hartseer
The Afrikaans word for "sad" is hartseer.
hartseer is used to describe the feeling of sorrow or being sad.
Meaning: feeling sorrow (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
hartseer is a compound of hart, meaning "heart" and seer, meaning "sorrow" or "pain".
Which one should you use?
Neerslagtig is a formal term referring to feeling down, low or depressed.
Did you know?
- The formal term neerslagtig shares a root with neerslag, which means 'precipitation' or 'rainfall'. Being depressed is linguistically linked to the feeling of rain falling down.
- The word seer in hartseer is the same root used in the word seermaak, which means 'to hurt' or 'to injure'. This frames sadness as a physical wound to the organ of the heart.
- While hartseer is the standard term, the word bedroef is often reserved for the specific sadness associated with mourning or death.
Examples in context
- Ek is baie hartseer oor die nuus.I am very sad about the news.
- Ek is baie hartseer vandag.I am very sad today.
- Dit is hartseer om dit te hoor.It is sad to hear that.
- Sy voel hartseer oor die nuus.She feels sad about the news.
Example conversation
Stefan and Nicola are talking about a movie they just watched.
- StefanDie einde van die fliek was baie hartseer.The end of the movie was very sad.
- NicolaJa, ek het amper gehuil.Yes, I almost cried.
- StefanEk voel nog steeds hartseer oor die hond.I still feel sad about the dog.
- NicolaEk verstaan heeltemal, Stefan.I completely understand, Stefan.
