English To Afrikaans Mathematics Dictionary [upd] Jun 2026
| English | Afrikaans | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Angle | Hoek | The space between two intersecting lines. | | Triangle | Driehoek | A three-sided polygon. | | Square | Vierkant | A quadrilateral with equal sides and right angles. | | Rectangle | Reghoek | From reg (right) + hoek (angle). | | Circle | Sirkel | A round plane figure. | | Radius | Radius | The line from center to circumference. | | Diameter | Deursnee | Literally "through cut." | | Circumference | Omtrek | The perimeter of a circle. | | Parallel | Parallel | Lines that never meet. | | Perpendicular | Loodreg | Lood means plumb (vertical) and reg means straight. | | Area | Oppervlakte | The surface inside a shape. | | Volume | Volume | The space inside a 3D object. |
Mathematics requires precision. In History or Geography, a student can often guess the meaning of a sentence through context. In Mathematics, misunderstanding a single word—such as "quotient" versus "product" or "parallel" versus "perpendicular"—can lead to a total failure to solve a problem. The dictionary acts as a verification tool, ensuring that the student is solving the correct problem. english to afrikaans mathematics dictionary
Mathematics is a universal language, but its instruction is not. The difference between a student who struggles and a student who excels is often not mathematical ability—it is linguistic confidence. An is more than a reference book; it is a key that unlocks understanding. | English | Afrikaans | Description | |
Statistics is a growing field, and the terminology is highly Latin-based, but Afrikaans has clear equivalents. | | Rectangle | Reghoek | From reg (right) + hoek (angle)
Algebra introduces variables and abstract thinking. The English to Afrikaans translation here is notoriously tricky.
Consider the word "root." In a standard English-Afrikaans dictionary, this might translate to wortel (the part of a plant) or oorsprong (origin). However, in a mathematical context, "square root" is vierkantswortel . Without a specialized dictionary, a student might be confused by the botanical imagery of a plant root appearing in an algebra equation.
Understanding individual words is helpful, but word problems often use specific structural phrases. → Los op vir x Simplify the following → Vereenvoudig die volgende Calculate the value → Bereken die waarde Prove that → Bewys dat Hence, find → Derhalwe, vind
