Afrikaans
Germanic
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language with ~17M speakers — descended from 17th-century Dutch dialects spoken by VOC settlers at the Cape; significant Khoisan and Bantu substrate plus Malay (Cape Malay community) and English influences. One of 11 official languages of South Africa, recognized in Namibia. Diverged from Dutch through 1925 standardization. Notable for grammatical simplification (e.g. invariable verbs, no grammatical gender — unlike Dutch).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Afrikaans
Wi-Fi
LMGA
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Afrikaans | Belgian Dutch | Dutch | West Flemish | Limburgish | Low German | West Frisian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /vɑːtər/ | water /waːtər/ | water /ʋaːtər/ | woater /ˈwɔːtər/ | water /vatər/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | wetter /vɛtər/ |
| Fire | vuur /fyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vier /viːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | fjoer /fjuːr/ |
| Sun | son /sɔn/ | zon /zɔn/ | zon /zɔn/ | zunne /ˈzœnə/ | zón /zɔn/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | sinne /sɪnə/ |
| Moon | maan /mɑːn/ | maan /maːn/ | maan /maːn/ | moane /ˈmɔːnə/ | maon /maːʊn/ | Maan /maːn/ | moanne /mwɑnə/ |
| Star | ster /stɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | sterre /ˈstærə/ | sjter /ʃtɛr/ | Steern /steːrn/ | stjer /stjɛr/ |
| Night | nag /nax/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nach /nax/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nacht /nɔxt/ |
| Rain | reën /ˈrɪən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːhən/ | Rään /rɛːn/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | rein /rɛin/ |
| Snow | sneeu /snɪu/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | snêeuw /sneːw/ | sjnee /ʃneː/ | Snee /sneː/ | snie /sniə/ |
| Wind | wind /vəint/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /ʋɪnt/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | wyn /vin/ |
| Earth | aarde /ˈɑːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | eirde /ˈeːrdə/ | eerd /eːrt/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | ierde /ˈiədə/ |
| Stone | klip /klip/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | Steen /steːn/ | stien /stiən/ |
| Mountain | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /ˈbɛrəç/ | Barg /barx/ | berch /bɛrx/ |
| Sea | see /sɪə/ | zee /zeː/ | zee /zeː/ | zêe /zeː/ | zieë /ziə/ | See /zeː/ | see /seː/ |
| Mother | moeder /ˈmudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /ˈmudər/ | mam /mam/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | mem /mɛm/ |
| Father | vader /ˈfɑːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | voader /ˈvɔːdər/ | pap /pap/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | heit /hɛit/ |
| Daughter | dogter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /dɔxtər/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ |
| I | ek /ɛk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɛk/ | ich /ɪç/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ |
| You | jy /jəi/ | gij /ɣɛi/ | jij /jɛi/ | gie /hi/ | doe /du/ | du /duː/ | do /do/ |
| We | ons /ɔns/ | wij /wɛi/ | wij /ʋɛi/ | wieder /ˈwidər/ | veer /veːr/ | wi /viː/ | wy /vi/ |
| Name | naam /nɑːm/ | naam /naːm/ | naam /naːm/ | noame /ˈnɔːmə/ | naam /naːm/ | Naam /naːm/ | namme /ˈnamə/ |
| Person | mens /mɛns/ | mens /mɛns/ | mens /mɛns/ | — | Minsch /minʃ/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | minske /ˈmɪnskə/ |
| Head | kop /kɔp/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | kop /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | holle /ˈhɔlə/ |
| Eye | oog /oːx/ | oog /oːx/ | oog /oːx/ | ooge /ˈoːhə/ | oug /ɔux/ | Oog /oːx/ | each /ɪəx/ |
| Ear | oor /uər/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oear /uər/ | Ohr /oːr/ | ear /iər/ |
| Nose | neus /nɪəs/ | neus /nøːs/ | neus /nøːs/ | neuze /ˈnøːzə/ | naas /naːs/ | Nees /neːs/ | noas /noːs/ |
| Mouth | mond /mɔnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | mound /mont/ | móndj /mʊɲɟ/ | Muul /muːl/ | mûle /ˈmuːlə/ |
