gratis

From Dutch gratis, from Latin grātīs, contraction of grātiīs.


in

From Dutch in, from Middle Dutch in, from Old Dutch in, from Proto-Germanic *in.


toe

From Dutch toe (“then”), a chiefly dialect variant of toen, from Middle Dutch doe. The -n in Dutch toen was added by analogy with dan (“then”).

Ek het toe nog nie lank in Pretoria gewoon nie.

I hadn’t lived in Pretoria for long then.

(referring to the past) then; at that time; at that moment

dan

then; referring to the present and future


toe

adverbial form of tot, found chiefly in compounds

Die deur is toe.


al

From Dutch al, from Middle Dutch al, from Old Dutch al, from Proto-West Germanic *all.


so

From Dutch zo, from Middle Dutch sô, from Old Dutch sō, from Proto-West Germanic *swā, from a merger of Proto-Germanic *swa and *swē.

so, like that/this, thus (in such a way)


oral

From Dutch overal, from Middle Dutch overal, from Old Dutch overal.


daar

From Dutch daar, from Old Dutch thār, from Proto-Germanic *þar.


hier

From Dutch hier, from Middle Dutch hier, from Old Dutch hier, from Proto-Germanic *hē₂r.


lekker

From Dutch lekker, from Middle Dutch lecker, derived from the verb lekken (“lick”). Akin to German lecker.
The noun is a backformation from Dutch lekkers, which is a mass noun derived from the partitive form (as in iets lekkers). In Afrikaans it was reinterpreted as a plural.

Ons het lekker gespeel.

We played nicely. / We had a great time playing.

good, nice, fun in a more generic sense.

Hy was lekker ingeloop.

He was swindled badly. / He was properly swindled


a cappella

Either from Dutch a capella or from English a cappella, ultimately from Italian alla cappella.


nie

From Dutch niet, nie, from Middle Dutch niwet, niet, from Old Dutch *niowiht, niewiht.

Hy kan nie Afrikaans praat nie.
He can't speak Afrikaans.


ja

→ English: ja

→ Portuguese: iá, yá, ya


weg

From Dutch weg, from Middle Dutch wech, from Old Dutch weh, weg, from Proto-Germanic *wegaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-.


ook

From Dutch ook, from Middle Dutch ôoc, from Old Dutch ōk, ouk, from Proto-West Germanic *auk, from Proto-Germanic *auk.


deur

From Dutch door, from Middle Dutch dōre, from Old Dutch thuro, from Proto-Germanic *þurhw.


eg

Potjiekos is 'n verwysing na 'n eg Suid-Afrikaanse kooktegniek

Emphasizes the authenticity of the modified adjective


mar

(colloquial, dialectal) Alternative form of maar


doer

Hulle gesels daar doer.

Doer, anderkant die berge!

Far away, on the other side of the mountains!


fel

From Dutch fel, from Middle Dutch fel, from Old French fel.


dood

From Dutch dood, from Middle Dutch dôot, from Old Dutch dōt, from Proto-West Germanic *daud, from Proto-Germanic *daudaz.

Hy het gister dood aangekom.

(figuratively) exhausted; listless; fatigued


aan

From Dutch aan, from Middle Dutch āne, from Old Dutch ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana.


nog

From Dutch nog, from Middle Dutch noch, from Old Dutch noch (“until now, still”), from Proto-Germanic *nuh (“still”, literally “now too”), from Proto-Indo-European *nu (“now”) + *-kʷe- (“and, also”).


anders

Aristoteles het anders gesterf as wat die meeste mense dink.

Aristotle died differently than most people think.

Ek respekteer nie mense wat anders as ek dink nie.

I don't respect people who think differently to me.

Hy moet geopereer word, anders gaan hy dood.

He must be operated, otherwise he'll die.


waar

From Dutch waar, from Middle Dutch waer, from Old Dutch *war, from Proto-Germanic *hwar.


sommer

From Dutch zomaar, with vowel reduction.

Hy sê: Moenie laf wees nie, dit was sommer kanonskote vir koningin Victoria se verjaardag, dis Engeland se skip wat in die hawe lê.

