Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.

Breakdown of Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.

sy
she
in
in
die borrelplastiek
bubble wrap
die breekgoed
crockery
toedraai
to wrap

Questions & Answers about Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.

Why is toe all the way at the end of the sentence?

Because toedraai is a separable verb in Afrikaans.

The full verb is toedraai, but in a main clause the verb splits:

  • Sy draai ... toe.

So:

  • draai goes into the normal verb position near the beginning of the clause
  • toe moves to the end

This is very common in Afrikaans with verbs like:

  • aantrek → Hy trek sy jas aan.
  • opmaak → Sy maak die deur oop.
  • toemaak → Hy maak die venster toe.

Here, draai ... toe means something like wrap up rather than just turn.

Does draai by itself mean wrap?

Not usually by itself. Draai basically means turn, twist, or spin.

The meaning wrap comes from the full separable verb toedraai. In this sentence:

  • draai ... toe = wrap up / wrap around

So it is better to learn this as a whole expression:

  • iets in papier toedraai = to wrap something in paper
  • iets in borrelplastiek toedraai = to wrap something in bubble wrap
What exactly is breekgoed?

Breekgoed is a compound noun:

  • breek = break
  • goed = goods / stuff / things

So breekgoed means breakable items, fragile things, or fragile ware.

It is a very natural Afrikaans word for objects that can easily break, such as dishes, glassware, ornaments, and so on.

Why is it die breekgoed and not something plural like die breekgoedere?

Because breekgoed often works as a collective noun or mass noun in Afrikaans. It refers to a group/category of fragile items rather than counting them individually.

So:

  • die breekgoed = the fragile items / the breakables

Afrikaans often uses die for both singular and plural nouns, so die itself does not tell you whether the noun is singular or plural.

Why does the sentence use in borrelplastiek? Wouldn't English use with bubble wrap?

Yes, English often says with bubble wrap, but Afrikaans very naturally uses in with wrapping expressions.

So:

  • iets in papier toedraai = wrap something in paper
  • iets in plastiek toedraai = wrap something in plastic
  • iets in borrelplastiek toedraai = wrap something in bubble wrap

The idea is wrap something in a material, not just use the material.

What does borrelplastiek literally mean?

It is another compound noun:

  • borrel = bubble
  • plastiek = plastic

So borrelplastiek literally means bubble plastic, i.e. bubble wrap.

Afrikaans uses compound nouns very freely, so long words like this are very normal.

Why is it Sy draai and not something like Sy draais or Sy draai toe as one word?

Afrikaans verbs do not usually change form depending on the subject the way English does.

So:

  • ek draai
  • jy draai
  • hy draai
  • sy draai
  • ons draai

The verb form stays the same.

And it is not written as toedraai here because in a main clause the separable verb splits:

Does sy mean she or her?

It can mean either, depending on the sentence.

In this sentence, Sy is the subject, so it means she:

  • Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.

If it were used after a verb or preposition, it could mean her:

  • Ek sien sy. = I see her.
    (In very formal modern usage, haar is more standard here.)
  • Dit behoort aan haar. = It belongs to her.

For learners, the important point here is that Sy at the beginning is clearly she.

Is toe related to the adjective meaning closed?

Yes. Toe can mean closed/shut, and that idea is connected to the particle in separable verbs.

Compare:

  • Die deur is toe. = The door is closed.
  • Hy maak die deur toe. = He closes the door.

In toedraai, the particle toe adds the sense of closed/up/completely covered. So draai ... toe gives the idea of wrapping something up securely.

Could the word order be changed to Sy draai die breekgoed toe in borrelplastiek?

It is possible in some contexts, but Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe is the more natural neutral order.

With separable verbs, the particle toe usually stays at the end, and other elements often come before it:

  • Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.

Putting toe earlier can sound more marked or less natural unless there is a special reason, such as emphasis.

So as a learner, the safest pattern is:

  • subject + finite verb + object + other information + particle
What is the infinitive or dictionary form of the verb in this sentence?

The dictionary form is toedraai.

You would look it up under toedraai, not under toe.

Some useful forms are:

For example:

  • Sy het die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toegedraai.
How would this sentence look in the past tense?

A normal past tense version would be:

  • Sy het die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toegedraai.

Notice what happens:

So compare:

  • present: Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe.
  • past: Sy het die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toegedraai.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“What's the best way to learn Afrikaans grammar?”
Afrikaans grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Afrikaans

Master Afrikaans — from Sy draai die breekgoed in borrelplastiek toe to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions