Afrikaans/Pronunciation
Pronunciation Guide[edit | edit source]
a - as u in cup (kap)
aa - as u in cup but longer like ah (daad)
aai - as y in why (laai)
ae - as u in dust but longer like ah,
followed by article a (dae)
b - similar to b in English
c - as k in kitten (Calvinis)
c - as s in size (celcius)
ch - guttural sound like ch in loch (chemie)
ch - as k in kitten (chloor)
ch/sj - as sh in shot (China/Sjina)
d - as d in donkey (daar)
d - as t in hat (bed)
e - as ee in deer (edel)
e - as e in hen (ken)
e - as e in angel (bevat)
ê - as ai in hair (hê)
ee - as ee in deer (een)
eë/ië - as ea in fear, pronounced as two
sounds (leër/skiër)
eeu - as ew in few (leeu)
ei - as ay in play (seil)
eu - as ee in deer with lips pouted (deur)
eu - as ew in few (euforie)
f - similar to f in English
g - gutteral sound like ch in loch (geld)
gh - as g in golf (gholf)
h - similar to h in English
i - as e in angel (sit)
ie - as ee in breed (dier)
ie - as i in sick (siek)
j - as y in you (jaar)
kn - as c in cat + n in no
(knoop)
ng - as ng in sing (vang)
o - as oo in loot followed by rapid w
with pouted lips (bode)
o - as oo in loot, but shorter (euforie)
o - as o in fort but shorter (oggend)
o - as oy in boy (potjie)
ô - as au in cause (môre)
oe - as oo in loot (voer)
oe - as oo in loot, but shorter (voet)
oë - as oe in doer (vermoë)
oei - as ooey in phooey but preceded with
rapid w (koei)
oo - as oo in loot followed by rapid w
with pouted lips (soom)
ooi - as oi in oil but preceded with rapid w
(strooi)
ou - as oa in coat (hout)
p - similar to p in English
r - as r in very, but lightly rolled
(duiker)
r - strongly rolled r, almost Scots (rooi)
s - similar to s in English
t - similar to t in English
tj - as ch in chunk (tjank)
u - as i in sick with lips pouted (u)
ui - as ay in play but longer with pouted
lips (lui)
uie - as aye in player but longer with
pouted lips (beduie)
uu - as ee in breed but with lips pouted
(duur)
v - as f in fun (vul)
w - as w in sweep (swem)
w - as v in visit (water)
y - as ay in play (yster)
z - similar to z in English