er
The English filler sound "r" is expressed in Afrikaans as er.
In Afrikaans, er is used as a filler sound during speech. It serves to indicate a pause or a moment of hesitation while the speaker is thinking.
Did you know?
- Using er too frequently in formal Afrikaans speech can be perceived as a sign of 'onsekerheid', or a lack of confidence in one's subject matter.
- In a multilingual South African context, speakers often switch fillers between English 'um' and Afrikaans er within a single sentence, a phenomenon known as code-switching.
- While er is the standard filler, speakers often use nè at the end of a sentence to seek confirmation, similar to the English 'right' or 'isn't it'.
Examples in context
- Ek dink, er, ons moet nou gaan.I think, er, we should go now.
- Dit is, er, baie moeilik om te verstaan.It is, er, very difficult to understand.
- Ek weet nie, er, wat om te sê nie.I don't know, er, what to say.
Example conversation
Marelize and Stefan are trying to decide on a movie to watch.
- MarelizeWil jy die nuwe fliek kyk?Do you want to watch the new movie?
- StefanEk is, er, nie seker nie.I am, er, not sure.
- MarelizeIs dit te skrikwekkend vir jou?Is it too scary for you?
- StefanMiskien, maar laat ons kyk.Maybe, but let's watch.
