Kom ons kraak dit.
An informal letter (informele brief, also called a vriendskaplike brief, a friendly letter) is a letter to someone you know well: a friend, a cousin, your gran. The tone is relaxed and chatty, but the format is fixed, and that’s where the easy marks are. Learn the layout once and you can use it in every grade.
The format
This is the format most schools teach. Your teacher may want small differences (a comma after the greeting, for example), so if they do, go with your teacher.
Your address and the date (top right)
Write your own address in the top right corner, one line at a time: street, suburb, town, postal code. Leave out your name. Under the address, write the date in full, with the month in Afrikaans.
You don’t write the address of the person you’re writing to. That’s only for formal letters.
| Don't write | Write |
|---|---|
| 26/10/2026 | 26 Oktober 2026 |
| Anika Botha, Jakarandastraat 8, Montrose… | Jakarandastraat 8 / Montrose / Pietermaritzburg / 3201 |
The months: Januarie, Februarie, Maart, April, Mei, Junie, Julie, Augustus, September, Oktober, November, Desember. Write the month out in full, not “Okt.”
The greeting (aanhef)
The aanhef (greeting) goes on its own line on the left, under the date. Use the person’s first name, or what you call them at home.
| Writing to | Greeting |
|---|---|
| Your gran | Liewe Ouma |
| A good friend | Hallo Pieter |
| A friend or cousin | Beste Sarie |
Most schools teach the greeting without a comma after it. Geagte (Dear, formal) is for formal letters only.
The opening paragraph
Start warmly. Ask how they are and react to their news before you jump into your own. Two or three sentences is plenty.
| English | Afrikaans |
|---|---|
| How are you? | Hoe gaan dit met jou? |
| Thanks for your letter. Congratulations on your new job! | Dankie vir jou brief. Baie geluk met jou nuwe werk! |
The body: your news, in paragraphs
Now tell your news. Give each idea its own paragraph: one for the school camp, one for your new puppy, one for the exams. Leave a line open between paragraphs so it’s easy to read.
Use details and feelings, not just facts: Die uitsig was pragtig, maar my bene was baie seer! That’s what makes a letter fun to read.
The closing paragraph
Round off in one or two sentences: say why you’re stopping, send greetings to others and ask them to write back.
| English | Afrikaans |
|---|---|
| I must go now, because Mom is calling me. | Ek moet nou gaan, want Ma roep my. |
| Say hello to your parents. Write back soon! | Sê groete vir jou ouers. Skryf gou terug! |
The ending (slot) and your first name
The slot (ending) goes on its own line on the left, with only your first name on the line below it. No surname, and no comma.
| Ending | Then your name |
|---|---|
| Baie liefde | Anika |
| Groete | Pieter |
| Jou vriend / Jou vriendin | Sipho / Lerato |
Jou vriend is for a boy, jou vriendin for a girl.
Informal vs formal register
Informal doesn’t mean sloppy. Here’s what changes and what doesn’t:
- Use jy and jou, not the formal u.
- Everyday contractions are fine: dis (dit is), ’n bietjie, hoe’s dit?
- Exclamation marks and feelings are welcome: Ek kan nie wag nie!
- Still no SMS-speak or emojis: no 2 for te, no lol, no w8. Full sentences, correct spelling, capital letters and full stops.
| Formal letter | Informal letter |
|---|---|
| Geagte mnr. Naidoo | Hallo Pieter |
| Ek wil graag navraag doen oor… | Dis lekker om van jou te hoor! |
| Die uwe / A. Botha | Baie liefde / Anika |
Writing to Ouma or Oupa?
In Afrikaans, many people don’t say jy to older family members. They use the title instead: Hoe gaan dit met Ouma? rather than Hoe gaan dit met jou? It sounds respectful and still warm.
Useful phrases
| Afrikaans | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hoe gaan dit met jou? | How are you? |
| Ek hoop dit gaan goed met jou en jou gesin. | I hope you and your family are well. |
| Dankie vir jou brief. | Thanks for your letter. |
| Ek was so bly om van jou te hoor. | I was so glad to hear from you. |
| Jammer dat ek so lank nie geskryf het nie. | Sorry I haven't written for so long. |
| Baie geluk met… | Congratulations on… |
| Ek moet nou gaan, want… | I must go now, because… |
| Sê groete vir jou ouers. | Say hello to your parents. |
| Ek sien uit daarna om jou te sien. | I'm looking forward to seeing you. |
| Sterkte met die eksamen! | Good luck with the exams! |
| Skryf gou terug! | Write back soon! |
Example letter
Jakarandastraat 8
Montrose
Pietermaritzburg
3201
26 Oktober 2026
Liewe Sarie
Dankie vir jou lang brief! Ek was so bly om van jou te hoor. Baie geluk dat jy in die netbalspan gekies is. Jy het so hard geoefen! Hoe gaan dit met jou ouers en met Rufus, julle stout hond?
Hier by ons gaan dit goed. Verlede naweek was ons op skoolkamp in die Drakensberg. Ons het in tente geslaap en elke oggend vroeg opgestaan om te gaan stap. Die uitsig was pragtig, maar my bene was later baie seer!
Op die tweede aand het dit gereën en ons tent het begin lek. Ek en my vriendin Thandi moes in die eetsaal slaap. Dis nou snaaks, maar daardie nag was ons nat en koud.
Volgende maand skryf ons eksamen, so ek moet elke dag ’n bietjie leer. Ek is effens bekommerd oor Wiskunde.
Ek moet nou gaan, want Ma roep my vir aandete. Sê groete vir jou ma en pa. Skryf gou terug!
Baie liefde
Anika
Notice: five short paragraphs, one idea each, a reaction to Sarie’s news first, and only Anika’s first name at the end.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Geagte Pieter
Right: Liewe Pieter / Hallo Pieter
Geagte is for formal letters. Use a friendly greeting.
Wrong: Ek is 2 moeg 4 skool lol.
Right: Ek is te moeg vir skool.
Informal is fine, SMS-speak is not. Write full words.
Wrong: Die uwe
Right: Baie liefde / Groete
Die uwe (Yours faithfully) ends a formal letter, not a letter to a friend.
Wrong: Groete, Anika Botha
Right: Groete / Anika
Put the ending on one line and your first name on the next line, with no surname and no comma.
Wrong: Ek hoop jy is gesond, Ouma.
Right: Ek hoop Ouma is gesond.
When writing to an older relative, use their title instead of jy.
Practice
Answer each question, then check yourself.
- Where do you write your own address in an informal letter?
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In the top right corner of the page.
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- Do you write the address of the person you’re writing to?
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No. Only your own address goes on an informal letter.
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- How do you sign an informal letter?
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With your first name only, on its own line under the ending.
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- What should you do in the opening paragraph, before you tell your own news?
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React to their news and ask how they are.
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- Skryf die datum 26/10/2026 soos dit in ’n brief verskyn.
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26 Oktober 2026
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- Kies die regte aanhef vir ’n brief aan jou ouma: “Geagte Ouma” of “Liewe Ouma”?
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Liewe Ouma
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- Vul in: Dankie vir jou ___. (Thanks for your letter.)
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Dankie vir jou brief.
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- Vul in: Skryf ___ terug! (Write back soon!)
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Skryf gou terug!
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- Vertaal: “Say hello to your parents.”
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Sê groete vir jou ouers.
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- Watter slot is formeel en hoort NIE in ’n informele brief nie: “Baie liefde”, “Die uwe” of “Groete”?
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Die uwe
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Klaar! Lekker gewerk.
You've checked every answer. Screenshot your score and flex in the group chat.
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