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Greetings & Introductions in Afrikaans
Afrikaans greetings are friendly and accessible. These 25 essential phrases will have you saying hallo and making introductions with ease — with native audio.
Practice in the LingoSwipe App →Each phrase includes native audio, an English translation, and cultural notes where relevant. Tap any play button to listen.
👋 Basiese Groete — Basic Greetings
1.
Hallo!
Hello! / Hi!
Very close to English 'hello' — Afrikaans has many similarities to English.
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2.
Goeie môre!
Good morning!
'Môre' means both 'morning' AND 'tomorrow' in Afrikaans — context is key!
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3.
Goeie middag!
Good afternoon!
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4.
Goeie nag.
Good night.
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5.
Hoe gaan dit met jou?
How are you?
Common reply: 'Goed, dankie — en jy?' (Well, thanks — and you?)
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🙋 Voorstelling — Introductions
6.
My naam is Pieter.
My name is Pieter.
Afrikaans grammar is much simpler than Dutch — no case system, simplified verb conjugation.
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7.
Wat is jou naam?
What is your name?
Afrikaans dropped most of Dutch's complex grammar — much easier for English speakers!
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8.
Aangenaam om jou te ontmoet.
Nice to meet you.
South Africa's greeting culture varies by community. A handshake is standard in business.
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9.
Ek kom van Suid-Afrika.
I come from South Africa.
Afrikaans is spoken in South Africa, Namibia, and small communities in other countries.
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10.
Ek praat 'n bietjie Afrikaans.
I speak a little Afrikaans.
Afrikaans speakers are often moved when foreigners attempt their language — it means a lot.
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👋 Afskeid — Farewells
11.
Totsiens!
Goodbye!
Literally 'until seeing' — mirrors German 'Auf Wiedersehen' and Dutch 'Tot ziens.'
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12.
Tot later!
See you later!
'Tot' + time: 'tot more' (until tomorrow/morning), 'tot later' (until later).
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13.
Tot môre!
See you tomorrow!
'Tot môre' can mean 'until tomorrow' or 'see you in the morning.' Context decides!
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14.
Geniet jou dag!
Enjoy your day!
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15.
Pasop vir jouself!
Take care of yourself!
'Pasop!' alone means 'watch out!' or 'be careful!' — a useful warning word.
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🤝 Beleefdheidsfrases — Courtesy Phrases
16.
Asseblief.
Please.
From Dutch 'als het u belieft' — Afrikaans evolved by shortening and simplifying Dutch.
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17.
Dankie!
Thank you!
Very similar to Dutch 'dankje' and German 'Danke.' The '-ie' diminutive makes it warm.
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18.
Dit is 'n plesier.
It's a pleasure. / You're welcome.
A very warm response. Also: 'Geen dank' (no thanks needed).
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19.
Jammer.
Sorry. / I'm sorry.
'Jammer' can mean 'sorry' OR 'what a pity' depending on context.
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20.
Verskoon my.
Excuse me.
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💬 Taalbystand — Language Help
21.
Ja.
Yes.
Identical to Dutch. Afrikaans and Dutch share about 90% vocabulary — they are mutually intelligible.
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22.
Nee.
No.
Identical to Dutch 'nee.' The long 'ee' vowel is a key feature of Afrikaans pronunciation.
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23.
Ek verstaan nie.
I don't understand.
Afrikaans double negative: 'Ek verstaan nie.' Full form: 'Ek verstaan nie wat jy sê nie.'
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24.
Kan jy asseblief stadiger praat?
Can you please speak more slowly?
Most Afrikaans speakers also speak English fluently — they will appreciate your effort.
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25.
Praat jy Engels?
Do you speak English?
South Africa has 11 official languages. Most Afrikaans speakers are bilingual or multilingual.
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