| Tooth | tand /tant/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tandj /tantʃ/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | tosk /tosk/ |
| Tongue | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | toenge /ˈtuŋə/ | tóng /tɔŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tonge /ˈtɔŋə/ |
| Hand | hand /ɦant/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | and /ɑnt/ | handj /hanʲ/ | Hand /hant/ | hân /hɔːn/ |
| Foot | voet /fut/ | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | voot /voːt/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | foet /fuə̯t/ |
| Heart | hart /ɦart/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | erte /ˈærtə/ | hart /hart/ | Hart /haɐt/ | hert /hɛrt/ |
| Bone | been /bɪən/ | bot /bɔt/ | bot /bɔt/ | been /bɛːn/ | knaok /knɔːk/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | bonke /ˈbɔŋkə/ |
| Blood | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | blood /bloːt/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | bloed /blut/ |
| Poop | poep /puəp/ | poep /pup/ | poep /pup/ | — | poep /pup/ | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | kak /kɑk/ |
| Love | liefde /ˈlifdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /ˈliːvdə/ | leefde /leːfdə/ | Leev /leːf/ | leafde /lɪəfdə/ |
| Tree | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boum /bʌʊm/ | Boom /boːm/ | beam /bɪəm/ |
| Dog | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hound /hont/ | hóndj /hɔnʲ/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hûn /huːn/ |
| Cat | kat /kat/ | kat /kɑt/ | kat /kɑt/ | katte /ˈkɑtə/ | kat /kat/ | Katt /kat/ | kat /kɑt/ |
| Fish | vis /fəs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | fisk /fɪsk/ |
| Bird | voël /fuəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | veugel /vøːhəl/ | veugel /ˈvøːɣəl/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | fûgel /ˈfuːɡəl/ |
| Butterfly | skoenlapper /ˈskunlapər/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | — | kapel /kaˈpɛl/ | Sommervagel /ˈzɔmɐfaːɣəl/ | flinter /ˈflɪntər/ |
| Egg | eier /ˈɛiər/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /ai/ | aai /aːi/ |
| Bear | beer /bɪər/ | beer /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | beir /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | Boor /boːr/ | bear /bɪər/ |
| Horse | perd /pɛrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | peird /peːrt/ | Péërt /peə̯rt/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | hynder /ˈhindər/ |
| House | huis /ɦœɪs/ | huis /ɦœys/ | huis /ɦœʏs/ | uus /ʏːs/ | hoes /huːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | hûs /huːs/ |
| Milk | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | molke /ˈmolkə/ |
| Honey | heuning /ˈɦɪønɪŋ/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | zêem /zeːm/ | honing /ˈhoːnɪŋ/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | huning /ˈhynɪŋ/ |
| Salt | sout /səut/ | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zʌut/ | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zɔut/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | sâlt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wyn /vəin/ | wijn /wɛin/ | wijn /ʋɛin/ | wyn /win/ | wien /ʋiːn/ | Wien /viːn/ | wyn /viːn/ |
| Rice | rys /rɛis/ | rijst /rɛist/ | rijst /rɛist/ | — | ries /riːs/ | Ries /riːs/ | rys /ris/ |
| Chocolate | sjokolade /ʃukuˈlɑːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | — | sjoekelaat /ʃukəˈlaːt/ | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | sûkelade /suːkəˈlaːdə/ |
| Iron | yster /ˈəistər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | yzer /ˈiːzər/ | iezer /ˈiːzər/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | izer /ˈiːzər/ |
| Wheel | wiel /vil/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | Rad /raːt/ | tsjil /tsjɪl/ |
| Silk | sy /səi/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | — | ziej /ziː/ | Sied /ziː/ | side /ˈsidə/ |
| Book | boek /buk/ | boek /buk/ | boek /buk/ | — | book /boːk/ | Book /boːk/ | boek /buk/ |
| Eat | eet /ɪət/ | eten /eːtən/ | eten /eːtə/ | eetn /ˈeːtn̩/ | ete /eːtə/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | ite /iːtə/ |
