Depending on where you live, you most likely know what Valentine’s Day is, and celebrate (or dread) it every year. But what do Valentine’s Day traditions in South Africa look like?
In this article, you’ll learn about how South Africans express their love for significant others on this day and more fun facts about Valentine’s Day in South Africa.
If you want to learn romantic Afrikaans phrases to use on Valentine’s Day, check out our Afrikaans Love Phrases blog too!
1. What is Valentine’s Day?
As you probably know, Valentine’s Day is a special holiday for couples to express their love (liefde) and appreciation for each other. In South Africa, Valentine’s Day is a huge deal, and lovers will go out of their way for each other to ensure a romantic and fun holiday.
Traditionally, St. Valentine’s Day was a religious feast day set aside to honor the third-century Christian martyr St. Valentine, who himself was primarily associated with love. In particular, St. Valentine was thought to have married couples even during a marriage ban. Over time, however, the holiday took on a more romantic and love-related connotation.
Keep reading for some Valentine’s Day ideas in South Africa, and what to expect!
2. When is Valentine’s Day in South Africa?
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 each year in South Africa.
3. How Does South Africa Celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Couples in South Africa celebrate Valentine’s Day similarly to those in other countries. The main theme is romanties, or “romance,” and young couples, in particular, reflect this by going on a nice date together. In South Africa, Valentine’s Day traditions for dates often include going out and doing things with each other. For example, many people favor a romantic walk on the beach while others opt for a more public outing like the zoo, or even hiking. A delicious dinner and chocolate (sjokolade) are always welcome too!
South Africans often give their kêrel ( “boyfriend” ) or meisie ( “girlfriend” ) a thoughtful gift. In fact, advertisements for Valentine’s Day gifts in South Africa begin way ahead of the actual holiday, giving people a lot of time to choose what to buy their sweetheart.
Valentine’s Day traditions also include long festivals, sometimes beginning days before the holiday. During the Valentine’s Day season, it’s common to see younger women with their lovers’ names attached to their sleeves.
And of course, a few kind and romantic words are a great way to reach someone’s heart. Many couples will give their better half a Valentyns Kaarjie, or “Valentine’s card,” to express their great affection.
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→ Are you at a loss for words? Make your sweetheart blush and smile with these Valentine’s Day expressions in Afrikaans!
→ Do you have bigger plans in mind? In that case, maybe you’ll want to have a look at our Afrikaans Marriage Proposal Lines.
4. Something Sweet
Do you feel like being extra soet ( “sweet” ) for your Valentine this year? Why not try and make a popular South African dessert? Some of the most common are:
| Hertzoggies | This is a white cake dipped in both chocolate and coconut. |
| Peppermint crisp tart | This is broken into pieces, mixed with caramel, and then layered between coconut biscuit and cream. |
| Milktart | To make, boil milk, sugar, flour, and cinnamon, then let it cool in a pastry base. |
| Malva pudding | This is similar to sticky toffee pudding, and is made with a sauce of evaporated milk. |
| Cremora tart | To make, mix coffee creamer powder with condensed milk and lemon juice. |
You can likely find great recipes for these treats by searching for them online or borrowing a South African cookbook. (Of course, if you’re not very handy in the kitchen, just buying a chocolate bar should do the trick.)
5. Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
Ready to review some of the Afrikaans vocabulary words from this article? Here are the most important Valentine’s Day words!
- Liefde — “Love”
- Geskenk — “Present”
- Kêrel — “Boyfriend”
- Meisie — “Girlfriend”
- Lekkergoed — “Candy”
- Pienk — “Pink”
- Rooi — “Red”
- Hart — “Heart”
- Romanties — “Romance”
- Roos — “Rose”
- Lekkergoed hart — “Candy heart”
- Valentyns Kaarjie — “Valentine’s card”
- Date — “Date”
- Ruiker — “Bouquet”
- Kupido — “Cupid”
- Soen — “Kiss”
- Drukkie — “Hug”
- Teddiebeer — “Teddy bear”
- Sjokolade — “Chocolate”
- Soet — “Sweet”
- Valentynsdag — “Valentine’s Day”
To hear the pronunciation of each word, and to read them alongside relevant images, be sure to check out our Afrikaans Valentine’s Day vocabulary list! Also, be sure to read our article on how to tell the love of your life how you feel.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Valentine’s Day traditions in South Africa are both unique and pretty similar to what you would expect elsewhere in the world.
Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day in your country? If so, how? We look forward to hearing from you!
If you’re interested in learning even more about South Africa’s colorful and vivid culture and holidays, you may find the following pages useful:
- Pop and Traditional Culture in South Africa
- An Introduction to South African Pop Culture
- Afrikaans Etiquette in South Africa: What You Need to Know
- Celebrating Cultural Heritage Day in South Africa
- Day of Reconciliation in South Africa
Whatever your reasons for wanting to explore South African culture or learn the Afrikaans language, know that AfrikaansPod101.com is the best place for you to expand your knowledge and increase your language skills. With tons of lessons for beginners, intermediate learners, and more advanced students, there’s something for everyone!
What are you waiting for? Create your free lifetime account today and start learning!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
