neef
The Afrikaans word for cousin is neef. Wiktionary also lists niggie.
Meaning: child of a person’s parent’s brother or sister (noun)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans | IPA |
|---|---|
| neef | |
| niggie | [ˈnəχi] (narrow) |
The term refers to the child of a person’s parent’s brother or sister.
Which one should you use?
Afrikaans distinguishes between the gender of the cousin. Use neef specifically for a male cousin and niggie specifically for a female cousin.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of the masculine term, add an -s to get neefs. To make the feminine form plural, add an -s to get niggies.
Did you know?
- The spelling of niggie looks very similar to an English swear word, which can cause some learners to feel hesitant or embarrassed when pronouncing it aloud.
- The word neef is a distant relative of the English word 'nephew'. They both trace back to the same Proto-Indo-European root, meaning 'grandson' or 'descendant'.
- The suffix -ie in niggie is a common Afrikaans diminutive. While it creates the feminine word for 'cousin', this same pattern is used across the language to make things sound smaller, cuter or more affectionate.
Examples in context
- Hy is nie my neef nie.He isn't my cousin.This sentence is useful for practicing the negative form of the word neef.Tatoeba #3189749 by rheadaholyc, translation #297738 by CK
- My neef, Peter, kom ons besoek.My cousin, Peter, is coming to visit us.
- Maria is my niggie.Maria is my cousin.
- My neef kom van Kaapstad af.My cousin comes from Cape Town.
- Ek gaan saam met my neef fliek toe.I am going to the movies with my cousin.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Liezel and Stefan are discussing family members at a cafe.
- LiezelKen jy hierdie jong man?Do you know this young man?
- StefanJa, hy is my neef.Yes, he is my cousin.
- LiezelHy lyk baie soos jou.He looks a lot like you.
- StefanDit sê almal vir my.Everyone tells me that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cousin” translations and entries neef, niggie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
