broer
The Afrikaans word for brother is broer. If unsure, use broer. Wiktionary also lists boetie.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans |
|---|
| broer |
| boetie |
The term is used to refer to a male sibling.
Which one should you use?
While broer is the standard term for a brother, boetie is a diminutive used for a younger brother or as an affectionate term for a friend. You may also encounter Broertjie, which is an affectionate way to refer to a younger brother.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal settings, you can use boetie for a younger brother or a friend or Bru, which is an informal term derived from the English word bro.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of 'broer' is formed by adding an 's' to get 'broers'.
When do people say it?
Boetie can be used colloquially to address a male peer, similar to calling someone 'buddy' or 'bro' in English.
Did you know?
- In many South African contexts, addressing a stranger as boetie can feel patronising or overly familiar depending on the tone.
- The word broer shares an ancestor with the Afrikaans word pêl, which means 'friend' or 'pal'.
- In certain traditional contexts, calling someone broer can signify a spiritual or fraternal bond in a religious community rather than a biological relationship.
Examples in context
- My broer is 'n idioot.My brother is an idiot.This sentence uses broer to describe a brother.Tatoeba #661714 by winterstream, translation #401444 by CM
- Hy is my broer.He is my brother.This sentence uses broer to identify someone as a brother.Tatoeba #644930 by wwkudu, translation #250680 by CK
- Dit is my broer.This is my brother.This sentence uses broer to introduce a brother.Tatoeba #663081 by wwkudu, translation #463308 by lukaszpp
- Ek wil graag my broer aan julle voorstel.I would like to introduce my brother to you.
- Hierdie is my ouer broer.This is my older brother.
- Ek en my broertjie is baie nou.My younger brother and I are very close.
- Ek en my boetie gaan saam kuier.My younger brother and I are going to hang out together.
- Hey bru, hoe gaan dit?Hey bro, how are you doing?
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andries and Anika are talking about their family at a cafe.
- AndriesHet jy 'n broer?Do you have a brother?
- AnikaJa, ek het een broer.Yes, I have one brother.
- AndriesIs jou broer ouer as jy?Is your brother older than you?
- AnikaNee, hy is jonger as ek.No, he is younger than me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries broer, boetie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boetie, broer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
