Translate Afrikaans to English
Paste your Afrikaans text above and the English translation will appear instantly. Click the speaker icon to hear the pronunciation or copy the result.
Common Afrikaans to English translations
| Afrikaans | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello | HAH-loh | ||
| Goeie môre | Good morning | HOO-yuh MOR-uh | ||
| Dankie | Thank you | DAHN-kee | ||
| Asseblief | Please | AH-suh-bleef | ||
| Hoeveel kos dit? | How much is this? | HOO-feel kos dit | ||
| Waar is die badkamer? | Where is the bathroom? | vahr is dee BAHT-kah-mer | ||
| Ek verstaan nie | I do not understand | ek fer-STAHN nee | ||
| Kan jy my help? | Can you help me? | kahn yay may help | ||
| Ek wil graag koffie hê | I would like coffee | ek vil ghrahgh KOF-fee heh | ||
| Die rekening, asseblief | The bill, please | dee RAY-kuh-ning AH-suh-bleef | ||
| Aangename kennis | Nice to meet you | AHN-ghuh-nah-muh KEN-nis | ||
| Totsiens | Goodbye | TOT-seens | ||
| Ek het 'n dokter nodig | I need a doctor | ek het un DOK-ter NOH-dikh | ||
| Verskoon my | Excuse me | fer-SKOHN may |
Tips for Afrikaans to English translation
Afrikaans double negation is mandatory: Ek kan nie swem nie (I cannot swim, literally: I can not swim not). The translator converts this to single negation in English automatically.
Afrikaans uses jy (informal you) and u (formal you). Both translate to “you” in English. Modern Afrikaans heavily favors jy in most contexts.
Afrikaans text from South Africa may include code-switching with English. This is extremely common in everyday communication and the translator handles bilingual text reasonably well.
Afrikaans diminutives are formed with -tjie, -jie, or -ie: hond (dog) becomes hondjie (puppy). These carry affection and are used very frequently.
About the Afrikaans language
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language spoken by about 7 million native speakers in South Africa and Namibia, with several million more second-language speakers. It developed from Dutch colonial varieties and was standardized as a separate language in the early 20th century. It is the youngest Germanic language.
Afrikaans is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa. Despite its colonial origins, it is spoken across racial lines, with the majority of native speakers being Coloured (mixed-heritage) South Africans. Afrikaans literature, music (especially in genres like Afrikaans rock and boeremusiek), and film have a vibrant cultural presence in Southern Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Unlimited use.
Yes. All Afrikaans characters processed.
Yes. Speaker icon available.
Good for everyday texts. Professional review for important documents.
No.
Visit our English to Afrikaans page.
Over 100 pairs available.
Yes.
100 words per request.
Yes. MP3 format.
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