2003, Dalene Matthee, Toorbos, Tafelberg, page 255:

He said, Don't be silly; that was just cannon shots for Queen Victoria's birthday; that's an English ship there in the harbour.


nes

Nes jy, is ek klaar met skool.

Jy moet skiet nes hy omdraai.

You must shoot as soon as he turns around.

as soon as; just as something is about to do something


maar

From Dutch maar, from Middle Dutch maer.

As ek maar [net] die dag kon af kry.

Werk is maar [bietjie] vervelig.

Ek gaan bietjie laat wees, so hou maar [asseblief] my kos warm.

I'll be a bit late, so please keep my food warm.

Sit maar [gerus].

Sy lyk maar [taamlik] siek.

Julle het julle tyd gevat, toe begin ons maar [solank] sonder julle.

You guys were taking your time, so we started without you so long.

Dit gaan maar [steeds] sleg.


genoeg

Dis genoeg!


wanneer

From Dutch wanneer, from Middle Dutch wanneer, wan eer, from Old Dutch *wan ēr.


onder

From Dutch onder, from Middle Dutch onder, from Old Dutch under, from Proto-Germanic *under.


baie

From Malay banyak (“many; very”), likely combining the influence of the unrelated Low German bannig (“very”).

Haar baas is baie lelik.


soms

From Dutch soms, from Middle Dutch soms.


nooit

→ English: nooit

From Dutch nooit, from Middle Dutch nooit.

Sy sing nooit.

Die goedere is nooit op die bestemming aangekom nie.

The goods never arrived at the destination.


graag

Ek wil graag saamkom!

gladly, eagerly (meaning that the subject is eager to perform the action of the verb)


daarna

From Dutch daarna, from Middle Dutch dâerna. Equivalent to daar + na.


mee

From Dutch mee, from older mede with the frequent loss of intervocalic -d-.


amper

Inconclusive. Whilst its current definition was long thought to have come from Indonesian hampir due to its exclusive presence in Dutch (and no other Germanic language), this would not explain its high and almost universal usage in Flemish. More likely would be if it originated on Dutch soil. In that case, the meaning would have changed somewhat from the earlier Middle Dutch amper (“sour”) – compare the semantic development of German sehr (“very”), Alemannic German rüüdig (“very”). This word, in turn, is Germanic, and a cognate to the Swedish amper, German Ampfer.

Jouself amper gekak!


noord

From Dutch noord, from Middle Dutch nort, from Old Dutch *nord, from Proto-Germanic *nurþrą.


asseblief

Koop asseblief melk op pad terug.

— Wil jy 'n glas water hê? — (Ja,) asseblief!

— Would you like a glass of water? — (Yes,) please!

please; used as an affirmative to an offer


natuurlik

From Dutch natuurlijk, from Middle Dutch natuurlijc. Equivalent to natuur + -lik.


miskien

From Dutch misschien, from Middle Dutch misschien.


bietjie

a little; a bit; fairly (sometimes used with maar)

Kyk bietjie wat ek gekry het.

Hulle het bietjie baie diere.

quite; very (used to emphasise another adverb or adjective, especially used with baie)


skielik

From Dutch schielijk, from Middle Dutch schelike, schielike.


letterlik

From Dutch letterlijk, from Middle Dutch letterlijc. Equivalent to letter + -lik.


waarheen

Waarheen het hy gegaan?


minstens

From Dutch minstens, from German mindestens. While the word has remained rather rare in Dutch, it is universal in Afrikaans.


hoekom

Univerbation of hoe + kom. Cognate to English how come.

Hoekom vra jy?


darem

→ English: darem

From Dutch daarom, from Middle Dutch daeromme.


tuis

From Dutch thuis, from Middle Dutch thuus.

