Sy steek die koeldrank weg.

Here, sy means she because it is the subject of the sentence.

A useful warning: sy can also mean his in other contexts, for example sy boek = his book. So you have to use word order and sentence structure to tell which meaning is intended.

If you want her as an object, Afrikaans normally uses haar, not sy.

Because the full verb is wegsteek, a separable verb.

In a normal main clause, Afrikaans often splits this kind of verb:

• the conjugated verb goes near the beginning: steek
• the particle goes to the end: weg

So:

• dictionary form: wegsteek
• main clause: Sy steek die koeldrank weg

This is similar to English verb-particle combinations like hide away or put away, though the grammar is more regular in Afrikaans.

By itself, steek has a broad basic idea like stick, put, thrust, or sometimes stab, depending on context.

But in wegsteek, the meaning is idiomatic: to hide or to put away out of sight.

So you should learn wegsteek as a whole vocabulary item, not just as steek + away word-for-word.

Die is the definite article, so it corresponds to the.

A few useful points:

• Afrikaans uses die for all genders
• it is also used for both singular and plural
• unlike English, it does not change form

So:

• die koeldrank = the soft drink / the soda

If it were indefinite, Afrikaans would use 'n:

• 'n koeldrank = a soft drink / a soda

Koeldrank usually means soft drink, soda, or fizzy drink, depending on the variety of English you speak.

Literally, it is made from:

• koel = cool/cold
• drank = drink

But in everyday Afrikaans, koeldrank is the normal word for a non-alcoholic soft drink, not just any drink that happens to be cold.

It is in the present tense.

In context, it can mean different things, just like the English simple present can:

• something happening now
• something she does habitually
• something described in a story

Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English might prefer is hiding:

• Sy steek die koeldrank weg. Depending on context, this can match She hides the soda or She is hiding the soda.

Afrikaans main clauses usually follow the verb-second pattern.

That means:

1. the first position is taken by one element, here Sy
2. the finite verb comes second, here steek
3. other elements follow, here die koeldrank
4. the separable particle comes at the end, here weg

So the structure is:

Sy + steek + die koeldrank + weg

If you move something else to the front, the verb still stays second:

• Vandag steek sy die koeldrank weg.

Both are correct, depending on the grammar.

Use wegsteek as one word in forms like the infinitive:

• Sy wil die koeldrank wegsteek. = She wants to hide the soft drink.

Use it split in a main clause with a finite verb:

• Sy steek die koeldrank weg.

So the spelling changes with the sentence structure, not with the meaning.

The most common past form is the perfect:

• Sy het die koeldrank weggesteek. = She hid / has hidden the soft drink.

Future is usually formed with sal:

• Sy sal die koeldrank wegsteek. = She will hide the soft drink.

Notice:

• present main clause: steek ... weg
• infinitive after sal: wegsteek
• past participle: weggesteek