v and w

V Sounds Like F, W Sounds Like V

Level 1

Afrikaans shifts two letters. V usually sounds like English f, and w usually sounds like English v. So vis (fish) sounds like fis, and wat (what) sounds like vat.

How It Works

Here is the pattern for each letter:

  • v has the f sound: vis (fish), vader (father), vier (four), vrou (woman).
  • f has the f sound too: fiets (bicycle), fout (mistake). Both letters sound the same, so learn each word's spelling.
  • w has the sound of English v: wat (what), water (water), werk (work), sewe (seven).
  • w after a consonant sounds closer to English w: kwaad (angry), twee (two), swaar (heavy).

Inside a word, the English v sound is written with w: sewe (seven), hawe (harbour). An f at the end of a word often turns into w when an ending is added: brief → briewe (letters). See plural sound changes.

A few loanwords keep an English-like v, such as visueel (visual). These are exceptions. In ordinary Afrikaans words, v sounds like f.

Examples (5)

  1. Die vis swem in die water.

    The fish is swimming in the water.

    Word by Word: The fish swims in the water.

    Vis starts with an f sound, and water starts with the sound of English v.

  2. Waar werk jou vader?

    Where does your father work?

    Word by Word: Where works your father?

    Waar and werk start with the sound of English v, and vader starts with an f sound.

  3. Ek het vier broers en twee susters.

    I have four brothers and two sisters.

    Vier starts with an f sound. In twee, the w follows t and sounds closer to English w.

  4. Die tas is baie swaar.

    The bag is very heavy.

    In swaar, the w follows s and sounds close to English w.

  5. My fiets is by die werk.

    My bicycle is at work.

    Word by Word: My bicycle is by the work.

    Fiets is spelled with f, while werk has a w that sounds like English v.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing v for the sound of English v.

    Vat is jou naam?
    Wat is jou naam?

    Vat is a different word that means take. The question word what is wat, with a w that sounds like English v.

  • Writing f in a word that is spelled with v.

    Die fis swem in die water.
    Die vis swem in die water.

    V and f sound the same, so learn each spelling: vier (four) and vis (fish), but fiets (bicycle).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

v and wLevel 1V Sounds Like F, W Sounds Like V

Learn This First

The sounds of v and w differ from English, so learn them right after the alphabet.