Animals

1. Hond

   Dog

   Usage

   Guard dogs are common at houses. Also the word you need if you were bitten; the plural is "honde"

2. Kat

   Cat

   Usage

   A domestic cat; the plural is "katte"

3. Voël

   Bird

   Usage

   The everyday word for a bird. In crude slang it has another meaning, so point at the actual bird while using it. Birdwatching is "voëlkyk"

4. Vis

   Fish

   Usage

   The same word for a live fish and for fish as food; useful at a Cape Town fish market

5. Perd

   Horse

   Usage

   Used when booking a horse-riding tour; the plural is "perde"

6. Koei

   Cow

   Usage

   A cow specifically; a bull is "bul" and cattle as livestock are "beeste"

7. Vark

   Pig

   Usage

   Pork is "varkvleis"; show this word if you need to check for religious dietary reasons

8. Hoender

   Chicken

   Usage

   Both the live bird and the meat; you will see it on menus constantly

9. Eend

   Duck

   Usage

   Seen on farms and park ponds; the plural is "eende"

10. Bok

    Goat

    Usage

    A domestic goat, but also the general word for antelope, so on safari it usually appears with a species name

11. Skaap

    Sheep

    Usage

    A Karoo speciality; mutton is "skaapvleis" and appears often on menus. The plural is "skape"

12. Olifant

    Elephant

    Usage

    One of the Big Five; seen in Kruger and Addo Elephant National Park

13. Kameelperd

    Giraffe

    Usage

    Literally "camel-horse"; use it to tell a safari guide what you hope to see

14. Sebra

    Zebra

    Usage

    Common on safari and in private reserves near the cities

15. Leeu

    Lion

    Usage

    One of the Big Five; the plural is "leeus"

16. Luiperd

    Leopard

    Usage

    The hardest of the Big Five to spot; mostly nocturnal, so look for it on a night drive

17. Seekoei

    Hippopotamus

    Usage

    Literally "sea cow". Regarded as the most dangerous animal near rivers, so stay with your guide

18. Renoster

    Rhinoceros

    Usage

    One of the Big Five. Because of poaching, reserves often ask you not to post geotagged photos

19. Buffel

    Buffalo

    Usage

    One of the Big Five; they move in herds

20. Springbok

    Usage

    South Africa's national animal and the nickname of the rugby team — a reliable conversation starter

21. Volstruis

    Ostrich

    Usage

    The ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn are famous; both the meat and the eggs appear on restaurant menus

22. Aap

    Monkey

    Usage

    The word you need if a monkey took your things; the plural is "ape". Never show them food

23. Bobbejaan

    Baboon

    Usage

    Troops line the road on the Cape Peninsula; keep car windows shut. Applied to a person it is an insult, so use it only for the animal

24. Meerkat

    Usage

    An Afrikaans word that English borrowed; found in the dry Kalahari side of the country

25. Slang

    Snake

    Usage

    An emergency word when hiking: "Ek is deur 'n slang gebyt" — I was bitten by a snake. The plural is "slange"

26. Krokodil

    Crocodile

    Usage

    Found in rivers and lakes in the north-east; mention it when asking whether a river is safe to swim in

27. Skilpad

    Tortoise / turtle

    Usage

    Covers both tortoise and turtle; say "seeskilpad" if you specifically mean a sea turtle

28. Padda

    Frog

    Usage

    You will hear them at night in the rainy season; the Cape wetlands run frog-spotting walks

29. Geitjie

    Gecko

    Usage

    Harmless wall-dweller at guesthouses that eats mosquitoes; show this word if one startles you

30. Akkedis

    Lizard

    Usage

    Often sunning itself on rocks; a different word from "geitjie", the gecko

31. Muis

    Mouse

    Usage

    Report one to reception with this word; it is also the computer mouse. A big rat is "rot"

32. Vlermuis

    Bat

    Usage

    Literally "wing-mouse"; they come out at dusk and are a talking point on cave tours

33. Muskiet

    Mosquito

    Usage

    The Kruger area is malarial; repellent is "muskietmiddel" and a mosquito net is "muskietnet"

34. Kakkerlak

    Cockroach

    Usage

    Report one at reception with this word; it is grounds for asking to change rooms

35. Mier

    Ant

    Usage

    They arrive if food is left out; the plural is "miere"

36. By

    Bee

    Usage

    Needed if you have a bee allergy. The same spelling is also the preposition "at/by", so point to the sting while showing it

37. Spinnekop

    Spider

    Usage

    Nearly all of them are harmless; show this to a doctor if you were bitten

38. Skerpioen

    Scorpion

    Usage

    When camping in dry areas, shake out your shoes before putting them on; show this word at an emergency room if stung

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