The Afrikaans language instruction thread

[Trevor]

As Bushma requested, herewith some phrases to assist you if you should pay our beautiful county a visit one day. 

Howzit? [Meaning how are you and how is everything]

Hoe gaan dit [Hoo ghaan dit: how are you?]

Baie dankie [Buy-yeer dhan kee: Thanks much]

Hoe lyk dit met 'n bier? [How about a beer?]

Jy lyk pragtig [You are gorgeous]

And finally for now because I am who I am:

Jou ma se ouma-grootjie se tottie se punt: All I can say is that this is a devastating insult. 


More later. 

[Trevor]

You can give me an English phrase and i will give you the Afrikaans version of it. 

[indianasmith]

"I have very sexy nostrils."

[Trevor]

"I have very sexy nostrils."

Ek het [have] baie [very] sexy [sexy] neus [nose] gate [gha-rte] holes. 

[Rev. Powell]

Jou ma se ouma-grootjie se tottie se punt: All I can say is that this is a devastating insult. 

Does it mean, "may you sniff the underpants of an archivist?"

If not, how would you say that in Afrikaans?

[Trevor]

Does it mean, "may you sniff the underpants of an archivist?"

No, it means something worse than that.  

If not, how would you say that in Afrikaans?

Rough translation: Mag jy die onderbroek van 'n argivaris ruik?

I think I'm going home now.  

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I had girfriend who wa SA/Zimbabwean.   I speak rudimentary Dutch,and she spoke Afrikaans, we were able to effectivly communicate in our own language.  Then we fought in English, a lot.
-Ed

[Jack]

It doesn't sound as sexy when you call them "nose gate holes" does it?   

[Bushma]

Awesome thread!

How about "Leave me alone"?  According to my son that's the one thing you need to know in any language.

[The Burgomaster]

And finally for now because I am who I am:

Jou ma se ouma-grootjie se tottie se punt: All I can say is that this is a devastating insult. 


More later. 

According to Google Translate:  "Your mother's great-grandmother's Tottie's point." 

Obviously, this is not an accurate translation.  But any insult that mentions your mother's great grandmother is an automatic classic.

[Trevor]

Awesome thread!

How about "Leave me alone"?  According to my son that's the one thing you need to know in any language.

Leave is 'los' [lors]
Me is 'my' [may]
Alone is 'uit' [pronounced eight and also means 'out']

[Trevor]

According to Google Translate:  "Your mother's great-grandmother's Tottie's point." 
Obviously, this is not an accurate translation.  But any insult that mentions your mother's great grandmother is an automatic classic.

It's the 'tottie' [tor-tee] part of that insult that makes me go   

[Trevor]

It doesn't sound as sexy when you call them "nose gate holes" does it?   

Especially when the Afrikaans word 'gate' - pronounced ghaa-terr - is used. 

[Flangepart]

New this would rock.

Ho-kay...how do you say "Live Long and Prosper?"

[Trevor]

New this would rock.

Ho-kay...how do you say "Live Long and Prosper?"

Live: would be 'Leef' [pronounced lee-erf]
Long: Lank [larr-ink]
Prosper: I think the best word would be 'sterkte' [strength] or 'voorspoed' [success].

So: "Leef / lewe lank en voorspoed". Sounds OK.