Afrikaans and Dutch: 153 words that are the same
Among the two thousand words each language uses most, these are written identically and carry the same meaning in both. If you have one of the two, this is the part you do not have to learn.
Afrikaans Dutch
A shared word is not proof of a shared root. Two languages can land on the same spelling by borrowing from a third — that is all tren and bomba are — and a word that looks the same can still be said quite differently. What this list is good for is the head start.
| Word | In English | Afrikaans | Dutch |
|---|---|---|---|
| en | and | #10 | #9 |
| van | of | #14 | #10 |
| u | you | #26 | #33 |
| dat | that | #28 | #5 |
| ja | yes | #32 | #44 |
| hier | here | #36 | #38 |
| daar | there | #37 | #72 |
| aan | on | #43 | #32 |
| nee | no | #46 | #53 |
| doen | to do | #47 | #59 |
| hoe | how | #51 | #54 |
| of | or | #67 | #63 |
| alles | everything | #71 | #90 |
| niks | nothing | #73 | #188 |
| iets | something | #77 | #71 |
| wie | who, whom | #78 | #89 |
| goeie | good | #83 | #804 |
| vertel | to tell | #91 | #297 |
| geen | no, not a, not an, not any | #92 | #42 |
| weg | away | #95 | #97 |
| nooit | never | #96 | #102 |
| wel | the opposite of not | #97 | #47 |
| ander | another, another person, someone else | #114 | #497 |
| help | to help | #117 | #400 |
| twee | two | #130 | #126 |
| beter | good | #137 | #181 |
| omdat | because | #151 | #132 |
| eerste | first | #158 | #222 |
| naam | name | #161 | #241 |
| speel | to play | #163 | #1,127 |
| genoeg | enough | #165 | #196 |
| vergeet | to forget | #170 | #542 |
| luister | to listen | #173 | #246 |
| liefde | love | #174 | #521 |
| klein | small, little | #176 | #498 |
| geld | money | #180 | #176 |
| eet | to eat | #188 | #753 |
| vind | to find | #192 | #195 |
| wanneer | when | #196 | #253 |
| lees | to read | #202 | #1,340 |
| geluk | luck, good luck | #211 | #557 |
| vriend | friend | #213 | #259 |
| verloor | to lose | #214 | #1,451 |
| leef | to live | #234 | #1,580 |
| drie | three | #250 | #215 |
| noem | to call, to name | #267 | #829 |
| brief | letter | #268 | #1,023 |
| oorlog | war | #270 | #550 |
| tussen | between | #272 | #361 |
| luitenant | lieutenant | #289 | #949 |
| broer | brother | #292 | #380 |
| woord | word | #294 | #587 |
| koffie | coffee | #301 | #666 |
| idee | idea | #302 | #230 |
| volg | to follow | #305 | #1,000 |
| eer | honour | #312 | #1,039 |
| probleem | problem | #318 | #300 |
| hoeveel | how much, how many | #320 | #383 |
| welkom | welcome | #321 | #579 |
| waarheid | truth | #333 | #463 |
| tante | aunt | #345 | #1,118 |
| oom | uncle | #355 | #768 |
| prinses | princess | #379 | #1,713 |
| kort | short | #382 | #1,104 |
| vier | four | #392 | #392 |
| bos | wood, forest | #412 | #1,267 |
| gevaar | danger, peril | #420 | #788 |
| mis | to miss | #433 | #419 |
| langs | along, alongside | #445 | #533 |
| hond | dog | #454 | #638 |
| stilte | silence | #456 | #1,876 |
| bloed | blood | #457 | #455 |
| soort | sort, kind | #458 | #389 |
| gooi | to throw | #461 | #1,193 |
| voordat | before | #462 | #402 |
| tafel | table | #468 | #920 |
| bier | beer | #471 | #1,353 |
| muur | wall | #481 | #1,081 |
| soms | sometimes | #484 | #337 |
| melk | milk | #492 | #1,751 |
| hallo | hello | #498 | #226 |
| grond | ground, dirt, soil | #499 | #698 |
| kans | chance | #509 | #352 |
| koud | cold | #512 | #957 |
| donker | dark | #518 | #1,179 |
| honger | hunger | #533 | #927 |
| spreek | to speak | #535 | #939 |
| verrassing | surprise | #544 | #1,133 |
| trein | train | #551 | #1,207 |
| mond | mouth | #556 | #563 |
| wit | white | #564 | #1,912 |
| sluit | to close | #568 | #1,067 |
| weggaan | to go away, to leave | #574 | #1,154 |
| hoog | high | #594 | #1,054 |
| diep | deep, down low | #595 | #1,008 |
| ring | ring, hollow circular object | #630 | #1,178 |
| derde | third | #631 | #940 |
| bekend | known | #670 | #764 |
| kantoor | office | #689 | #572 |
| wet | law | #696 | #977 |
| glas | glass | #697 | #1,257 |
| minuut | minute | #714 | #1,488 |
| sommige | some | #719 | #741 |
| veiligheid | safety, security | #729 | #1,279 |
| neus | nose | #735 | #1,122 |
| voet | foot | #745 | #1,292 |
| open | to open | #746 | #345 |
| groep | group | #752 | #888 |
| tien | ten | #757 | #478 |
| taal | language | #767 | #1,952 |
| dak | roof | #786 | #1,329 |
| telefoon | telephone | #814 | #510 |
| kelder | cellar, basement | #815 | #1,739 |
| engels | English | #822 | #1,531 |
| waardeer | to appreciate, to value | #824 | #1,599 |
| vriendin | female friend | #831 | #492 |
| hoek | corner | #849 | #1,280 |
| verjaardag | birthday | #852 | #1,197 |
| boot | boat | #854 | #911 |
| papier | paper | #855 | #1,878 |
| gratis | free, without charge | #876 | #1,317 |
| politiek | politics | #879 | #1,914 |
| vertaling | translation | #942 | #855 |
| afstand | distance | #1,001 | #1,282 |
| lid | member | #1,005 | #1,663 |
| eiland | island | #1,008 | #1,320 |
| boom | tree | #1,015 | #1,327 |
| trap | stairs, staircase | #1,023 | #1,503 |
| vingers | finger | #1,037 | #1,722 |
| broers | brother | #1,041 | #1,694 |
| goud | gold | #1,052 | #1,306 |
| eenheid | unity | #1,091 | #1,894 |
| inderdaad | indeed | #1,097 | #547 |
| advies | advice | #1,117 | #1,414 |
| maan | moon | #1,138 | #1,425 |
| laag | low | #1,140 | #1,687 |
| park | park | #1,148 | #1,094 |
| verslaan | to defeat | #1,151 | #1,646 |
| steen | stone | #1,175 | #1,634 |
| twaalf | twelve | #1,188 | #1,479 |
| kamp | camp | #1,223 | #1,579 |
| drank | beverage, drink | #1,233 | #1,664 |
| invloed | influence | #1,283 | #1,858 |
| twintig | twenty | #1,356 | #1,618 |
| ster | star | #1,409 | #1,545 |
| slot | lock | #1,422 | #1,397 |
| slaapkamer | bedroom | #1,439 | #1,910 |
| volledig | complete | #1,479 | #1,061 |
| restaurant | restaurant | #1,496 | #1,376 |
| energie | energy | #1,699 | #1,242 |
| keel | throat | #1,768 | #1,986 |
| klant | customer, client | #1,802 | #1,619 |
| honderd | hundred | #1,859 | #1,583 |
The overlap is the easy part.
The rest comes from using it with someone who speaks it.