Solank as die wind sterk bly, moet ons die kampvuur blus.

It means as long as or so long as.

In this sentence, it introduces a condition that continues for a period of time:

• Solank as die wind sterk bly = As long as the wind remains strong

So the idea is: during the time that the wind is still strong, we have to put out the campfire.

Because solank as introduces a subordinate clause.

In Afrikaans, subordinate clauses usually send the finite verb to the end:

• Main clause: Die wind bly sterk
• Subordinate clause: solank as die wind sterk bly

This is very similar to other Afrikaans subordinate structures after words like as, omdat, terwyl, and dat.

Because the sentence starts with the subordinate clause.

Afrikaans main clauses follow a verb-second pattern. That means the finite verb must come in the second position of the main clause. Here, the whole opening clause counts as the first element:

• Solank as die wind sterk bly, = first element
• moet = second element
• ons = subject

So:

• Solank as die wind sterk bly, moet ons die kampvuur blus.

If you started directly with the subject, you would say:

• Ons moet die kampvuur blus.

Here bly means remain or stay.

It does not mean staying somewhere physically. It is being used as a linking verb to show that a state continues:

• die wind bly sterk = the wind remains strong

This is a very common use of bly in Afrikaans.

Because sterk is being used after a verb, not directly before a noun.

After linking verbs like wees, bly, raak, adjectives usually stay in their basic form:

• Die wind is sterk
• Die wind bly sterk

But before a noun, Afrikaans often uses the inflected form:

• die sterk wind

So in this sentence, sterk is correct because it is a predicate adjective.

Because die is the definite article for Afrikaans nouns.

Unlike languages that change the article for gender, Afrikaans uses die very broadly:

• die wind
• die kampvuur
• die man
• die vrou
• die kinders

So English speakers often find this easier than languages with several forms of the.

Moet means must or have to.

It expresses obligation or necessity:

• moet ons ... blus = we must / have to extinguish ...

So the sentence is not just describing what happens; it is saying what is necessary to do.

Blus means to extinguish or to put out, especially in relation to fire.

So:

• die kampvuur blus = put out the campfire

It is a very natural verb to use with fires, flames, or anything burning.

Because Afrikaans usually writes compound nouns as single words.

So:

• kamp
  • vuur = kampvuur

This is extremely common in Afrikaans. English often separates words that Afrikaans joins together.

Other examples:

• skooltas = school bag
• huisdeur = house door / front door
• sonlig = sunlight

Not exactly.

• solank as means as long as / so long as
• terwyl usually means while

They can sometimes be close in meaning, but solank as often emphasizes duration plus condition:

• Solank as die wind sterk bly, moet ons die kampvuur blus. = For as long as the wind stays strong, we must put out the campfire.

If you used terwyl, it would sound more like simple simultaneity:

• Terwyl die wind sterk is ... = While the wind is strong ...

So solank as is a better match here.

Yes, many speakers do use solank by itself.

So both of these can occur:

• Solank as die wind sterk bly ...
• Solank die wind sterk bly ...

The version with as is fuller, but the shorter version is also common and natural. As a learner, it is useful to recognize both.