hemel

Hemel is a common noun in Dutch and Afrikaans meaning the sky or heaven. It can refer to the physical expanse above the earth as well as the religious concept of heaven, depending on context. In everyday Dutch, de hemel denotes the sky and is used in weather descriptions and celestial references, for example de hemel is blauw or de hemel is helder. In religious or literary language, hemel also designates heaven. The phrase hemel en aarde (heaven and earth) appears in many idioms and texts, and hemelvaart is the term for Ascension Day in the Christian calendar.

In Afrikaans, die hemel retains the same senses and is used similarly in both secular and religious contexts. The word is common in everyday speech, literature, and prayer, and it features in phrases parallel to those found in Dutch.

Etymology and related terms: Hemel is of West Germanic origin and dates from the older Germanic linguistic continuum that produced many terms for the sky and heavens. It is a cognate with related forms in other Germanic languages, such as German Himmel, though the exact historical development of each form varies by language.

In summary, hemel is a versatile term for the sky or heaven in Dutch and Afrikaans, bridging everyday description and religious language, with a well-established presence in common phrases and idioms.