Die tentpale en tentpenne hou die tent stewig.

Correct. Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for both singular and plural nouns.

So:

• die tent = the tent
• die tentpale = the tent poles
• die tentpenne = the tent pegs

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not change the article for number, and unlike languages such as German, it also does not change it for grammatical gender.

They are compound nouns:

• tent = tent
• paal = pole
• pen = peg / pin / stake

So:

• tentpale = tent poles
• tentpenne = tent pegs

Afrikaans very often builds vocabulary by joining nouns together, just like English does in words such as toothbrush or bedroom.

The singular forms are:

• tentpaal = tent pole
• tentpen = tent peg

The plurals are:

• tentpaal → tentpale
• tentpen → tentpenne

So the changes happen in the second part of each compound:

• paal → pale
• pen → penne

This is very common in Afrikaans compounds: the main noun, which is usually the second part, is the part that gets pluralized.

Because Afrikaans verbs generally do not change form in the present tense according to person or number.

Compare:

• Ek hou = I hold
• Jy hou = you hold
• Hy hou = he holds
• Hulle hou = they hold

So in this sentence:

• Die tentpale en tentpenne hou die tent stewig.

the subject is plural, but the verb still stays hou.

This is much simpler than English, where we say I hold but he holds.

The structure is:

Subject + Verb + Object + Adverb/description

So:

• Die tentpale en tentpenne = subject
• hou = verb
• die tent = object
• stewig = firmly / securely / steady

A very literal breakdown is:

• The tent poles and tent pegs
• hold
• the tent
• firmly

This is normal Afrikaans word order for a main clause.

Yes, hou literally means hold, but in sentences like this it often has the broader sense of keep or hold in place.

So hou die tent stewig means something like:

• hold the tent firmly
• keep the tent secure
• keep the tent steady

So it is not just about physically grabbing something with your hands. It can also describe one thing keeping another thing in position.

Here stewig functions like an adverb: it describes how the tent is being held.

So:

• hou die tent stewig = hold the tent firmly / securely

Afrikaans often uses the same form for adjective and adverb, unlike English, which often adds -ly.

Compare:

• ’n stewige tent = a sturdy tent
• Die pale hou die tent stewig = The poles hold the tent firmly

So the word itself stays stewig, but its function depends on the sentence.

Because Afrikaans, like English, often does not repeat the article when two nouns are closely linked in a list.

So:

• die tentpale en tentpenne

means:

• the tent poles and tent pegs

You could think of die as covering both nouns together. This is natural and common.

Yes. That is a very natural translation.

A few possible English renderings are:

• The tent poles and tent pegs hold the tent firmly.
• The tent poles and pegs keep the tent secure.
• The tent poles and pegs keep the tent steady.

The exact English wording depends on style, but the Afrikaans sentence clearly means that the poles and pegs are what keep the tent stable.

A learner-friendly approximation is:

• STAY-vikh or STAY-fikh

A few notes:

• The ee sound is like the vowel in day, but shorter and tenser.
• The w sounds like an English v.
• The final g in Afrikaans is a throat sound, not a hard English g. In some accents it can sound a bit like the ch in Scottish loch.

So stewig does not sound like English stew-ig.

Yes, tentpenne is a standard and useful word for tent pegs. Depending on context, people may also use other related words for stakes or pins, but tentpenne is a very straightforward everyday word.

For a learner, it is a good word to remember as the normal translation of tent pegs.