Assimilation
All languages have some form of assimilation. That is when you take a hot iron and smooth out those sound wrinkles to make the speech flow like a pro. For natives this works well, but for the untrained ear, this is overwhelming, since you expect everything to be produced as it is written. Here are some helps.
Written Assimilation
dis < dit is it's moenie < moet nie don't daai < daardie that | Moenie daai boek(e) vat nie, dis myne. Don't take that (those) book(s), it's (they're) mine. |
g'n < geen no | Ek het g'n tyd vir daai man nie. I have no time for that man. |
aan't < aan die busy + verb rêrig < regtig or rêrig really | Ek hoor Jan is rêrig aan't sterwe. I hear Jan is really busy dying. |
Spoken Assimmilation
Your acquaintance with assimilation in Afrikaans will help you understand normal spoken Afrikaans. It is not a must to pronounce your sentences in the assimilated form.
ommie < om die around the innie < in die in the hoekomie < hoekom nie why not | Loop ommie hoek en kyk innie asblik. Walk around the corner and look in the trash can. |
isit? < is dit? really gistraand < gister aand last night nes < net soos just like | Daai man gistraand het nes my pa gelyk. That man last night looked just like my dad. |
aan't < aan die busy + verb rêrig < regtig or rêrig really | Ek hoor Jan is rêrig aan't sterwe. I hear Jan is really busy dying. |
Dis nie dat ek nie kan nie, Dis'ie darek'ie kannie, | Dinge word nie so gedoen nie. Dinge wort'ie so gedoen nie. |
Ek wil nie weet nie. Ek wil'ie weet'ie. | Ek kan nie om die punt praat nie. Ek kannie om 'ie punt praat 'ie, |
Maar ek wil nie mense om die bos lei nie. maarek wil'ie die mense om'ie bos lei nie. | Dis nie my saak nie. Dis'ie my saak'ie. |
Of ek nou wil of nie, Of ek nou wil of 'ie. | dis dié punt wat die mense pla. dis'ie punt war 'ie mense pla. |
Jy kan maar praat. Jy kamma praat, | Jy kan maar praat. Jy kamma praat, |
gaan g'n saak maak nie. gaan g'n saak maak 'ie, | Waaheen ons nou okal hiemee gaan |