Where does “hoekom” come from?

hoekom (Afrikaans) comes from Afrikaans kom, from Dutch kom, from Middle Dutch comme, from Old Dutch *kumb, from Frankish *kumb, from Proto-Germanic kumbaz — bowl, vessel; vat, tub.

hoekom (Afrikaans): why, how come

Definitions

  1. why, how come

Ancestry of “hoekom”, step by step

hoekom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Afrikaans kom

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Afrikaanskomcome; bowl
2Dutchkombowl; basin; socket
3Middle Dutchcomme
4Old Dutch*kumb
5Frankish*kumb
6Proto-Germanickumbazbowl, vessel; vat, tub

via Afrikaans hoe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Afrikaanshoehow
2Dutchhoehow
3Middle Dutchhoehow, in what way/manner; how, to what degree
4Old Dutchhuohow
5Proto-Germanichwōhow, with what, by what means; instrumental of...
6Proto-Indo-European*kʷís
Every word from Proto-Germanic kumbaz