Woord Vorming

Let’s explore different aspects of word formation or woord vorming in Afrikaans, We are going to discuss:

• “samestellings” (compounds)
• “afleidings” (derivations)
• “voorvoegsels” (prefixes)
• “agtervoegsels” (suffixes)

1. Samestellings (Compounds):

• Samestellings are words formed by combining two or more words to create a new word with a distinct meaning. In Afrikaans, samestellings refer to compound words. The individual words that make up the compound are joined together without any changes in spelling or pronunciation. Samestellings can be formed by combining nouns, adjectives, verbs, or a combination of these parts of speech.
• Examples: “Motor” (car) + “huis” (house) = “motorhuis” (garage)
• “Slaap” (sleep) + “kamer” (room) = “slaapkamer” (bedroom)

2. Afleidings (Derivations):

• Afleidings are words formed by adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words to create new words or modify their meaning. Afleidings are derived words in Afrikaans. There are various types of afleidings, such as verbale afleidings (verbal derivations), naamwoordelike afleidings (noun derivations), and byvoeglike afleidings (adjective derivations).
• Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word, while suffixes are added to the end. We will discuss prefixes and suffixes next.

Here are some examples:

• Verbale afleidings: “lees” (read) becomes “leesbaar” (legible) by adding the suffix “-baar.”
• Naamwoordelike afleidings: “skool” (school) becomes “skoolkind” (schoolchild) by adding the suffix “-kind.”
• Byvoeglike afleidings: “groot” (big) becomes “vergroten” (enlarged) by adding the prefix “ver-.”

3. Voorvoegsels (Prefixes):

• Voorvoegsels are prefixes that are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning or provide additional information. Voorvoegsels are prefixes in Afrikaans. Some common voorvoegsels include “ver-” (indicating reversal or when something changes), “on-” (indicating negation or reversal), and “ge-” (indicating completion or when something has happened).
• They can indicate negation, intensification, or other grammatical or semantic functions.
• Examples: “On” (un-) + “moontlik” (possible) = “onmoontlik” (impossible)
• “Ver” (far) + “af” (away) = “veraf” (far away)

4. Agtervoegsels (Suffixes):

• Agtervoegsels are suffixes that are added to the end of a word to change its meaning or indicate grammatical features like tense or plurality. Agtervoegsels are suffixes in Afrikaans. Common agtervoegsels include “-heid” (indicating a state or condition), “-ig” (indicating similarity or tendency), and “-ing” (indicating a gerund or noun form).
• They can also be used to create nouns, adjectives, or verbs.
• Examples: “Hond” (dog) + “jie” (diminutive) = “hondjie” (puppy)
• “Lekker” (nice) + “heid” (noun-forming suffix) = “lekkerheid” (niceness)

These are just a few examples of how samestellings, afleidings, voorvoegsels, and agtervoegsels are used in Afrikaans. Understanding word formation in Afrikaans allows for greater flexibility in expressing ideas and expanding vocabulary. By utilizing samestellings, afleidings, voorvoegsels, and agtervoegsels, you can create new words, modify meanings, and enhance your communication skills in Afrikaans.