Word Order

Afrikaans word order differs from English and is one of the more tricky parts of Afrikaans grammar (for English speakers), and this is a basic outline with more details being found in the appropriate sections such as Common Verbs, Negations and Questions.

Simple Sentences Start lesson

Simple sentences have the same Subject, Verb, Object structure as in English. I.e. the order is the same and can be matched word for word (or almost word for word).

I see the dog	Ek sien die hond
The man is great	Die man is goed
There are three bedrooms	Daar is drie slaapkamers
It was late at night	Dit was laat in die nag
I am sorry	Ek is jammer
He was tired	Hy was moeg
Where are you?	Waar is jy?

Compound Sentences

Compound sentences are longer sentences often with a verb particle such as het or sal (see verbs) or an infinitive.

In this type of (simple) compound sentence the verb is placed at the end.

I did it myself	Ek het dit self gedoen
I can speak Afrikaans	Ek kan Afrikaans praat

Negation

Afrikaans almost always uses a double negative nie ... nie (apart from in short sentences).

The second of these 'nots' is always positioned at the end of the sentence.

I am not hungry not	Ek is nie honger nie
I don't speak Afrikaans	Ek praat nie Afrikaans nie

There are many more examples of word order of negated sentences here.

Questions

Simple questions using 'question' words often use a similar (or even identical) sentence structure to the English.

When does the last bus leave?	Wanneer loop die volgende bus?
What is your name?	Wat is jou naam?

Questions can also be formed with inversion.

I am going home	Ek gaan huis toe
Are you going home?	Gaan jy huis toe?
I am married	Ek is getroud
Are you married?	Is jy getroud?