Dating Apps

1. Ek gebruik 'n dating-app

   I use a dating app

   Usage

   Mentioning that you use a dating app

   Grammar Note

   "Dating-app" is the English loan "dating app", written hyphenated in Afrikaans. "Gebruik" means "use"

2. Ons het aanlyn ontmoet

   We met online

   Usage

   Explaining that you met someone through an online platform

   Grammar Note

   "Het ontmoet" is perfect tense (het + past participle). Many past participles use the ge- prefix

3. Jou profiel is baie interessant

   Your profile is very interesting

   Usage

   Complimenting a match's dating profile

   Grammar Note

   "Interessant" is borrowed from French/Dutch. Afrikaans has many loanwords from French and English

4. Wil jy my in die werklikheid ontmoet?

   Would you like to meet in real life?

   Usage

   Proposing to move from online chat to a real-life meeting

   Grammar Note

   "Werklikheid" = werklik (real) + -heid, i.e. "reality". Afrikaans puts the auxiliary (wil) second and the main verb at the very end of the clause; ontmoet is transitive, so it takes the object "my".

5. Wat doen jy vir pret?

   What do you do for fun?

   Usage

   A common dating app conversation opener asking about hobbies

   Grammar Note

   "Vir pret" means "for fun". It corresponds to Dutch "voor de lol"

6. Ek het jou geswipe

   I swiped you (right)

   Usage

   Informal way of saying you swiped right on someone's profile

   Grammar Note

   "Geswipe" is a borrowed English verb "swipe" with the Afrikaans past participle prefix ge-

7. Ons het gepas

   We matched

   Usage

   Saying that both users liked each other and created a match

   Grammar Note

   "Gepas" is the past participle of "pas" (to fit/match). Perfect tense: het + past participle

8. Watter musiek hou jy van?

   What kind of music do you like?

   Usage

   An icebreaker question after matching

   Grammar Note

   "Hou van" is the Afrikaans equivalent of "like". The object follows "van"

9. Jou foto's is pragtig

   Your photos are beautiful

   Usage

   Complimenting someone's profile pictures

   Grammar Note

   "Foto's" is the plural of "foto". Some nouns add -'s for the plural in Afrikaans

10. Ek soek iemand om mee te lag

    I am looking for someone to laugh with

    Usage

    A charming phrase for a dating profile or first message

    Grammar Note

    "Mee" is an adverb meaning "with/together" and goes before "te" in an "om ... te" clause: "om mee te lag" = to laugh with (same pattern as "iemand om mee te praat")

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