Jesus
/ˈjɪə̯sœs/
The English name Jesus is translated into Afrikaans as Jesus.
Jesus is the name of the religious figure. In certain contexts, the spelling Jissus is used as a colloquial expletive or exclamation.
Meaning: religious figure (name)
Which one should you use?
Jesus is the standard name for the religious figure. Jissus is used specifically as a colloquial exclamation. For highly formal religious contexts, speakers may use Jeesus Christus, Die Here (The Lord) or Die Seun van God (The Son of God). Informal or colloquial variations include Jissie and Jesusie.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Jesus is the standard form. Formal religious contexts often employ Jeesus Christus, Die Here or Die Seun van God. Conversely, Jissie and Jesusie are informal, while Jissus is a colloquial, euphemistic way to use the name as an exclamation to avoid being blasphemous.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈjɪə̯sœs/
When do people say it?
When using the name as an exclamation, speakers may use the euphemistic spelling Jissus to avoid blasphemy.
Did you know?
- The diminutive form Jesusie adds a suffix that typically denotes smallness or affection in Afrikaans.
- The spelling of Jissus effectively acts as a linguistic euphemism, similar to how English speakers might use 'Geez' instead of 'Jesus'.
- The word Jesus in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word Jezus.
Examples in context
- Ons bid tot Jesus.We pray to Jesus.
- Die kinders leer van Jesus.The children learn about Jesus.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their Sunday school class.
- JohanWat het jy vandag geleer?What did you learn today?
- LiezelOns het oor Jesus geleer.We learned about Jesus.
- JohanWas die storie vir jou interessant?Was the story interesting to you?
- LiezelJa, dit was baie mooi.Yes, it was very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Jesus” translations and entries Jesus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Jesus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
