How to Greet People in Afrikaans

Author Info

Last Updated: March 1, 2024 Fact Checked

Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that derives from Dutch and is spoken mostly in South Africa and Namibia. Afrikaans is currently spoken by over six million people in Africa and is known for its unique phrases and slangs.^{[1]
X
Research source} Typically, Afrikaans will greet each other with a handshake and women may kiss each other on the lips as a form of greeting.^{[2]
X
Research source} There are also several ways to say “Hello”, “How are you?” and other greetings in Afrikaans.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Saying “Hello” and “How Are You?”

Download Article

1
Greet a stranger formally with “Goeie dag”. When you first meet someone, you should greet them formally as a sign of respect with the formal way to say “Hello” in Afrikaans.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- You can also offer your hand to the person and shake their hand as a formal way of greeting. Many Afrikaner men will shake hands when they are greeting each other informally and the women will kiss each other on the lips. A man might kiss a woman and visa versa, especially if they are related or close friends. In a business situation, it is custom to greet all attending the meeting or gathering with a friendly handshake.
You can use the informal way to say “Hello” in Afrikaans if you know the person or are on familiar terms with the person. Many Afrikaners will greet each other with “Haai” or “Hallo” when they see each other on the street or in their homes.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
if you are greeting a stranger. The formal way to say “How are you?” in Afrikaans is “Hoe gaan dit met u?” It is considered polite to use the formal phrase when you are greeting someone you have just met.^{[5]
X
Research source}
if you are greeting an acquaintance or a friend. The informal way to say “How are you?” in Afrikaans is “Hoe gaan dit met jou?” Only use this greeting if you are on familiar terms with the person you are speaking to.^{[6]
X
Research source}
5
Respond to “How are you?” formally or informally. To keep the conversation going, you can respond to the formal “Hoe gaan dit met u?” with “Baie goed dankie, en u?”^{[7]
X
Research source}
- You can respond to the informal “Hoe gaan dit met jou?” with “Goed, dankie en met jou?”
- An example dialogue with someone you just met might be:
  
  “Goeie dag!”
  “Goeie dag!”
  “Hoe gaan dit met u?”
  “Baie goed dankie, en u?”
  "Goed, dankie!"
- An example dialogue with someone you know well or are friends with might be:
  
  “Haai!”
  "Hallo!"
  “Hoe gaan dit met jou?”
  “Goed, dankie en met jou?”
  "Goed, dankie!"
- A complete pronunciation guide for these greetings can be found at https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/afrikaans.php.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Using Other Greetings

Download Article

1
Say “Goeiemôre!” to greet someone in the morning. This is the formal way to say “Good morning” in Afrikaans.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Many Afrikaans speaking people will shorten this to “Môre!” as an informal way to say “Good morning”.
This is how you say “Good afternoon” in Afrikaans.^{[9]
X
Research source}
3
Remember the difference between “Good evening” and “Goodnight” in Afrikaans. “Good evening” in Afrikaans is “Goeienaand”, and “Goodnight” is “Goeienag”.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Many Afrikaans speaking people will shorten “Goeienag” to “Nag” as an informal way to say “Goodnight”.
4
Say “Goodbye” formally or informally. To say “Goodbye” to someone you just met, use the formal greeting: “Totsiens”.^{[11]
X
Research source} “Totsiens” can also be used to say goodbye more casually, as it can be taken to mean “See you later”.
- Many Afrikaans speaking people will use “Mooi loop” when saying goodbye to a friend or a relative, which means “go/walk well”.^{[12]
  X
  Research source}
- You can also add on to your “Goodbye” with “Lekker dag!”, which means “Have a nice day!”^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
- An example dialogue with someone you just met might be:
  
  “Goeiemôre!”
  “Goeiemôre!”
  “Hoe gaan dit met u?”
  “Baie goed dankie, en u?”
  "Goed, dankie!"
  “Totsiens! Lekker dag!”
- An example dialogue with someone you know well or are friends with might be:
  
  “Môre!”
  "Môre!"
  “Hoe gaan dit met jou?”
  “Goed, dankie en met jou?”
  "Goed, dankie!"
  "Totsiens, mooi loop!”
- A complete pronunciation guide for these terms can be found at https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/afrikaans.php.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I say "I miss you" in Afrikaans?

Community Answer

"Ek mis jou" (mis and miss are pronounced the same).

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 12 Helpful 51
Question

How do I say "that's all, thank you" in Afrikaans?

Community Answer

"Dis al, baie dankie."

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 7 Helpful 60
Question

How to say "my name is" in Afrikaans?

Community Answer

"My name is..." is basically "My naam is..." You could also use "Ek is" or "Ek's," the Afrikaans equivalent to "I am" or "I'm."

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 47