tien | |
| Hundred | honderd | |
| One thousand | eenduisend |
Important Words And Phrases To Remember
| English | Afrikaans | Sound |
| Yesterday | Gister | |
| Today | Vandag | |
| Tomorrow | Môre | |
| I love you | Ek het jou lief | |
| I hate you | Ek haat jou | |
| I am sad | Ek is hartseer | |
| I am happy | Ek is gelukkig |
Wrapping Up
We’ve gone through the common phrases you will encounter in everyday conversations and the useful words and phrases in Afrikaans that you have to keep close to enjoying your stay in South Africa. However, there is a chance to learn more Afrikaans on the Ling App.
If you are interested in learning Afrikaans, then this is for you! To learn Afrikaans, you don’t need to depend on a dictionary or sketchy video lessons. There is a comprehensive app that comes with all you have!
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Ling App is a comprehensive language learning platform with loads of features focused on improving your core language skills; speaking, writing, reading, and listening in Afrikaans. You get access to detailed grammar lessons that cover basic and advanced topics, quizzes, and exercises to help with retention. Other features include an AI chatbot you can practice with, audio recordings by native speakers, flashcards, and loads of resources!
So, what are you waiting for? Download the Ling App on Play Store or App Store today!
