Afrikaans is a West Germanic language with Dutch roots and is commonly spoken in South Africa and Namibia. Today the Afrikaans language is spoken by more than six million people in Africa. The language is known for its unique phrases and slang. Usually speakers of Afrikaans will greet each other with a handshake and women kiss each other on the lips as a form of greeting. In addition, there are several ways to say “Hello”, “How are you?” and other greetings in Afrikaans.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Saying “Hello” and “How are you?”
Step 1. Greet strangers formally by saying “Goeie dag”
When you meet someone for the first time, you should formally greet them in Afrikaans out of respect.
To formally greet someone, you can also reach out and shake their hand. Many Afrikaans speakers shake hands when greeting each other informally. The women will kiss each other on the lips when greeting
Step 2. Say “Haai” or “Hello” if you are greeting an acquaintance or friend
If you know or are familiar with the other person, you can say hello in informal Afrikaans. Many Afrikaans speakers greet each other by saying “Haai” or “Hello” when they meet on the street or at their home.
Step 3. Say “Hoe gaan dit met u ?
“if you greet a stranger. A formal way of saying "How are you?" in Afrikaans it is " Hoe gaan dit met u ?" Greet someone you just met with a formal greeting is a polite act.
Step 4. Say “Hoe gaan dit met jou ?
” if you greet an acquaintance or friend. An informal way of saying "How are you?" in Afrikaans it is "Hoe gaan dit met jou ?" You should only say this greeting if you are familiar with the person you are talking to.
Step 5. Reply to the greeting “How are you?
” spoken by the interlocutor formally or informally.
To keep the conversation going, you can return the formal greeting "Hoe gaan dit met u ?" spoken by the interlocutor by saying "Baie goed dankie, en u ?"
- You can return the informal greeting “Hoe gaan dit met jou?” spoken by the interlocutor by saying "Goed, dankie! Enjoo?"
- Here's an example of a conversation that takes place when you meet a new person:
- Here's an example of a conversation that takes place when you meet a friend or someone you know well:
- A complete guide to the pronunciation of this greeting can be found at
"Goeie dag!"
"Goeie dag!"
"Hoe gaan dit met u?"
“Baie goed dankie, en u ?”
"Goed, dankie!"
"Hey!"
"Hello !"
“Hoe gaan dit met jou?”
“Goed, dankie! Enjoo?"
"Goed, dankie!"
Part 2 of 2: Saying Another Greeting
Step 1. Say “Goeiemôre
” to greet someone in the morning.
This greeting is used to say "Good morning" formally in Afrikaans.
Many Afrikaans speakers shorten this greeting to " Môre !" This greeting is an informal way of saying “Good morning”
Step 2. Say “Goeie middag” to greet someone in the afternoon
This greeting is used to say "Good afternoon" in Afrikaans.
Step 3. Remember the difference between “Goeienaand” and “Goeienag “
In Afrikaans, “Goeienaand” is used to say “Good evening”. This word is used to greet others or when parting at night. " Goeienag " is used to say "Goodbye" at night or "Good night".
Many Afrikaans speakers shorten "Goeienag" to "Nag". This word is an informal way of saying "Goodbye" at night or "Good night."
Step 4. Say “Goodbye” formally or informally
To say “Goodbye” to someone you just met, use the following formal word: “Totsiens”. “Totsiens” can also be used to say goodbye informally as this word means “See you later”.
- Many Afrikaans speakers will use a “Mooi loop” when saying goodbye to friends or family. This phrase means "Be careful on the road".
- When saying goodbye to someone, you can also add “Lekker dag !” on speech. This phrase means “Have a nice day!”
- Here's an example of a conversation that takes place when you talk to someone you just met:
- Here's an example of a conversation that takes place when you're talking to a friend or someone you know very well:
- A complete guide to the pronunciation of these terms can be found at
“Goeemôre !”
“Goeemôre !”
"Hoe gaan dit met u?"
“Baie goed dankie, en u ?”
"Goed, dankie!"
“Totsiens! Lekker dag!”
“Mre!”
"Mre!"
“Hoe gaan dit met jou?”
“Goed, dankie! Enjoo?"
"Goed, dankie!"
"Totsiens, mooi loops!"
