Afrikaans Grammar: Noun, Verb, and Adjective Structures

Werkwoordstruktuur (Verb Structure)

• Auxiliary verbs (het, is, sal) indicate different tenses.
• Afrikaans verbs have a straightforward conjugation system without personal pronoun conjugations.
• For example, "I speak," "you speak," and "he speaks" all translate to "ek praat."
• Past tense is often formed using "het" + the past participle.
• Future tense formation involves using "sal" + the infinitive.
• Passive voice is formed with "word" + the past participle (e.g., Die boek word gelees = The book is read).

Naamwoordstruktuur (Noun Structure)

• Nouns do not generally possess grammatical gender, unlike Dutch and German.
• Plural forms are commonly created by adding suffixes like "-e" or "-s" (boom -> bome, huis -> huise, foto -> foto's).
• Diminutives are frequently used, indicated by suffixes like "-ie," "-jie," or "-tjie," to show smallness or familiarity (huis -> huisie, kat -> katjie, bietjie).

Adjektiefstruktuur (Adjective Structure)

• Adjectives typically appear before the noun they modify.
• Adjectives are inflected with an "-e" when used attributively (Die groot huis, 'n Groot huis).
• Comparative and superlative degrees are formed by adding "-er" and "-ste" respectively (groot -> groter -> grootste).

Woordorde (Word Order)

• The verb is usually the second element in a declarative sentence.

Affikse (Affixes)

• Prefixes and suffixes modify word meanings, or create new words.
  • her- (repetition) as in hergebruik (reuse).
  • on- (not) as in ongelukkig (unhappy).
  • be- (make) as in betaal (to pay).
  • ge- (collective or completed) as in gebergte (mountain range) and geëet (eaten).
  • ver- (change or intensification) as in verkoop (to sell) and verbrand (to burn).
  • baar (possibility) as in leesbaar (readable).
  • heid (noun) as in vryheid (freedom).
  • lik (adjective) as in vriendelik (friendly).
  • skap (state or quality) as in vriendskap (friendship).
  • ste (superlative) as in grootste (biggest).

Samestelling (Compounding)

• Compound words combine two or more words (e.g., sonskerm, tafeldoek, skoolhoof).
• The combined words are written together.
• The compound word's meaning is derived from its individual components.

Reduplikasie (Reduplication)

• Repeating a word or part of a word creates a new meaning.
• Reduplication includes intensification (gou-gou, stadig-stadig), reduction (klein-klein), and multiplicity (hier-hier).

Afkortings en Akronieme (Abbreviations and Acronyms)

• Afrikaans uses abbreviations (bv., m.a.w.) and acronyms (SAUK, NAVO).

Leenwoorde (Loanwords)

• Afrikaans has borrowed words from Dutch (rekenaar), English (motor), Malay, and Khoisan languages.

Afrikaans Pluralization Rules

• Nouns are things you can touch, see, hear, smell or taste.
• Only nouns can be pluralized.
• Gemengde (Mixed): Add an -e to words ending in -r, -k, -p, -s, -t, -n, -d.
• Tweeling (Twins): For double vowel words, one vowel "dies" and is replaced with an -e at the end when pluralized.
• if there's one vowel then we give the next letter a twin (double it) and we add -e.

Exception Rules

• Words ending in -ig usually add a -te.
• Words ending in -og are replaced by an -ee with dots (ë).
• Words ending in -ag drop the -g and add an -e.
• Words ending in -ing just add -s.
• Words ending in -f change the -f to a -w in the plural form.
  • This rule still applies: If there's a short vowel, you give the vowel a twin (double).
• Words ending in -s:
  • If the word is pronounced as a short vowel, add a -se.
  • If the word ends in a long vowel, then add a -nisse.
• All family members generally add -ers.
• Words ending in -heid change to -hede.
• Words ending in -uig, the -g falls away and we add an -e.
• When referring to letters of the alphabet, always add a dotted -s or dotted -e for pluralization.

Sinstrukture (Sentence Structures)

• S = Subject (Onderwerp)
• V1 = verb 1 (Main verb) (Hoofwerkwoord) can be an auxiliary verb if the sentence has more than one verb)
• T = Time (Tyd)
• O = Object (Voorwerp)
• M = Manner (Wyse)
• P = Place (Plek)
• V2 = verb2 (Main verb) / (Hoofwerkwoord)
• I = Infinitive (Infinitief)
• Asking for help

Afrikaans Sentence Types

• A simple sentence consists of a subject, an object, and only one verb.
• A complex sentence consists of a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
• Compound sentences consist of two main clauses connected by a conjunction.
• Subject - The person, animal or thing that performs the action.
• Object - The person, animal or thing on whom the action is performed by the subject.
• Verb - The action performed.

Byvoeglike Naamwoorde (Adjectives)

• Adjectives are descriptive in sentences and tell us more about the noun.
• An adjective is attributief when written before the noun and predikatief if written after the noun.
• The adjective usually conjugates (gets a suffix) in the attributive form.

