Body Parts

1. Kop

   Head

   Usage

   Show this at a clinic and point to your own head. A headache is "hoofpyn"

2. Hare

   Hair

   Usage

   Used at a salon or barber. "Hare" is the plural and covers hair as a whole; a single hair is "haar"

3. Gesig

   Face

   Usage

   Use it to mark the treatment area at a spa, or to show where a skin problem is

4. Oog

   Eye

   Usage

   Use for one eye; the plural is the irregular "oë" for both eyes

5. Oor

   Ear

   Usage

   For earache or trouble hearing; the plural is "ore". The same spelling is also the preposition "about", so point at your ear while showing it

6. Neus

   Nose

   Usage

   For a blocked nose or a nosebleed; also useful when asking for nasal spray at a pharmacy

7. Mond

   Mouth

   Usage

   For mouth ulcers or pain inside the mouth; also works at a dental reception

8. Tand

   Tooth

   Usage

   For toothache; the plural is "tande" and toothache is "tandpyn"

9. Tong

   Tongue

   Usage

   For a burn or a change in taste. The word also means "language", just like English "tongue"

10. Nek

    Neck

    Usage

    The outside of the neck — a stiff neck after a long bus ride. The inside of the throat is "keel"

11. Keel

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat — "keelseer". A different word from "nek", the outside of the neck

12. Skouer

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain, or to mark where you want a massage

13. Arm

    Usage

    For an injured arm. Afrikaans keeps "arm" and "hand" as separate words

14. Elmboog

    Elbow

    Usage

    For a painful or grazed elbow

15. Hand

    Usage

    For a painful or injured hand; the plural is "hande"

16. Vinger

    Finger

    Usage

    To point out an injured finger. A toe is a different word, "toon"

17. Nael

    Nail

    Usage

    At a nail salon, or to say a nail is broken or torn off. The same word also means "nail" as in the metal kind

18. Borskas

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or breathlessness. Plain "bors" can mean breast, so "borskas" is the safer word

19. Maag

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Afrikaans does not split "belly" from "stomach" — both are maag. A stomach ache is "maagpyn"

20. Rug

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain; "rugpyn" covers back and lower-back pain generally

21. Onderrug

    Lower back

    Usage

    Afrikaans has no single word for the Japanese "koshi"; you say "lower back"

22. Heup

    Hip

    Usage

    For hip-joint pain; use "onderrug" if the pain is in the lower back instead

23. Boude

    Buttocks

    Usage

    For where an injection goes, or soreness after a long journey. Normally used in the plural; one side is "boud"

24. Been

    Leg / bone

    Usage

    The same spelling covers both "leg" and "bone". The plurals differ: legs are "bene", bones are "beendere". A fracture is "beenbreuk"

25. Knie

    Knee

    Usage

    For a sore or injured knee — often needed after a hike up somewhere like Table Mountain

26. Voet

    Foot

    Usage

    For pain in the sole or top of the foot; the whole leg is "been". The plural is "voete"

27. Enkel

    Ankle

    Usage

    For a sprain. The same spelling is also the adjective "single"

28. Vel

    Skin

    Usage

    For a rash, insect bite or sunburn; a rash is "veluitslag"

29. Bloed

    Blood

    Usage

    The base word for tests, transfusions and bleeding; blood pressure is "bloeddruk"

30. Hart

    Heart

    Usage

    For describing an existing condition; heart disease is "hartsiekte"

31. Derms

    Intestines

    Usage

    Used when discussing stomach trouble or diarrhoea; normally plural, singular "derm"

32. Long

    Lung

    Usage

    For a cough or difficulty breathing; the plural is "longe" and pneumonia is "longontsteking"

33. Lewer

    Liver

    Usage

    Used when discussing a condition or medication. The same spelling is also the verb "to deliver"

34. Nier

    Kidney

    Usage

    Used when explaining a kidney condition or stones; the plural is "niere"

35. Brein

    Brain

    Usage

    Used for scans after a head knock; also used figuratively for "brains"

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