Afrikaans part-of-speech tagset

A tagset is a list of part-of-speech tags (POS tags for short), i.e. labels used to indicate the part of speech and sometimes also other grammatical categories (case, tense etc.) of each token in a text corpus.

Afrikaans part-of-speech tagset

Afrikaans part-of-speech tagset is available in Afrikaans corpora annotated by the NCHLT Tagger (sadilar.org) (derived from HunPOS). This tagging tool was developed at the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Afrikaans corpora

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An Example of a tag in the CQL concordance search box: [tag="NSE"] finds all common singular nouns in base form, e.g. lid, dag, diens, … (note: please make sure that you use straight double quotation marks)

Basic tagset summary

Description	Part-of-speech tag
adjective	A.\|VVH.
adverb	B.*
conjunction	K.
article	L.
noun	N.*
pronoun	P.*
miscellaneous	R.*
preposition	SVS
particle	UP.
numeral	T.*
unique	U[DEX].*
verb	V.*
interjection	W
punctuation	Z.*

Full tagset summary

Description	POS tag	1st slot	2nd slot	3rd slot	4th slot	5th slot	6th slot	Example(s)
common noun	NSE	noun	common	singular	base form			stoel
common noun, plural	NSM	noun	common	plural	base form			stoele
common noun, diminutive	NSED	noun	common	singular	diminutive			stoeltjie
common noun, plural, diminutive	NSMD	noun	common	plural	diminutive			stoeltjies
proper noun	NEE	noun	proper	singular	base form			Koos
proper noun, plural	NEM	noun	proper	plural	base form			Kose
proper noun, diminutive	NEED	noun	proper	singular	diminutive			Kosie
proper noun, plural, diminutive	NEMD	noun	proper	plural	diminutive			Kosies
mass noun	NM	noun	mass					goud
collective noun	NVE	noun	collective	singular	base form			trop
collective noun, plural	NVM	noun	collective	plural	base form			troppe
collective noun, diminutive	NVED	noun	collective	singular	diminutive			troppie
collective noun, plural, diminutive	NVMD	noun	collective	plural	diminutive			troppies
measure noun	NME	noun	measure	singular	base form			teelepel
measure noun, plural	NMM	noun	measure	plural	base form			teelepels
measure noun, diminutive	NMED	noun	measure	singular	diminutive			teelepeltjie
measure noun, plural, diminutive	NMMD	noun	measure	plural	diminutive			teelepeltjies
abstract noun	NA	noun	abstract					liefde
separable transitive verb	VTHSG	verb	unmarked	main	separable	transitive		Jy moet opskryf* wat ek sê*
inseparable transitive verb	VTHOG	verb	unmarked	main	inseparable	transitive		Jy moet die brief pos
participle of inseparable transitive verb	VVHOG	verb	marked	main	inseparable	transitive		Jy het die brief gepos
separable intransitive verb	VTHSO	verb	unmarked	main	separable	intransitive		Ek wil wegloop
inseparable intransitive verb	VTHOO	verb	unmarked	main	inseparable	intransitive		Die kind eet
participle of inseparable intransitive verb	VVHOO	verb	marked	main	inseparable	intransitive		Sy het weggeloop/geëet
copula	VTHOK	verb	unmarked	main	inseparable	copular		Ek is moeg
past tense copula	VVHOK	verb	marked	main	inseparable	copular		Ek was* moeg*
prepositional verb	VTHOV	verb	unmarked	main	inseparable	prepositional		Sy hou* van wortelsap*
participle of prepositional verb	VVHOV	verb	marked	main	inseparable	prepositional		Sy het van wortelsap gehou
modal auxiliary	VTUOM	verb	present	auxiliary	inseparable	modality		Jy kan* my help*
past tense of modal auxiliary	VVUOM	verb	past	auxiliary	inseparable	modality		Jy kon* my help*
past tense auxiliary	VUOT	verb		auxiliary	inseparable	temporal		Ek sal droom
linking verb	VTUOA	verb	present	auxiliary	inseparable	aspect		Ek help* haar leer*
past tense of linking verb	VVUOA	verb	past	auxiliary	inseparable	aspect		Ek het gehelp* leer*
passive voice auxiliary	VTUOP	verb	present	auxiliary	inseparable	voice		Daar word* gedrink*