Die kinders is saans tuis.


noordwaarts

From Dutch noordwaarts, from Middle Dutch nortwaert. Equivalent to noord (“nord”) + -waarts (“-wards”).


dalk

From Dutch dadelijk, whence also the Afrikaans doublet dadelik (“immediately”). For a possible sense shift from “immediately” to “possibly” compare dialectal English drekly from directly. Note, however, that the Dutch adjective also used to mean “really, actually, indeed” (for which now daadwerkelijk, inderdaad); from this the Afrikaans sense can be derived simply through semantic weakening.


ڨَارْلِكْ

head

ڨَارْلِكْ (vārlik)


ma'

(Cape Afrikaans) Alternative form of maar


byvoorbeeld

From Dutch bijvoorbeeld. By surface analysis, by + voorbeeld (“example”).


sensories

die mikrogolfoond stel sensories vas of die kos regdeur warmgemaak is

the microwave determines through sensors whether the food is heated through

with regard to functioning with or relying on sensors


vandag

From Dutch vandaag, from Middle Dutch vandaech.


môre

From Dutch morgen, from Middle Dutch morgen, from Old Dutch morgan, from Proto-Germanic *murganaz, from Proto-Indo-European *merkʷ- (“to blink, twinkle”).

der

Ons gaan môre stad toe om 'n nuwe motor te koop.

We are going into town tomorrow to buy a new car.


laas

Ek het jou laas twee jaar terug gesien!

Ek het jou twee jaar laas gesien!

I saw you two years ago! / I haven't seen in you two years!


saam

From Dutch saam, from samen, from Middle Dutch tsamen.

Ek gaan saam met my ouer broer skool toe.


altyd

From Dutch altijd, from Middle Dutch altijt. Equivalent to al (“all”) + tyd (“time”).

Hy sal altyd lief wees vir hom.


seker

From Dutch zeker, from Middle Dutch seker, from Old Dutch *sikur, from Proto-West Germanic *sikur (“free, secure”).

inh

Dis seker wat gebeur het.

Hy is seker nog by die hospitaal.


slegs

From Dutch slechts, from Middle Dutch slechtes. Equivalent to sleg + -s.


gisteraand

From Dutch gisteravond, equivalent to gister (“yesterday”) + aand (“evening”).

Hulle het gisteraand laat ingekruip.


ongeag

From on- (“un-”) + geag (“regarded, esteemed”).

prefix

Die mense gaan hulle ongeag verby.

The people pass them without being paid attention to.


gistraand

(colloquial) Alternative form of gisteraand


laasnag

(colloquial) last night; yesterday evening


laas nag

(colloquial) Alternative form of laasnag


eergister

day before yesterday
day before yesterday#English


op pad

Ons het op pad hierheen 'n kameelperd gesien.


nêrens

From nergens, from Dutch nergens, from Middle Dutch nergens, nergen, from Old Dutch niergin.

Ons gaan nêrens heen nie.

We are going nowhere. / We aren't going anywhere.

Ek wil nêrens heen gaan nie!


buite

From Dutch buiten, from Middle Dutch buten, from Old Dutch *būtan.


selde

From Dutch zelden, from Middle Dutch selden, from Old Dutch *seldan, from Proto-Germanic *seldanē.


hiernamaals

From Dutch hiernamaals, from Middle Dutch hiernamaels (“hereafter”), equivalent to hier + namaals.


soggens

From Dutch 's ochtends, itself from des ochtends, an old adverbial genitive of ochtend (“morning”), whence Afrikaans oggend.


saans

From Dutch 's avonds, itself from des avonds, an old adverbial genitive of avond (“evening”), whence Afrikaans aand.


altemit

From Dutch altemet, from Middle Dutch altemet.


rêrag

From the regional pronunciation of rêrig.


verby

From Dutch voorbij, from Middle Dutch vorebi.


oormôre

/uə̯rˈmɔːrə/

Inherited from Dutch overmorgen; equivalent to oor (“over”) + môre (“tomorrow”).

day after tomorrow
day after tomorrow#English


alle grappies op 'n stokkie

Literally, “all jokes on a stick”. Compare Dutch alle gekheid op een stokje.

(speech act, idiomatic) all kidding aside

Alle grappies op 'n stokkie.

