wag
/vaχ/
The English verb 'wait' is translated into Afrikaans as wag.
The verb wag is used to express delaying an action or staying in a place until a certain event occurs. In slang, particularly in Cape Town, you may hear the expression Chill effe to mean 'wait a bit'.
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
Is it said differently in some regions?
The slang term Chill effe, meaning 'wait a bit', is used in Cape Town.
How does it change in a sentence?
wag serves as the imperative form used to command someone to wait. The past participle of the verb is gewag.
How do you pronounce it?
/vaχ/
Did you know?
- The Afrikaans word wag shares a common ancestor with the English word 'watch'. It originally described the act of acting as a sentry or guard.
- In Afrikaans, wag can mean both 'to wait' and 'to guard', reflecting its history as a term for a sentry.
- The word wag can feel quite commanding or abrupt when used as an imperative, so adding a polite particle is often necessary in social settings.
Examples in context
- Kan jy so lank wag?Can you wait that long?This sentence shows how to use wag when asking about duration.Tatoeba #3328198 by Diablofire, translation #3327793 by CK
- Kan jy reg hier wag?Can you wait right here?This sentence shows how to use wag when specifying a location.Tatoeba #3328202 by Diablofire, translation #3328172 by CK
- Kom ons wag tot hy kom.Let's wait till he comes.This sentence shows how to use wag to indicate waiting for a specific event or person.Tatoeba #2364285 by siener, translation #284319 by CK
- Ek vra dat jy 'n oomblik moet wag.I ask that you wait for a moment.
- Asseblief wag vir 'n oomblik, ek sal binnekort terugkom.Please wait for a moment, I'll be back soon.
- Ek moet vir iemand anders wag om hierdie saak af te handel.I need to wait for someone else to handle this matter.
- Ek is besig, wag 'n bietjie asseblief.I'm busy, wait a moment, please.
- Wag 'n bietjie, ek wil die boek vir jou gee.Wait a moment, I want to give you the book.
- Hou maar aan en drink jou koffie. Ek sal gou by jou kom sit.Just keep going and drink your coffee. I'll join you shortly.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nicola and Andries are waiting for a bus.
- NicolaKom die bus nou al?Is the bus coming now?
- AndriesNee, ons moet nog wag.No, we still have to wait.
- NicolaEk wil nie meer wag nie.I don't want to wait anymore.
- AndriesWag net nog vyf minute, Nicola.Just wait another five minutes, Nicola.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wait” translations and entries wag, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wag, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
