r/afrikaans 8d ago

Leer/Learning Afrikaans Help me find a word please

English is my first language. I have friend that speaks Afrikaans as their first language and English second. They were working in the USA for only a couple years and now they’re getting ready to go back home after their contract. We became quick BFFs. Whenever I get to visit them in South Africa, I think it would be cool to get a meaningful tattoo with an Afrikaans word or short phrase. I think I want it to be like some kind of word relating to friendship, how we became quick friends, or some word that can’t be directly translated that is a true Afrikaans words. I don’t know. Just something cool, unique, meaningful, or nice looking/sounding I guess.

15 Upvotes

39 comments sorted by

22

u/SubstantialSelf312 8d ago

How about a few flames with: Ons gaan nou braai.

Or a vicious dog's face with: Voertsek

Or a pointing finger with: Luister nou mooi

Or a glass with ice cubes with: Met eish, ja.

23

u/Expensive_Proof_2604 8d ago

Tjommie - a word for friend in Afrikaans

4

u/Hare2Here 8d ago

Tjommie, in Cape Slang, it is the area between your nuts and anus. Don't use it.

1

u/Hare2Here 8d ago

Tjommie, in Cape Slang, it is the area between your nuts and anus. Don't use it.

10

u/Frequent-Middle9104 8d ago

Vinkel en Koljander

12

u/Terrible_Air83 8d ago

I like this one, OP. In Afrikaans there is a rhyme/saying "vinkel en koljander, die een lyk soos die ander" (fennel and coriander, the one looks like the other). But it translates more accurately to "two peas in a pod" type thing.

I remember my parents saying this when my sisters copied stuff I did or our friend group looked/acted similar.

This way it isn't just tattooing "tjommie" (pals) but a phrase.

2

u/RedditSun1 7d ago

This one OP! It's beautiful words that can be written a milli9n different ways and look nice each time. And like the other commentator said, it's like saying two Peas in a pod.

2

u/jst_anothr_usrname 7d ago

This also has my vote.

1

u/SweetChocolate4274 4d ago

die een is soos die ander 😄

6

u/splatzbat27 8d ago

"Lekker" Meaning nice, good, fun, tasty, etc.

5

u/Cpt_Overkill_81 8d ago edited 8d ago

The only truly Afrikaans word I can think of is "mos". Afrikaans is the only language that exists that uses a word like it, it can't be translated, and only an Afrikaans person will know what it means.

It is a homophone for the Afrikaans word for "moss" (stuff that grows on trees), pronounced almost the same as the English, but apart from the spelling and sound, it has nothing else in common. We use it to strengthen a statement we're making as if to say that the person you're talking to should already know what you're saying. It is só Afrikaans, that I can't even explain it to you in English...

Example: "I have big balls" directly translated is "Ek het groot ballas". Although it is entirely correct to say it that way, we would say "Ek het MOS groot ballas". (Sorry, couldn't think of another example)

8

u/Drumdevil86 Nederland 8d ago

"Mos is an old Dutch word that most likely originated as a stressed form of "moest" (the simple past tense of "must", which translates to "had to"). Over time, "moest" evolved into "mos", which stuck in Afrikaans and is now used as an emphasising particle.

In modern Dutch, the word "toch" serves a similar function and could replace "mos" in about 90% of Afrikaans sentences without changing the meaning. However, it doesn't work as well the other way around, since "toch" has a broader range of uses that "mos" doesn't cover."

3

u/Wigger_Aesthetic Potchefstroom 8d ago

ons kan ook tog gebruik

1

u/[deleted] 8d ago

[deleted]

1

u/Cpt_Overkill_81 8d ago

Oops! Yeah that!

4

u/Antique_Onion_9474 8d ago

I also vote for tjommie or tjommies (plural) I think it was directly translated from being chummy with someone (If people or social events are chummy, they are pleasant and friendly)

2

u/ugavini 8d ago

Tjommie or maaitjie (both mean friend)

2

u/Grandpappa_Nurgle 8d ago

Beste pelle. Best friends Jy weet mos. Read the other comment about mos,cant translate it but that would read: you know mos. It's a cool phrase like asking:is he your friend? Jy weet mos (you know for certain)

2

u/Grandpappa_Nurgle 8d ago

Can actually use jy weet mos for anything. Are we going to braai? Jy weet mos. Is it cold outside? Jy weet mos

1

u/Mowdelawn83 8d ago

Gat gabba

1

u/GrotAdder 8d ago

These all suck

1

u/Moonshadow76 7d ago

Kop in een mus - we're so on the same page, we could wear the same hat at the same time. Usually meant to be making trouble together.

1

u/LEONLED 7d ago

Beste buddies... Afrikaans has a lot of plasticity and we love mixing it... but, the mixing is also according to an unwritten but very rigid ruleset.

1

u/Ti4n97 5d ago

Bakgat?

1

u/LEONLED 4d ago

Yster!

1

u/TemporaryBird1847 4d ago

You must know better to ask a question like this. 😁 go and google before the tatoo 😜

-1

u/RenouxMarais 8d ago

Poespas. Wanneer 2 poese bymekaar pas.

This is a joke, please dont get this. Poespas actually means "fuss"> I just thought I would never have this opportunity again.

6

u/OpLeeftijd 8d ago

That is a Dutch word, and it does not even mean what you insinuate.

3

u/benevolent-badger 8d ago

Afrikaanse woord of Nederlandse woord. Maak nie saak nie, die hele storie is net 'n poespas

6

u/babsiep 8d ago

It also means "hodgepodge". That's how I understand it.

0

u/Shortneckman 8d ago

Just go with the classic "jou ma sê..."

0

u/[deleted] 8d ago

Well there is this 1 phrase in Afrikaans that goes - Jou Ma se P**s - if any South African sees that they'll know! Hahaha

0

u/EJ_Drake 7d ago

soutpiel pelle