past tense of passive voice auxiliary	VVUOP	verb	past	auxiliary	inseparable	voice		Daar is gedrink
attributive adjective	ASA	adjective	declarative	attributive				lelike meisie
comparative form of attributive adjective	AVA	adjective	comparative	attributive				leliker meisie
superlative form of attributive adjective	AOA	adjective	superlative	attributive				lelikste meisie
predicative adjective	ASP	adjective	declarative	predicative				die meisie is lelik
comparative form of predicative adjective	AVP	adjective	comparative	predicative				hierdie meisie is leliker
superlative form of predicative adjective	AOP	adjective	superlative	predicative				hierdie een is die lelikste
demonstrative pronoun	PA	pronoun					demonstrative	hierdie
indefinite pronoun	PO	pronoun					indefinite	niemand
first person possessive pronoun	PEEB	pronoun	first		singular		possessive	myne; myns insiens
second person possessive pronoun	PTEB	pronoun	second		singular		possessive	joune; jous insiens
third person masculine possessive pronoun	PDHEB	pronoun	third	masculine	singular		possessive	syne
third person feminine possessive pronoun	PDVEB	pronoun	third	feminine	singular		possessive	hare
first person possessive pronoun plural	PEMB	pronoun	first		plural		possessive	dit is ons* boek; onses insiens*
second person possessive pronoun plural	PTMB	pronoun	second		plural		possessive	dit is julle* boek*
third person masculine possessive pronoun plural	PDMB	pronoun	third		plural		possessive	dit is hulle* boek*
interrogative pronoun	PV	pronoun					interrogative	wie
first person reflexive pronoun	PEEW	pronoun	first		singular		reflexive	ek sny myself
second person reflexive pronoun	PTEW	pronoun	second		singular		reflexive	jy sny jouself
third person masculine reflexive pronoun	PDHEW	pronoun	third	masculine	singular		reflexive	hy sny homself
third person feminine reflexive pronoun	PDVEW	pronoun	third	feminine	singular		reflexive	sy sny haarself
third person neutral reflexive pronoun	PDOEW	pronoun	third	neuter	singular		reflexive	dit hou sigself* besig met…*
first person reflexive pronoun plural	PEMW	pronoun	first		plural		reflexive	ons sny onsself
second person reflexive pronoun plural	PTMW	pronoun	second		plural		reflexive	julle sny julleself
third person masculine reflexive pronoun plural	PDMW	pronoun	third		plural		reflexive	hulle sny hulleself
first person personal subject pronoun	PEENP	pronoun	first		singular	unmarked	personal	ek slaap
second person personal subject pronoun	PTENP	pronoun	second		singular	unmarked	personal	jy slaap
third person masculine personal subject pronoun	PDHENP	pronoun	third	masculine	singular	unmarked	personal	hy slaap
third person feminine personal subject pronoun	PDVENP	pronoun	third	feminine	singular	unmarked	personal	sy slaap
third person neutral personal subject pronoun	PDOENP	pronoun	third	neuter	singular	unmarked	personal	dit slaap
first person personal pronoun, plural	PEMP	pronoun	first		plural		personal	ons slaap
second person personal pronoun, plural	PTMP	pronoun	second		plural		personal	julle slaap
third person masculine personal pronoun, plural	PDMP	pronoun	third		plural		personal	hulle slaap
first person personal object pronoun	PEEDP	pronoun	first		singular	marked	personal	jy sien my
second person personal object pronoun	PTEDP	pronoun	second		singular	marked	personal	ek sien jou
third person masculine personal object pronoun	PDHEDP	pronoun	third	masculine	singular	marked	personal	ek sien hom
third person feminine personal object pronoun	PDVEDP	pronoun	third	feminine	singular	marked	personal	sy sien haar
reciprocal pronoun	PW	pronoun					reciprocal	ons help mekaar
relative pronoun	PB	pronoun					relative	die man wat* daar loop*
definite article	LB	article	definite					die (der, des, den, ter, ten, ‘t)
indefinite article	LO	article	indefinite					ŉ