(speech act, idiomatic) Used to attempt to make a serious point in a jocular conversation.


boontjie kry sy loontjie

You reap what you sow
you reap what you sow

(speech act, idiomatic) You reap what you sow.

Elke boontjie kry sy loontjie.

(literally, “Every small bean gets his small paycheck.”)

(speech act, idiomatic) To be rewarded in equivalence to one's efforts, in a good or a bad sense. To receive justice.


naasoormôre

From naas (“next to”) + oormôre (“day after tomorrow”).


naaseergister

From naas (“next to”) + eergister (“day before yesterday”).


soontoe

(to) there, thither, thereto (indicating motion toward a relatively distant place)


plek-plek

Dalk is die liefde soos die reën:
 Dit sal die aarde plek-plek seën.
 Die mense op die bus sê: Ja!
 Verspreide buie hier en daar.

1999, “Die mense op die bus”performed by Laurika Rauch:

Perhaps love is like rain:
 It’ll bless the earth here and there.
 The people on the bus say: Yes!
 Widespread showers here and there.


vandeesweek

Compound of van + dees + week. Compare vandag, vanjaar.


eers

From Dutch eerst, from Middle Dutch êerst, from Old Dutch *ērist, from Proto-West Germanic *airist(ō).

Wil jy my laat hardloop? Ek kan nie eers loop nie!

Do you want me to run? I can't even walk!


juis

From Dutch juist, from Middle Dutch juust, from Old French juste, from Latin iūstus, from Proto-Italic *jowestos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-.

actually, on the other hand, in fact, conversely


presies

From Dutch precies, from Middle French precis, from Latin precisus, from praecīsus.


enersyds

From Dutch enerzijds, from German einerseits.


andersyds

From Dutch anderzijds, from German anderseits.


vanaand

tonight, this evening (in the evening of the current day)


byna

From Dutch bijna, from Middle Dutch bina. Equivalent to a univerbation of by + na.


ordentlik

From Dutch ordentelijk. Equivalent to orden (“to order, tidy”) + -lik, with irregular -t- interfixed.


omsons

From Dutch omsonst, from German umsonst.


deesdae

Ons eet deesdae dikwels wegneemetes.


onverhoeds

From Dutch onverhoeds, from Middle Dutch onverhoets.


ooswaarts

From Dutch oostwaarts, from Middle Dutch oostwaert. Equivalent to oos (“east”) + -waarts (“-wards”).


weswaarts

From Dutch westwaarts, from Middle Dutch westwaert. Equivalent to wes (“west”) + -waarts (“-wards”).


suidwaarts

From Dutch zuidwaarts, from Middle Dutch suutwaert. Equivalent to suid (“south”) + -waarts (“-wards”).


sekerlik

From Dutch zekerlijk, from Middle Dutch sēkerlike. Equivalent to seker + -lik.


gewoonlik

/χəˈvʊə̯n.lək/

From Dutch gewoonlijk, from Middle Dutch gewoonlike. Equivalent to gewoon + -lik.


hoofsaaklik

/ˈɦʊə̯fˌsɑːk.lək/

From Dutch hoofdzakelijk, perhaps from German hauptsächlich. Equivalent to hoofsaak (“main matter”) + -lik.


daarbenewens

Daarbenewens kan ek jou nie help nie.


boonop

From Dutch bovenop. Equivalent to a univerbation of bowe + op.


prakties

From Dutch praktisch, from German praktisch, from Late Latin practicus.


partykeer

Compound of party (“some, a few”) + keer (“time”).


seblief

(informal, colloquial) Alternative form of asseblief


by voorbeeld

(dated, nonstandard) Alternative form of byvoorbeeld


fokkol

Ek steur my fokkol aan jou

Die medikasie help fokkol

not in the least
not in the least#English


motories

Inherited from Dutch motorisch, equivalent to motor + -ies.


nou die dag

ons het net nou die dag 'n nuwe een gekoop.

(idiomatic) the other day; recently; a few days ago.


ôraait

Borrowed from dialectal forms of English alright such as oright.


nou-nou

→ English: now-now