Trappe van vergelyking (Degrees of Comparison)

• geel -> geler -> die geelste
• lank -> langer -> die langste
• moeg -> moeër -> die moegste
• ver -> verder -> die verste
• mooi -> mooier -> die mooiste

Intensiewe vorme (Intensive Forms)

• moeg -> doodmoeg
• duur -> peperduur
• geel -> goudgeel
• jonk -> bloedjonk
• klein -> piepklein
• warm -> vuurwarm
• oud -> stokoud
• vol -> propvol
• snaaks -> skreeusnaaks
• beroemd -> wêreldberoemd

Selfstandige Naamwoorde (Nouns)

Meervoude en verkleinings (Plurals and diminutives):

• hond -> honde -> hondjie
• ouer -> ouers -> ouertjie
• pa -> pa’s -> pappie
• ma -> ma’s -> mammie
• baba -> babas -> babatjie
• dier -> diere -> diertjie
• motor -> motors -> motortjie
• lip -> lippe -> lippie
• man -> mans -> mannetjie
• boot -> bote -> bootjie
• ploeg -> ploeë -> ploegie
• berig -> berigte -> beriggie
• gesig -> gesigte -> gesiggie

Manlike- en vroulike vorms (Masculine and Feminine Forms):

Voorsetsels (Prepositions)

• Are words that indicate the position, relationship, or movement of something.
• Prepositions also appear in fixed expressions that must be learned.
• In hegtenis neem: Die rower word in hegtenis geneem. (The robber is taken into custody.)
• Woon in: Ons woon in Gauteng. (We live in Gauteng.)
• Stel belang in: Hy stel belang in meisies. (He is interested in girls.)
• Aan die linkerkant: Ry aan die linkerkant van die pad. (Drive on the left side of the road.)
• Ly aan: Die vrou ly aan 'n ernstige siekte (The woman suffers from a serious illness)
• Neem deel aan: Die hele klas neem vandag deel aan die spelkompetisie. (The whole class is participating in the game competition today.)
• Om tienuur: Die konsert kom om tienuur uit. (The concert comes out at ten o'clock.)
• Teen die muur: Die skildery hang teen die muur. (The painting hangs against the wall.)
• Teen daardie tyd: Teen daardie tyd sal die wedstryd verby wees. (By that time the match will be over.)
• Beskerm teen: Die huis beskerm ons teen die wind en die rëen. (The house protects us from the wind and the rain.)
• Tot my spyt: Tot my spyt het ek my boek by die huis vergeet. (To my regret, I forgot my book at home.)
• Uit jou kop: Jy sal hierdie werk uit jou kon moet ken. (You must know this work out of your head.)

PUNT (Period)

• Indicates a pause at the end of a sentence.
• Used with abbreviations written in lowercase.
• Not used with abbreviations in uppercase or with measurement units.

VRAAGTEKEN (Question Mark)

• Used at the conclusion of interrogative sentences.

UITROEPTEKEN (Exclamation Mark)

• Used after commands, exclamations, and wishes.

KOMMA (Comma)

• Separates words in a series (excluding before "en").
• Placed before conjunctions like "maar" and "want."
• Used between verbs and to add information about something.
• Indicates direct address and follows "ja" and "nee."

KOMMAPUNT (Semicolon)

• Connects two independent clauses in place of a conjunction.

DUBBELPUNT (Colon)

• Introduces a list of items.
• Precedes direct speech.
• Separates hours and minutes.

ELLIPS / BELETSELTEKEN (Ellipsis)

• Three dots (...) show omitted words or letters.

AANDAGSTREEP (Dash)

• Adds a thought.
• Emphasizes information.

AANHALINGSTEKENS (Quotation Marks)

• Indicate quoted speech.

Inleidende paragrawe (Introductory Paragraphs)

• Begin with a dialogue.
• Begin with descriptive characters or background.
• Begin with a question.
• Begin with a quotation.
• Begin with a highlighted statement or fact.
• Begin with sound imitation.
• Begin with a feeling.
• Begin with a joke or a riddle.
• Begin with a personal experience.

Uitdrukkings / Idiome (Expressions / Idioms)

• The cat is out of the bag. / Die aap uit die mou laat.
• Hold on for a moment. / Hang aan ‘n tak.
• To butter someone up. / Iemand heuning om die mond smeer.
• A leopard doesn’t change its spots. / ‘n Voël verander van kleur maar nie van veer.
• Beauty is only skin-deep. / Skoonheid vergaan maar deug bly staan.
• Haste makes waste. / Haastige hond verbrand sy mond.
• Practice makes perfect. / Aanhouer wen.
• You get what you deserve. / Elke boontjie kry sy loontjie.
• There’s no place like home. / Oos, wes, tuis bes.
• A young man idle, an old man needy. / Wanneer die son sak in die weste is die luiaard op sy beste.