kom
/kɔm/
The English verb "come" is translated into Afrikaans as kom.
kom means to arrive or to appear. It is also frequently used as an auxiliary verb to indicate an action performed for the purpose of arriving, such as kom optel (come pick up).
Meaning: to arrive, to appear (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense form of the verb is kom. The past participle is gekom.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔm/
Did you know?
- While kom means 'come', the word kom is also a noun referring to a bowl.
- The word kom is part of the common expression kom nou, which is used not just to tell someone to hurry, but to express disbelief or impatience, like 'come on now'.
- While in English 'come' often implies movement toward the speaker, in Afrikaans, the verb kom can be used to describe a person's arrival at a destination regardless of the speaker's location.
Examples in context
- Bêl my voor jy kom.Call me before you come.Tatoeba #13458304 by Pietpetoors, translation #13457662 by apzzd
- Ek kan dalk jou kom optel.I might be able to come and pick you up.This sentence demonstrates using kom as an auxiliary for an action performed upon arrival.Tatoeba #2786755 by Diablofire, translation #2538783 by CK
- Niks goed kan daarvan kom nie.Nothing good can come of all this.Tatoeba #13370651 by Pietpetoors, translation #13370497 by frpzzd
- Kom hier toe, ek het iets vir jou.Come here, I have something for you.
- Ek gaan fliek toe, kom saam as jy wil.I'm going to the movies, come along if you want to.
- Kom sit langs my en gesels.Come sit next to me and chat.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Johan and Nicola are waiting for a friend to arrive at a cafe.
- JohanWanneer gaan hy kom?When is he going to arrive?
- NicolaHy sê hy is nou op pad.He says he is on his way now.
- JohanEk hoop hy sal gou kom.I hope he will arrive soon.
- NicolaJa, hy is gewoonlik betyds.Yes, he is usually on time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kom, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
