Learn Afrikaans ten words at a time
Ten short games: the 102 most useful Afrikaans words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Greetings and politeness
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- HalloHAH-loh
- Hello
- Goeie môreKHOO-yuh MAW-ruh
- Good morning
- Goeie aandKHOO-yuh AHNT
- Good evening
- TotsiensTOT-seens
- Goodbye
- Sien jou laterSEEN yoh LAH-ter
- See you
- Assebliefah-suh-BLEEF
- Please
- DankieDAHN-kee
- Thank you
- Dit is 'n plesierdit is n pleh-SEER
- You're welcome
- JammerYAH-mer
- Sorry
- Verskoon myfer-SKOOHN may
- Excuse me
- Aangename kennisAHN-khuh-nah-muh KEN-nis
- Nice to meet you
Order anything by pointing
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu.
- Ek wil graag... hêek vil KHRAHKH... HEH
- I would like...
- Dié eenDEE ayn
- This one
- Hoeveel kos dit?HOO-fayl KOS dit
- How much is it?
- Die rekening assebliefdee REK-eh-ning ah-suh-BLEEF
- The bill, please
- Met kaartmet KAHRT
- By card
- Kontantkon-TAHNT
- In cash
- WaterWAH-ter
- Water
- KoffieKOF-fee
- Coffee
- TeeTAY
- Tea
- BierBEER
- Beer
- Sonder...SON-der
- Without...
Yes, no and the essentials
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it.
- JaYAH
- Yes
- NeeNAY
- No
- OukeiOH-kay
- Okay
- Ek verstaan nieek fer-STAHN nee
- I don't understand
- Praat jy Engels?PRAHT yay ENG-uls
- Do you speak English?
- Kan jy dit herhaal?kan yay dit her-HAHL
- Can you repeat that?
- Stadig, assebliefSTAH-dikh ah-suh-BLEEF
- Slowly, please
- Wat is dit?VAHT is dit
- What is this?
- Ek het... nodigek het... NOO-dikh
- I need...
- Kan jy my help?kan yay may HELP
- Can you help me?
Counting to ten
One to ten, for prices, platforms, rooms and how many beers.
- EenAYN
- One
- TweeTVAY
- Two
- DrieDREE
- Three
- VierFEER
- Four
- VyfFAYF
- Five
- SesSES
- Six
- SeweSAY-vuh
- Seven
- AgtAHKHT
- Eight
- NegeNAY-khuh
- Nine
- TienTEEN
- Ten
Shops and hotels
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk.
- Het jy...?het yay
- Do you have...?
- Waar is...?VAHR is
- Where is...?
- OopOOP
- Open
- Gesluitkhuh-SLAYT
- Closed
- 'n Sak?uh SAK
- A bag?
- Te duurtuh DEER
- Too expensive
- Ek het 'n besprekingek het uh buh-SPREE-king
- I have a reservation
- Is ontbyt ingesluit?is ont-BAYT IN-khuh-slayt
- Is breakfast included?
- Wat is die wifi-wagwoord?vat is dee VAI-fai VAHKH-voort
- What's the wifi password?
- Mag ek...?MAHKH ek
- Can I...?
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen.
- 'n Tafel vir tweeuh TAH-fel fer TVAY
- A table for two
- Die menu assebliefdee meh-NOO ah-suh-BLEEF
- The menu, please
- Wat beveel jy aan?vat buh-FEEL yay AHN
- What do you recommend?
- Ek eet nie... nieek EET nee... nee
- I don't eat...
- Ek is allergies vir...ek is ah-LER-khees fer
- I'm allergic to...
- VleisFLAYS
- Meat
- HoenderHOON-der
- Chicken
- VisFIS
- Fish
- Dit is lekkerdit is LEK-er
- It's delicious
- Gesondheid!kheh-ZON-hait
- Cheers
Meeting people
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes.
- Hoe gaan dit met u?HOO KHAHN dit met OO
- How are you?
- Dit gaan goed met my, dankiedit KHAHN KHOOT met may DAHN-kee
- I'm fine, thanks
- En met u?en met OO
- And you?
- Wat is u naam?vat is OO NAHM
- What's your name?
- My naam is...may NAHM is
- My name is...
- Waar kom u vandaan?VAHR kom OO fun-DAHN
- Where are you from?
- Ek kom van...ek KOM fun
- I'm from...
- Ek hou daarvanek HOH dahr-FUN
- I like it
- Dit is pragtigdit is PRAKH-tikh
- It's beautiful
- WelkomVEL-kom
- Welcome
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Waar is die toilet?VAHR is dee toy-LET
- Where is the toilet?
- Hoe kom ek by...?HOO kom ek BAY
- How do I get to...?
- LinksLINKS
- To the left
- RegsREKHS
- To the right
- ReguitREH-khait
- Straight ahead
- HierHEER
- Here
- TreinstasieTRAYN-stah-see
- Train station
- BasBAHS
- Bus
- LughaweLUKH-hah-vuh
- Airport
- Een kaartjie assebliefayn KAHRT-chee ah-suh-BLEEF
- One ticket, please
Time and days
Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please.
- NouNOW
- Now
- LaterLAY-ter
- Later
- Vandagvan-DAHKH
- Today
- MôreMAW-reh
- Tomorrow
- Vanaandfun-AHNT
- Tonight
- Wanneer?VUN-eer
- When?
- Hoe laat maak julle oop?HOO laht mahk YUL-luh OOP
- What time does it open?
- Net 'n oomblik, assebliefnet uh OOM-blik ah-suh-BLEEF
- One moment, please
- Minutemee-NEW-tuh
- Minutes
- UreEW-ruh
- Hours
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Help!HELP
- Help!
- Bel 'n dokterbel uh DOK-ter
- Call a doctor
- Polisiepo-LEE-see
- Police
- Apteekahp-TAYK
- Pharmacy
- Hospitaalhos-pee-TAHL
- Hospital
- Ek is verdwaalek is fer-DVAHL
- I'm lost
- Ek voel nie goed nieek FOOL nee KHOOT nee
- I don't feel well
- Dit is gesteeldit is kheh-STAYL
- It was stolen
- Dis 'n noodgevaldis uh NOOT-khuh-ful
- It's an emergency
- Los my uitLOS may AYT
- Leave me alone