Afrikaans has a group of connecting words that look like conjunctions but behave like fronted adverbs: dus ("so / therefore"), daarom ("that's why"), derhalwe ("therefore"), gevolglik ("consequently"), toe ("then"), dan ("then"), anders ("otherwise"), nietemin ("nevertheless"), tog ("yet / still"). When one of these opens a clause, it occupies the first slot — and because Afrikaans is a verb-second language, the verb must then come before the subject. This is inversion, and getting it right is the difference between sounding fluent and sounding like a textbook.
The mechanism: V2 forces inversion
Afrikaans main clauses obey a strict rule: the finite verb is the second element. Whatever you put first, the verb follows immediately, and the subject gets pushed to third place. A conjunctive adverb like daarom is a full first element — so the verb jumps ahead of the subject:
| First element | Verb (2nd) | Subject | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daarom | bly | ons | binne. |
| Dus | moet | ek | nou gaan. |
| Toe | lag | almal. |
Dit reën, daarom bly ons binne.
It's raining, that's why we're staying inside.
Dis laat, dus moet ons gaan.
It's late, so we have to go.
The three-way contrast: want vs omdat vs daarom
This is where learners gain real insight. Afrikaans gives you three ways to link "it's raining" with "we're staying inside," and each demands a different word order. They are not interchangeable, and the connector you pick determines the syntax.
| Connector | Type | Effect on word order |
|---|---|---|
| want (for / because) | coordinating | no inversion — normal S–V order |
| omdat (because) | subordinating | verb goes to the end |
| daarom (that's why) | conjunctive adverb | inversion — V before S |
Watch the same idea expressed three ways:
Ons bly binne, want dit reën.
We're staying inside, for it's raining. (want: subject–verb)
Ons bly binne omdat dit reën.
We're staying inside because it's raining. (omdat: verb at the end)
Dit reën, daarom bly ons binne.
It's raining, that's why we're staying inside. (daarom: verb before subject)
Notice how want keeps the everyday order (want dit reën), omdat pushes the verb to the back (omdat dit reën — here a single verb, but in omdat dit gister gereën het the verb cluster goes to the end), and daarom triggers inversion (daarom bly ons). One meaning, three syntaxes. The coordinating want and the subordinating omdat are treated on their own pages — see coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.
The full inverting set
Here are the conjunctive adverbs you will meet most, with register notes:
| Afrikaans | English | Register |
|---|---|---|
| dus | so, therefore | neutral |
| daarom | that's why, therefore | neutral |
| derhalwe | therefore, hence | formal / academic |
| gevolglik | consequently | formal |
| toe | then (past narrative) | neutral |
| dan | then (present/future) | neutral |
| anders | otherwise, or else | neutral |
| nietemin | nevertheless | formal |
| tog | yet, still, nonetheless | neutral |
Each of these, when fronted, inverts the verb:
Daarom is ek hier.
That's why I'm here.
Skiet op, anders mis ons die trein.
Hurry up, otherwise we'll miss the train.
Hy is moeg; nietemin gaan hy aan.
He's tired; nevertheless he keeps going.
Eet jou kos, dan kan jy speel.
Eat your food, then you can play.
toe and dan: the two "then"s
Both toe and dan mean "then" and both invert — but they split by tense. toe sequences events in the past (it is the narrative "then / and then"); dan is for the present and future.
Toe lag almal.
Then everyone laughed.
Ons het geëet, toe het ons gaan slaap.
We ate, then we went to sleep.
Druk hier, dan begin dit.
Press here, then it starts.
Mid-sentence placement
These adverbs don't have to come first. Like other adverbs, they can sit later in the clause, in which case there is no inversion because something else (usually the subject) already holds first position:
Ek moet dus nou gaan.
So I have to go now. (dus mid-sentence — no inversion)
Ons bly daarom binne.
We're therefore staying inside.
The choice is stylistic: fronting the connector (with inversion) gives it emphasis and a clear "and so…" feel; tucking it inside is more neutral. Both are correct — the only error is fronting it and then forgetting to invert.
Common mistakes
❌ Dit reën, daarom ons bly binne.
Incorrect — daarom is fronted, so the verb must come before the subject.
✅ Dit reën, daarom bly ons binne.
It's raining, that's why we're staying inside.
❌ Dis laat, dus ons moet gaan.
Incorrect — dus triggers inversion: verb before subject.
✅ Dis laat, dus moet ons gaan.
It's late, so we have to go.
❌ Toe almal het gelag.
Incorrect — fronted toe ('then') inverts: verb before subject.
✅ Toe het almal gelag.
Then everyone laughed.
❌ Eet jou kos, dan jy kan speel.
Incorrect — dan ('then') is a fronted adverb and inverts.
✅ Eet jou kos, dan kan jy speel.
Eat your food, then you can play.
❌ Druk hier, dan dit begin.
Incorrect — same inversion rule; the verb follows dan.
✅ Druk hier, dan begin dit.
Press here, then it starts.
Key takeaways
- dus, daarom, derhalwe, gevolglik, toe, dan, anders, nietemin, tog are conjunctive adverbs: fronted, they fill first position and invert the verb.
- The decisive contrast: want (no change), omdat (verb to the end), daarom (verb before subject) — the connector you choose dictates the word order.
- The sequencing toe ("then," past) inverts; don't confuse it with subordinating toe ("when"), which sends the verb to the end.
- Placed mid-sentence, these adverbs cause no inversion — the error is fronting them and then leaving the verb in third place.
- See the broader rule on inversion, the coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and these words as discourse connectors.
Now practice Afrikaans
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Start learning Afrikaans→Related Topics
- Coordinating: en, maar, of, wantA2 — The coordinating conjunctions en, maar, of, and want keep normal main-clause word order — and want's coordinating status is exactly why it differs from omdat.
- Inversion After a Fronted ElementA2 — When you put something other than the subject first, the subject and finite verb swap places — including after a whole fronted subordinate clause.
- Discourse Connectors: in elk geval, trouens, boonopB2 — Sentence-level connectors like boonop, trouens and nietemin take first position and trigger V2 inversion, structuring an argument across sentences.
- Subordinating: dat, omdat, as, toe, terwyl, sodatB1 — The conjunctions that introduce a dependent clause — dat, omdat, as, toe, terwyl, sodat and friends — and the one rule they all share: they send the finite verb to the very end of their clause.