declarative form of adverb	BS	adverb	declarative					baie
comparative form of adverb	BV	adverb	comparative					sy skryf leliker as hy
superlative form of adverb	BO	adverb	superlative					sy skryf die lelikste
preposition	SVS	preposition						op (op die stoep)
coordinating conjunction	KN	conjunction	coordinating					en
subordinating conjunction	KO	conjunction	subordinating					aangesien
cardinal numeral functioning as adjective	THAB	numeral	main	adjective	definite			twee (twee* meisies)*
cardinal numeral functioning as pronoun	THPB	numeral	main	pronoun	definite			twee (daar was net twee)
cardinal numeral functioning as noun	THNB	numeral	main	noun	definite			twee (twee* is beter)*
cardinal numeral functioning as adverb	THBB	numeral	main	adverb	definite			twee (twee* honderd)*
indefinite cardinal numeral functioning as adjective	THAO	numeral	main	adjective	indefinite			horde
indefinite cardinal numeral functioning as pronoun	THPO	numeral	main	pronoun	indefinite			hordes
indefinite cardinal numeral functioning as adverb	THBO	numeral	main	adverb	indefinite			meer (meer opwindend)
ordinal numeral functioning as adjective	TRAB	numeral	ordinal	adjective	definite			eerste
ordinal numeral functioning as pronoun	TRPB	numeral	ordinal	pronoun	definite			eerstes
ordinal numeral functioning as adverb	TRBB	numeral	ordinal	adverb	definite			eerstens
indefinite ordinal numeral functioning as pronoun	TRPO	numeral	ordinal	pronoun	indefinite			laastes
indefinite ordinal numeral functioning as adjective	TRAO	numeral	ordinal	adjective	indefinite			soveelste
indefinite ordinal numeral functioning as adverb	TRBO	numeral	ordinal	adverb	indefinite			laastens
interjection	W	interjection						Eina!
contraction form	UDS	unique	contraction					dis baie oulik
enclitic form	UE	unique	enclitic form					daar’s
existential “daar” (there)	UXD	unique	existential	“daar”				daar (Daar* word beweer dat…)*
linking particle	UPE	unique	particle	linking				en (Hy sit en slaap)
genitive particle	UPS	unique	particle	genitive				se; van (Piet se boek; die boek van* Piet)*
similative particle	UPV	unique	particle	similative				so; soos; nes (vet soos* ‘n vark)*
negative particle	UPO	unique	particle	negative				nie (Ek ken nie die antwoord nie)
partitive particle	UPD	unique	particle	partitive				van (een/twee/’n klomp van* die studente)*
relative particle	UPB	unique	particle	relative				so/wat (So/Wat* ‘n mooi dag!)*
comparative particle	UPG	unique	particle	comparative				te (Hier is te veel mense)
infinitive particle	UPI	unique	particle	infinitive				te (besig om te werk; iets te ete/drinke/lese)
verbal particle	UPW	unique	particle	verbal				oor; in; op; ens. (skryf dit teen die bord op)
other language	RV	miscellaneous	foreign word					facto
formula	RF	miscellaneous	formula					a+b
symbol	RS	miscellaneous	symbol					%
acronym	RK	miscellaneous	acronym					ABSA
abbreviation	RA	miscellaneous	abbreviation					mv
initialism	RL	miscellaneous	initialism					AA
unclassified	RO	miscellaneous	unclassified					???
prefix	RPF	miscellaneous	prefix					on (dit is (on)waarskynlik)
suffix	RSF	miscellaneous	suffix					e (die moord(e) is gepleeg deur)
morpheme	RWD	miscellaneous	morpheme					fakulteits- (op die fakulteits- en universiteitsraad)
punctuation at sentence end	ZE	punctuation	end of sentence					. ! ?
punctuation in middle of sentence	ZM	punctuation	middle of sentence					, : ;
left parentheses	ZPL	punctuation	parenthesis	left				( [ { “
right parentheses	ZPR	punctuation	parenthesis	right				) ] } ”

Bibliography

The tagset was developed as part of an MA study.

Pilon, S. 2005. Outomatiese Afrikaanse woordsoortetikettering. MA Dissertation, North-West University, Potchefstroom.

Visual and updated information on POS categories in Afrikaans is maintained at https://gerhard.pro/teaching/taxonomy-of-afrikaans-part-of-speech-categories/