This is the 730th most frequent Afrikaans word.
tannie
"Aunt" or a term of respect for an older woman.
Here, "tannie" is used informally to refer to an older woman in a polite way, even if there is no familial relationship.
Die tannie by die winkel het vir my 'n mooi lint gewys.
The lady at the shop showed me a beautiful ribbon.
In this usage, "tannie" is a polite address form for an older woman, often used out of respect in social situations.
Kan tannie asseblief die sout aangee?
Can you please pass the salt, ma'am?
In this sentence, "tannie" is used as a term of respect and endearment to refer to an older female relative or a family friend, commonly translated as "Aunt" in English.