bed
/bɛt/
The English word 'bed' can be translated into Afrikaans as bed or kooi.
Meaning: piece of furniture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|
| bed | /bɛt/ |
| kooi | /koːi/ |
Both terms refer to the piece of furniture used for sleeping. You may also use the phrase bed toe gaan to describe the act of going to a sleeping bed, or gaan slaap to describe the act of putting oneself to sleep.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of bed is beddens.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɛt/
Did you know?
- The word kooi shares a linguistic root with the English word 'cave', as both derive from the Latin cavea, meaning a hollow or enclosed space.
- The word kooi is also used in nautical contexts to describe a sailor's bunk, mirroring the Dutch influence on South African maritime history.
- In certain idiomatic expressions, referring to someone's kooi can imply a very private, almost secretive space, rather than just a place for sleep.
Examples in context
- Aangesien jy 'n seer keel en koors het moet jy eerder in die bed bly.Since you have a sore throat and a fever, you should probably stay in bed.This sentence is useful for describing staying in bed when ill.Tatoeba #6456478 by Dewald, translation #6441910 by CK
- Die kat slaap naby my bed.The cat sleeps by my bed.This sentence shows the position of a cat relative to a bed.Tatoeba #10471900 by koala, translation #13849035 by rul
- Ek's moeg, ek dink ek gaan bed toe.I'm tired, I think I'm going to go to bed.This sentence demonstrates the expression for going to bed when tired.Tatoeba #4878032 by zvzuibqx, translation #474803 by minshirui
- Ek slaap in 'n gemaklike bed.I sleep in a comfortable bed.
- Hierdie bedjie is perfek vir ons kind se kamer.This little bed is perfect for our child's room.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andries and Nicola are in a bedroom looking at new furniture.
- AndriesIs hierdie bed gemaklik?Is this bed comfortable?
- NicolaJa, die bed is baie sag.Yes, the bed is very soft.
- AndriesOns moet 'n nuwe bed koop.We must buy a new bed.
- NicolaEk stem saam, Andries.I agree, Andries.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bed” translations and entries bed, kooi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bed, kooi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