| Drink | drink /drɪŋk/ | drinken /drɪŋkən/ | drinken /drɪŋkə/ | drienkn /ˈdriŋkn̩/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ |
| Sleep | slaap /slɑːp/ | slapen /ˈslaːpən/ | slapen /ˈslaːpə/ | sloapn /sloːpn̩/ | slaope /ˈslɔːpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | sliepe /ˈsliəpə/ |
| One | een /ɪən/ | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | êen /eːn/ | eine /ɛɪnə/ | een /eːn/ | ien /iːn/ |
| Two | twee /tʋɪə/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tʋeː/ | twêe /tweː/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tveː/ | twa /twa/ |
| Three | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | dree /dreː/ | trije /ˈtrijə/ |
| Four | vier /fir/ | vier /viːr/ | vier /viːr/ | — | veer /veːr/ | veer /feːɐ̯/ | fjouwer /ˈfjɔuər/ |
| Five | vyf /fəif/ | vijf /vɛif/ | vijf /vɛif/ | vuuf /vyːf/ | vief /viːf/ | fief /fiːf/ | fiif /fiːf/ |
| Hundred | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | — | hóndert /ˈhɔndərt/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hûndert /ˈhuːndərt/ |
| Hello | hallo /ɦaˈlo/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | goeiendag /ˌhujənˈdɑh/ | hallo /halo/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | hoi /hɔi/ |
| Thank you | dankie /ˈdaŋki/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | merci /mɛrˈsi/ | merci /mɛrsi/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | tankewol /tɑŋkəvɔl/ |
| Good | goed /xut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goed /hut/ | good /ɡoːt/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | goed /ɡuət/ |
| New | nuut /nyːt/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nuuj /nyːj/ | nee /neː/ | nij /nɛi/ |
| Red | rooi /roːi/ | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | road /roːt/ | root /roːt/ | read /rɪət/ |
| White | wit /vət/ | wit /wɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | wit /wit/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | witt /vɪt/ | wyt /viːt/ |
| Black | swart /svart/ | zwart /zwɑrt/ | zwart /zʋɑrt/ | zwort /zwɔrt/ | zwart /zʋart/ | swart /svart/ | swart /svart/ |
| Green | groen /xrun/ | groen /ɣrun/ | groen /ɣrun/ | groene /ˈhrunə/ | greun /ɡrøːn/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | grien /ɡriən/ |
| Blue | blou /bləu/ | blauw /blɑu/ | blauw /blɑu̯/ | — | blauw /blɑu/ | blau /blaʊ/ | blau /blau/ |
| Cuckoo | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | kókkók /ˈkoːkoːk/ | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ |
| Woof | woef woef /vuf vuf/ | waf waf /wɑf wɑf/ | waf waf /ʋɑf ʋɑf/ | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | rekenaar /ˈreːkənɑːr/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | kompjûter /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | wifi /ˈwifi/ | wifi /ˈʋifi/ | — | — | — | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | — | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tee /tɪə/ | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | tei /tɛi/ | Tee /teː/ | tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kaffie /ˈkɑfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kofje /ˈkɔfjə/ |
| Sugar | suiker /ˈsœɪkər/ | suiker /ˈsœykər/ | suiker /ˈsœʏkər/ | suyker /ˈsykər/ | sókker /ˈsɔkər/ | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | sûker /ˈsuːkər/ |
| Orange | lemoen /ləˈmun/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinaːsapəl/ | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | sinesappel /ˈsinəsɑpəl/ |
| Ninety-nine | nege-en-negentig /ˈnɪəxə ən ˈnɪəxəntəx/ | negenennegentig /ˈneːɣənənˌneːɣəntəx/ | negenennegentig /ˈneːɣənənˌneːɣəntəx/ | — | — | negenunnegentig /ˈneːɡn̩ʊnˌneːɡn̩tɪç/ | — |
| Dopamine | dopamien /dopaˈmin/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | — | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ |
| At sign | aapstert /ˈɑːpstɛrt/ | apenstaartje /ˈaːpənstaːrtjə/ | apenstaartje /ˈaːpənstaːrtjə/ | — | — | — | — |
| Internet laughter | LMGA | — | haha /ˈɦaːɦaː/ | — | — | — | — |
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