Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that originated in the 17th century, primarily as a spoken variety of Dutch brought to South Africa by settlers and slaves. The language developed as a creole, influenced by various languages, including Dutch, Portuguese, Malay, and indigenous African languages. As the early settlers, known as Boers or Afrikaners, began to interact with local populations and slaves from other regions, Afrikaans emerged as a distinct vernacular. Initially, it was seen as a lower-class version of Dutch and was not formally recognized.

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By the 19th century, Afrikaans began to gain recognition as a separate language, distinct from Dutch, with the first Afrikaans Bible translation completed in 1933. The language's status evolved through the 20th century, particularly with the establishment of apartheid, when Afrikaans was enforced as one of the official languages of South Africa alongside English. Despite facing resistance from non-Afrikaans-speaking groups, the language has continued to thrive, with millions of speakers today in South Africa and Namibia, as well as in diaspora communities.