What is Afrikaans and where is it spoken? A language guide

Afrikaans is a language that is spoken in South Africa and Namibia. It is descended from Dutch, and is the most commonly spoken language in South Africa. In this blog post, we will discuss the origins of Afrikaans, where it is spoken, and some key phrases that you will need to know if you are planning on traveling to a country where Afrikaans is spoken!

What is the history and origins of the Afrikaans language?

Afrikaans is a language that has its roots in Dutch. It was first spoken by the Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 1600s. Afrikaans started to develop as a distinct language in the 1800s, and became widely used during the Apartheid era in South Africa. After apartheid ended, Afrikaans continued to be one of the country's official languages - but was only decreed as real in 1925.

Where is Afrikaans spoken?

As we mentioned before, Afrikaans is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia. It is also spoken by small communities of people in Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Germany, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Reunion Island, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

How many people speak Afrikaans?

There are about 8.4 million speakers of Afrikaans worldwide. Of these, 8.1 million live in South Africa.

Is Afrikaans different from Dutch?

There are a few key ways in which Afrikaans differs from Dutch. One is that it has been influenced by other languages spoken in South Africa, such as Malay, Portuguese, and Khoisan languages.

Another difference is that Afrikaans uses less inflection than Dutch. This means that there are fewer grammatical endings on words, making it simpler to learn than Dutch.

What is Afrikaans grammar like?

Afrikaans grammar is similar to that of other Germanic languages, such as Dutch and English. It has a subject-verb-object word order, and uses the Afrikaans alphabet, which consists of 26 letters.

What are some key Afrikaans phrases?

If you're planning on traveling to a country where Afrikaans is spoken, it's helpful to know some key phrases in the language. Here are a few essential Afrikaans phrases:

Hello = Hallo

Good morning = Goeie more

Good afternoon = Goeie middag

Good evening = Goeie aand

Goodbye = Totsiens

Please = Asseblief

Thank you = Dankie

How are you? = Hoe gaat dit met jou?

I'm fine, thank you = Dit gaan goed met my, dankie

Yes = Ja

No = Nee

I love you = Ek is lief vir jou

Happy birthday = Gelukkige verjaarsdag!

Do you speak English? = Praat jy Engels?

I don't understand = Ek verstaan nie

Excuse me = Verskoon my

I'm lost = Ek is verlore

Where is the bathroom? = Waar is die badkamer?

What does Afikaans sound like when spoken?

If you're not familiar with the Afrikaans language, it might sound a bit strange at first. This is because Afrikaans uses a lot of guttural sounds that are not used in other languages. However, once you get used to it, you'll be able to understand what people are saying!

Is Afrikaans easy to learn?

Afrikaans is a relatively easy language to learn, especially if you already know another Germanic language. However, it is important to note that Afrikaans uses a lot of slang words and idioms, so it's best to learn from a native speaker if you want to be able to communicate effectively in the language.