How to say like in Afrikaans: hou van– part 2 (Advanced)

📘 Who this is for: CAPS, IEB, Cambridge students (FAL and SAL Grades 7–12) and adult Afrikaans learners.

Learn how to use “hou van” in Afrikaans in more complex sentences, and how adjectives can change the meaning depending on where they are placed.

Separating "hou" and "van" in a sentence.

Words that tell us how much you like something can separate "hou van."

These are words like:

• baie (a lot/ many)
• regtig (really)
• nie (not)
• glad nie (not at all)
• niks (nothing)

Example 1

Ek hou baie van appels.

I like apples a lot.

The grammar in the English sentence doesn't quite fit with how English speakers would normally say things. The natural way for a English speaker to say this sentence would be:

Example 2

Ek hou niks van mense om my nie.

I don’t like people around me at all.

Literal translation: I like nothing of people around me.

In Afrikaans we use the word “niks” between “hou” and “van” to show that you do not like something at all. You completely dislike it.

"Hou van" and adjectives.

Sometimes the adjective goes after "hou van." This changes the meaning of the sentence entirely.

If the adjective is between "hou" and "van" it tells us more about how much you like something. If its after "hou van" it tells us of how may of that thing you like.

If the the adjective is between hou and van 1

Ek hou baie van appels.

I like apples a lot.

I like apples a lot. This is because "baie" tells us more about "hou van" (like).

If the adjective is after "hou van"

Ek hou van baie komberse op my bed.

I like having many blankets on my bed.

In this sentence you like having many blankets, but the focus is on the number of blankets, not on liking blankets in general. This is because the "baie" tells us more about "many blankets" in this sentence.

If the the adjective is between "hou and van" 

Ek hou baie van mense om my.

I like having a lot of people around me.

You like it a lot to have people around you. The amount of people is not specified.

If the adjective is after "hou van"

Ek hou van baie mense om my.

I like of a lot of people around me.

You like having lots of people around you. How much you like it is not specified.

If the the adjective is after and between "hou" and "van" 

Ek hou baie van baie mense om my.

I like it a lot to have a lot of people around me.

The amount of people and how much you like having them around you is specified. You like having people many people around you, and you like it a lot.

Click the following link to go to the next lesson:      

How to say like in Afrikaans: hou van– part 3 (hou and van on their own)

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References.

Lutrin, B. (1999). Afrikaans handbook & study guide: An English student’s guide to Afrikaans. Sandton: Berlut Books.

de Jonge, A. (n.d.). Leer Afrikaans sonder om jou rieme styf te loop. Graffiti Boeke.

De Klerk, P. F., Esterhuizen, B. J., Hammann, H. J. R., & Neethling, E. L. (1986). Afrikaans my taal. Maskew Miller Longman.

Nel, M. (2019). Afrikaans+: Everything you need to obtain top marks. LAPA Uitgewers.

The majority of this course content is based on the author’s experience, practice, and self-study.

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