List of English words of Afrikaans origin

Words of Afrikaans origin have entered other languages.

British English has absorbed Afrikaans words primarily via British soldiers who served in the Boer Wars.

Many more words have entered common usage in South African English due to the parallel nature of the English and Afrikaner cultures in South Africa.

Internationally common

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• aardvark (literally "earth pig")
• aardwolf (literally "earth wolf")
• Afrikaans (literally "african", adj.)
• apartheid (literally "separate-ness")
• biltong (sun-dried meat)
• boerewors (literally "farmer's sausage)
• boomslang (literally "tree snake")
• kloof (literally "a pass between hills or mountains)
• kommando (literally "commando")
• kop (literally "head")
• laager (a collection of vehicles in a circle, meant for protection)
• meerkat (literally "lake cat")
• rand (literally "edge" or "rim")
• rooibos (literally "red bush")
• rondhawel (literally "round hovel")
• sjambok (an ox-hide whip)
• spoor (literally "tracks" or "footprints")
• springbok (literally "jumping antelope")
• trek
• veld
• white, in the species name "white rhinoceros", possibly from wyd meaning "wide" (describing the animal's mouth)

There are also several English words derived from Cape Dutch, a forerunner of Afrikaans:

• hartebeest (modern Afrikaans equivalent is hartebees)
• scoff (as in scoffing food): from Cape Dutch schoff, the word did not find its way into modern Afrikaans
• veldt borrowed again by English in the modern form veld
• wildebeest (modern Afrikaans equivalent is wildebees)

Common in South African English

There are almost innumerable borrowings from Afrikaans in South African English.

Main article: List of South African slang words#Afrikanerisms

See also

• South African English
• List of South African slang words