AfrikaansPod101.com Blog

Word order, or syntax, in any language is often a challenging thing to master, and Afrikaans is no exception. But once you're familiar with the most basic Afrikaans sentence structure rules, you'll find that the rest comes with less difficulty. At AfrikaansPod101.com, we know how to make it easy for you, so with a bit of effort, you'll have Afrikaans word order under your belt in no time! Table of Contents Structural Patterns in Languages Afrikaans Sentence Structure Rules STOMPI Explanation of the Sentence Elements in Sv1TOMPv2I More Examples of the Basic Afrikaans Sentence Structure: STOMPI Why AfrikaansPod101 is the Best Choice to Learn Afrikaans Sentence Structures! 1. Structural Patterns in Languages To... Show more

Like knowing your way around dates in Afrikaans (learn about that in our blog!), being able to tell time in Afrikaans is an equally important conversational skill to master. Also, it could save you a lot of embarrassment.  What good would it be if you knew you had to pitch somewhere on Dinsdag (Tuesday), but you didn't know the meaning of agtuur ("eight o'clock")? Or which agtuur of the day was being referred to?  Let AfrikaansPod101 make it easy for you. If you want, you can start with recorded vocabulary lessons like Talking about Time and dialogue examples such as Arriving at the Right Time in South Africa!  First, let's quickly get clarity on the two ways we tell time. Both are used to indicate time in Afrikaans. ... Show more

Getting lost is never fun, even less so in a foreign country. Knowing how to give or ask for directions in Afrikaans is therefore a very helpful skill to have when visiting South Africa! Fortunately, most South Africans speak English, Afrikaans, and/or Zulu, three of the country's eleven national languages. They’re normally a helpful, friendly people. So, if you know all about asking for directions in Afrikaans, you won’t easily get lost! Learn the basics about how to give directions in Afrikaans (and ask for them), and more, at AfrikaansPod101. It's our goal to keep your learning fun and easy! Let's start with the basic vocabulary you need to master. Whether you're asking or giving directions in Afrikaans, knowing certain words and... Show more

A noun in Afrikaans is called a selfstandige naamwoord, which literally translates as "independent name word." That makes sense, considering that nouns are the names of people, places, animals, things, and ideas or concepts. Yet, when looking at any sentence, what is a noun in Afrikaans? The answer to that isn’t overly simple, like in any other language, but that's the nature of grammar for you. That said, it's not impossibly difficult, so why not learn the difference between a common noun in Afrikaans and a collective noun in Afrikaans at AfrikaansPod101? We make it easy for you! Take a look at this list of the Fifty Most Common Nouns in Afrikaans, for instance. It's possible to speak like a native Afrikaner with our help! For... Show more

Every child deserves the right and the means to have a proper education and pursue their dreams, but for a long time, the education system in South Africa didn’t allow this. Apartheid caused great inequality in terms of education, meaning that not every South African child was able to receive a good education or attend a decent school. In this article, you’ll learn a little about the events that led to a better South African education system, some interesting facts about Youth Day in South Africa, and essential vocabulary for talking about this holiday. Let’s get started. 1. What is Youth Day? Youth Day in South Africa is a holiday set aside to onthou ("remember") the 1976 Soweto oproering ("uprising"). This uprising... Show more

Who doesn't love receiving compliments?! If they're sincere, they can make our whole being light up like a Christmas tree. Giving compliments also has benefits, and Afrikaners know this! Praising people makes us feel connected to them, and this improves our own sense of well-being. After all, South Africans believe in and uphold the spirit of ubuntu. This popular philosophy implies that our own humanity is only fulfilled through the recognition and appreciation of another's uniqueness and humanity. So, spread ubuntu by learning to give Afrikaans compliments (komplimente) like a native speaker at AfrikaansPod101.com—we make it fast, easy, and fun! Table of Contents Why is it Important to Know How to Give and Receive Compliments in... Show more

So, you know how to say "I'm sorry" in Afrikaans, and these are likely of the most important phrases to learn. Because no matter what language you speak, you're probably going to get angry at some point, say things you don't mean and then have to apologize for it. Yet, knowing how to get angry in Afrikaans has benefits too! Read on for more about that, also how it's all easily done through AfrikaansPod101! There are some serious upsides to getting angry: When your boundaries are being ignored, and the offender refuses to heed a gentle, civil admonition, showing your anger might be the only way to get your point across with good effect. Anger can give you negotiating power, research has shown. Furthermore can anger be a good motivator.... Show more

Freedom Day is one of the most significant holidays in South Africa, marking the date in 1994 that non-whites and alien residents were allowed to vote freely in an election. In this article, you’ll learn a little bit about the history of this holiday, how it’s celebrated, and more information about Freedom Day. Let’s get started! 1. Why is Freedom Day Important? On National Freedom Day, South Africa celebrates the date in 1994 that the country’s first free and demokraties ("democratic" ) elections were held. This took place after the time of apartheid and marked a nuwe era ("new era" ) for South Africa. Now, all citizens eighteen or older were allowed to vote in a fair election, regardless of their rasse ("race"),... Show more

Prepositions in Afrikaans (called voorsetsels), like those in English, have one function only: to clarify the relationship between different concepts or words in a sentence. Look, for instance, at this one: "The girl stood under the umbrella." Here, the relationship between the concepts "the girl stood" and "the umbrella" is explained by the preposition "under." This is important, because prepositions impact meaning—the girl didn't stand "on top of," "next to," or "over" the umbrella (all of these are prepositions, too); she stood "under" it. In both English and Afrikaans, prepositions are easily confused with conjunctions (or voegwoorde). However, the differences between them are easy to discern once you know what to look out for. ... Show more

Want to have easy access to your Afrikaans friend's hearth and heart? Learn which holidays they observe and the life events they celebrate, and you're nearly there! Then, it will be good to know what messages they use on these occasions, including how to say "Happy Birthday" in Afrikaans, for instance. Another important one to know is "Happy New Year!" in Afrikaans. We teach you these and many more at AfrikaansPod101, ideal for learning without stress or struggle! Celebrating these life events is an excellent way to practice your Afrikaans and learn how to pronounce these phrases like native speakers do. Improve your vocabulary and overall speaking skills with these handy phrases. Using these, and engaging with your Afrikaans friend when... Show more