Language/Afrikaans/Vocabulary/Daily-Routine-and-Activities

Afrikaans Vocabulary → Greetings and Introductions → Daily Routine and Activities

Introduction

Good day, students! In this lesson, we will focus on talking about our daily routines and common activities in Afrikaans. Below you will find some useful vocabulary words and phrases that will help you express yourself in conversational Afrikaans.

Expressions for Daily Routine

Let's start by looking at some common expressions for daily routine:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English Translation
Ek staan op	'ɛk stɑːn ɔp	I wake up
Ek was my gesig	'ɛk vɑːs may xəsɪχ	I wash my face
Ek maak my bed op	'ɛk mɑːk may bɛt ɔp	I make my bed
Ek eet ontbyt	'ɛk eət 'ɔnt.bəit	I eat breakfast
Ek gaan werk toe	'ɛk xɑːn vɛrk tu	I go to work
Ek lees die nuus	'ɛk leəs di nyəs	I read the news
Ek kyk TV	'ɛk kɑɪk ti'vi	I watch TV
Ek gaan slaap	'ɛk xɑːn slɑːp	I go to sleep

Expressions for Common Activities

Here are some Afrikaans expressions for common activities:

Afrikaans	Pronunciation	English Translation
Ek gaan gym toe	'ɛk xɑːn xəim tu	I go to the gym
Ek swem	'ɛk svɛm	I swim
Ek speel tennis	'ɛk speəl 'tɛn.ɪs	I play tennis
Ek lees 'n boek	'ɛk leəs ɛn buk	I read a book
Ek luister na musiek	'ɛk 'lœystər nɑː 'my.siək	I listen to music
Ek doen inkopies	'ɛk dʊn 'ɪŋkɔp.ɪs	I go shopping
Ek gaan fliek toe	'ɛk xɑːn flɛik tu	I go to the movies
Ek stap in die park	'ɛk stɑːp in di pɑːk	I walk in the park

Practice Exercise

Now that you have learned some new expressions and vocabulary words, it's time to practice using them in context. Below is a conversation between two friends, Johan and Maria, talking about their daily routines and activities. Read the conversation and try to answer the questions that follow.

Johan: Goeie more, Maria. Hoe gaan dit met jou?

Maria: Goeie more, Johan. Dit gaan goed, dankie. En met jou?

Johan: Dit gaan goed, dankie. Wat is jou gewoonlike dagroetine?

Maria: Ek staan gewoonlik om ses uur op en eet ontbyt. Dan gaan ek werk toe. Na werk toe gaan ek gewoonlik gym toe of stap in die park. Dan kyk ek gewoonlik TV of lees 'n boek. En jy?

Johan: My gewoonlike dagroetine is om vyf uur op te staan en te hardloop. Dan eet ek ontbyt en gaan werk toe. Na werk toe gaan ek soms fliek toe of luister na musiek. Dan slaap ek gewoonlik vroeg.

• What time does Maria usually wake up?
• What does Maria usually do after work?
• What is Johan's usual routine in the evening?

Culture Tip

Afrikaans is the third most spoken first language in South Africa, after Zulu and Xhosa. The language evolved from Dutch, which was spoken by early European settlers in the region. Today, Afrikaans is widely spoken throughout South Africa and Namibia, as well as among expatriate communities in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Table of Contents - Afrikaans Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Afrikaans

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Nouns and Gender
• Adjectives and Agreement
• Verbs and Tenses
• Adverbs and Comparatives
• Pronouns and Prepositions

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Saying Hello and Goodbye
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Talking about Family and Friends
• Describing People and Appearance
• Daily Routine and Activities
• Food and Drink
• Numbers and Shopping
• Travel and Transportation

  ---

Culture and Social Customs

• South African Culture and History
• Afrikaans Music and Literature
• Celebrations and Festivals
• Etiquette and Social Customs
• Business and Work Culture
• Sport and Leisure Activities
• Daily Life and Routines

Related Lessons

• Feelings and Emotions
• Idiomatic Expressions
• Languages
• Colors
• Countries
• Food and Drink
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Travel and Transportation
• Numbers and Shopping
• Animals