AfrikaansPod101.com Blog

Have you ever tried to find a job in Africa? It's not an easy process. Good jobs are rather scarce on the continent, and South Africa is no different. Yet, it is not impossible, as foreign employment is not only allowed in South Africa—in some sectors, it is preferred and even encouraged. Like in any other country, the competition is tough, but there are ways to increase your chances of finding employment. One of the best ways, of course, is to be able to speak and understand one of South Africa's national languages. This will help you immensely, so consider signing up to learn one of South Africa's—Afrikaans. More about this later. Start with a bonus, and download the Business Words & Phrases PDF for FREE! (Logged-In... Show more

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Afrikaans could be just what you need to find it. Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Afrikaans partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At AfrikaansPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Afrikaans lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material... Show more

Can You Really Learn Afrikaans Alone? Learning a language on your own or without traditional classroom instruction may seem quite daunting at first. What if you run into questions? How do you stay motivated and on track to achieving goals? Don’t worry, not only is it possible to learn Afrikaans or any language without traditional classroom instruction: AfrikaansPod101 has created the world’s most advanced and extensive online language learning system. Not only is AfrikaansPod101 specifically designed to help you with learning a language on your own, it’s actually faster, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom options! Let’s look at some of the benefits of learning Afrikaans or any language alone. Also, don't... Show more

Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Afrikaans well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Afrikaans conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language. Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue.... Show more

Today, classrooms are no longer the only or even best place to learn a new language like Afrikaans. More and more people are finding that they can easily learn a language just about anywhere they have a few minutes of spare time, including their daily commute to work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends over 50 minutes a day commuting to and from work, or over 300 hours a year. Rethinking Your Daily Commute to Work But rather than simply sitting in traffic and wasting the time, you can instead use your daily commute to literally learn Afrikaans in just a few short months! AfrikaansPod101 has developed specialized learning tools that you can use on your commute to work (and home again) to master the... Show more

Planning to visit South Africa any time soon? You're in for a wonderful experience! The country is gorgeous, and the natives are gregarious and friendly by nature. Also, they love making new friends! By knowing how to say hello in Afrikaans, you'll have a decided advantage. When they see you can say "Hello" in Afrikaans, South Africans will be even more drawn to you during your visit or stay here. To quote one of the country's greatest and best-known leaders, Nelson Mandela: "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." So, learning to speak this beautifully expressive language at AfrikaansPod101 will also provide you with the best way to crawl... Show more

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day... Show more

Few things are more discouraging putting in the work and effort to learn a foreign language, only to not use it for a while and forget a large part of what you studied. Once you have a good handle on a language it’s not hard to practice it so that it stays in the forefront on your mind. In this post we’ll take a look a 5 practical ways you can make Afrikaans a part of your daily life so that you don’t forget the language. Enjoy! 1) Use language exchanges The idea behind a language exchange is that you find someone who fluently speaks your target language and is also learning your native language. During the exchange you spend half the time speaking in the language you’re learning (in this case Afrikaans), and the other half in... Show more

Learn all the Afrikaans New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join AfrikaansPod101 for a special Afrikaans New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year... Show more

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Afrikaans? AfrikaansPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Afrikaans Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Afrikaans speakers with culturally-appropriate... Show more