iets
/its/
The Afrikaans word for "something" is iets.
iets is a pronoun used to refer to an unspecified object or thing.
Meaning: unspecified object (pron)
How do you pronounce it?
/its/
Did you know?
- In Afrikaans, if you are looking for 'something' to eat or drink, you might use the phrase ietsie to make the object sound smaller or more endearing.
- When expressing 'nothing' as the opposite of iets, Afrikaans speakers use niks, which mirrors the German 'nichts' more closely than the English 'nothing'.
- The word iets can be used in the phrase iets van 'n, which functions similarly to 'somewhat of a' or 'a bit of a' to soften a description.
Examples in context
- Ek wil net iets kyk.I just went to check something.This sentence shows how to use iets when talking about checking a thing.Tatoeba #2783890 by Diablofire, translation #2590886 by CK
- Luister en leer iets.Listen and learn something.This sentence shows how to use iets when referring to learning a thing.Tatoeba #13585223 by Pietpetoors, translation #10070714 by espamatics
- Laat my iets verduidelik.Let me explain something.This sentence shows how to use iets when referring to explaining a thing.Tatoeba #2783401 by Diablofire, translation #2064685 by CK
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Johan and Marelize are in the kitchen.
- JohanMarelize, is daar iets om te eet?Marelize, is there something to eat?
- MarelizeJa, daar is iets in die yskas.Yes, there is something in the fridge.
- JohanEk soek iets lekkers.I am looking for something sweet.
- MarelizeKyk maar self vir iets.Just look for something yourself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “something” translations and entries iets, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
