Afrikaans translation services
AfrikaansLEXIGO provides NAATI certified Afrikaans translation across Australia for South African and Namibian arrivals and the employers, health services and authorities working with them. We translate Afrikaans to English and English to Afrikaans, and certify unabridged birth certificates, matric certificates, SAPS police clearances, driver licences and marriage certificates for Home Affairs, state road authorities, universities and AHPRA.
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language spoken by approximately 7.2 million people, primarily in South Africa and Namibia. Descended from seventeenth-century Dutch brought to the Cape Colony, Afrikaans evolved through contact with indigenous Khoisan languages, Malay, Portuguese, and Bantu languages, developing into a distinct language with simplified grammar compared to its Dutch parent.
In Australia, Afrikaans speakers number approximately 34,000 according to the 2021 Census. South African migration to Australia has been consistent since the 1990s, driven by skilled migration in healthcare, engineering, mining, and financial services. Communities are distributed across Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and regional areas, particularly in mining regions of Western Australia and Queensland.
Afrikaans is written in the Latin alphabet and is largely phonetic, making it one of the more straightforward languages for English speakers to read. The language has simpler verb conjugation than Dutch (no person-based conjugation), no grammatical gender in practice, and uses double negation as a standard grammatical feature. Despite its structural simplicity, Afrikaans has a vibrant literary tradition and expressive vocabulary.
The Afrikaans-speaking Australian community is generally well-educated, professionally established, and highly English-proficient. While most community members operate comfortably in English, Afrikaans remains important for cultural identity, community events, media consumption, and maintaining connections with family in South Africa. Afrikaans-language churches, social clubs, and community media serve as cultural anchors.
For organisations, Afrikaans serves a well-integrated but culturally distinct community. While translation demand is lower than for languages with less English proficiency, Afrikaans-language options demonstrate cultural recognition and are valued for community-specific engagement.
What makes Afrikaans translation different?
Afrikaans vs Dutch
Despite their shared ancestry, Afrikaans and Dutch have diverged significantly in vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. Dutch content is not appropriate for Afrikaans speakers and vice versa. The languages are partially mutually intelligible in written form, but the differences are conspicuous and using one for the other signals carelessness.
Cultural Sensitivity
Afrikaans carries complex historical associations due to apartheid. The Australian Afrikaans community is diverse, including white Afrikaans speakers, coloured (mixed-heritage) Afrikaans speakers, and others. Communications should be culturally neutral and avoid assumptions about race, politics, or background. The language belongs to a diverse community, not a single demographic.
Text Length
Afrikaans text is typically comparable to English in length, sometimes slightly shorter due to compound word formation and grammatical simplicity. Layout adjustments are usually minimal.
Frequently asked questions about Afrikaans translation
Is a NAATI certified Afrikaans translation accepted by Home Affairs?
Yes. Home Affairs, state road authorities, universities and AHPRA accept NAATI certified translations of South African and Namibian documents. Older unabridged birth certificates, matric certificates, marriage certificates, SAPS police clearance certificates and driver licences issued in Afrikaans or bilingual formats are the most common.
My South African documents are bilingual. Do I still need a translation?
Often only partly. Many South African documents are bilingual, but older certificates, stamps, endorsements and handwritten entries are frequently Afrikaans only. Australian authorities need the whole document in English, so the Afrikaans portions are translated and the full document certified.
Where are Australia's Afrikaans-speaking communities?
The 2021 Census recorded about 34,000 Afrikaans speakers at home. Perth has the largest community, followed by Sydney's north-west, Brisbane's north and Melbourne's south-east, with concentrations in Western Australian and Queensland mining regions where South African engineers and tradespeople have settled.
How much does Afrikaans translation cost?
NAATI certified translation of personal documents starts from $69 per page. Business and technical content is quoted on word count, subject matter and turnaround. Upload your file for a free quote.
Can a Dutch translator handle Afrikaans?
No. Afrikaans descends from seventeenth-century Dutch but has its own grammar, spelling and vocabulary, and a Dutch translation reads as foreign to Afrikaans speakers. Afrikaans documents go to Afrikaans translators and Dutch documents to Dutch translators.