Looking for practical Afrikaans to Mam phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Afrikaans phrase first, then the Mam translation (Mam) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Mam.
Tip: when a Mam phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Afrikaans wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Afrikaans to Mam translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Hallo
Xo'j(sho'j)
Dankie
Tz'ik(tz'ik)
Goeie more
Xo'j nax(sho'j nax)
Goeie middag
Xo'j q'ij(sho'j q'ij)
Goeie naand
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Goeie nag
Xo'j k'ux nax(sho'j k'ux nax)
Sien jou later
K'ux q'ij(k'ux q'ij)
Totsiens
Xo'j k'ux(sho'j k'ux)
Wat is jou naam?
Ja' k'ux nax?(ha' k'ux nax?)
My naam is John
Ja' k'ux nax John(ha' k'ux nax John)
Hoe gaan dit?
Jach' k'ux?(hach' k'ux?)
Lekker om jou te ontmoet
Nab' k'ux(nab' k'ux)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Praat jy Engels?
¿K'ax k'utun English?
Ek praat nie goed Hindi nie.
Nek'ux k'utun Hindi k'ax k'utun.
Ek verstaan nie.
Nek'ux k'ax k'utun.
Praat asseblief stadig.
Por favor, k'utun k'ux.
Kan jy dit weer sê?
¿K'ax k'utun k'ux?
Waar is die badkamer?
¿Jach'och k'ux?
Hoe kom ek by die stadsentrum?
¿Jach'och k'ux ch'ich'?
Draai links.
K'utun k'ux.
Draai regs.
K'utun k'ux.
Gaan reguit.
K'utun k'ux.
Hoeveel is die tarief?
¿K'ax k'ux ch'ich'?
Een kaartjie, asseblief.
K'utun ch'ich', por favor.
Is dit ver van hier?
¿K'ax k'ux jach'och?
Ek is verlore.
Nek'ux k'ax k'ux.
Waar kan ek 'n SIM-kaart koop?
¿Jach'och k'ux k'utun SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ja
Juj(hoo)
Nee
Man(mah)
Miskien
K'ux(k'ush)
Ek stem saam
Juj k'ux(hoo k'ush)
Ek stem nie saam nie
Man k'ux(mah k'ush)
Dit klink goed
K'ux juj(k'ush hoo)
Wat dink jy?
¿Juj k'ux k'ut?(¿hoo k'ush k'ut?)
Kan jy my help?
¿Juj k'ux juj k'ux?(¿hoo k'ush hoo k'ush?)
Ek het hulp nodig
Juj k'ux juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush hoo k'ut)
Wag 'n oomblik
K'ux k'ut(k'ush k'ut)
Ek is jammer
Juj k'ux k'ut(hoo k'ush k'ut)
Geen probleem
Man k'ux k'ut(mah k'ush k'ut)
Geluk
K'ux juj k'ut(k'ush hoo k'ut)
Gelukkige verjaarsdag
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Veilige reis
K'ux juj k'ut k'ux(k'ush hoo k'ut k'ush)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Waar is die treinstasie?
¿Jujuk pa ri tren?
Waar is die busstop?
¿Jujuk pa ri bus?
Watter platform is dit?
¿K'ux ri plataforma?
Watter tyd vertrek dit?
¿K'ux ri tiempo pa k'ux?
Is dit die regte pad?
¿¿K'ux ri camino?
Dit is naby hier.
Ri k'ut pa ri.
Dit is ver van hier.
Ri k'ut pa ri k'ul.
Kan jy dit op die kaart wys?
¿¿K'ux k'ut ri mapa?
Stop hier, asseblief.
¿¿K'ut pa ri, por favor?
Hoe lank neem dit?
¿¿K'ux ri tiempo?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.