Ons is byna by die kampeerterrein.

A word-for-word breakdown is:

• Ons = we
• is = are
• byna = almost / nearly
• by = at / by
• die = the
• kampeerterrein = campsite / camping ground

So the whole sentence means We are almost at the campsite.

Yes — ons can mean different things depending on its position in the sentence:

• Ons as subject = we
• ons as object = us
• ons before a noun = our

In this sentence, Ons comes before the verb is, so it is the subject and means we.

Compare:

• Ons is moeg. = We are tired.
• Hy sien ons. = He sees us.
• Ons tent is groot. = Our tent is big.

Afrikaans verbs usually change much less than English verbs.

With the verb wees (to be), the present tense form is is for all persons:

• Ek is = I am
• Jy is = you are
• Hy/Sy is = he/she is
• Ons is = we are
• Julle is = you are
• Hulle is = they are

So Ons is is completely normal.

In a normal Afrikaans main clause, the finite verb usually comes in the second position.

So the basic pattern here is:

Ons + is + byna by die kampeerterrein

That is very similar to English We are almost at the campsite.

If another element comes first, the verb still stays in second position:

• Nou is ons byna by die kampeerterrein. = Now we are almost at the campsite.

So Afrikaans is quite strict about the verb staying early in the sentence.

Byna means almost or nearly.

It tells you that the action or situation is not fully true yet, but it is very close to being true.

So:

• Ons is by die kampeerterrein. = We are at the campsite.
• Ons is byna by die kampeerterrein. = We are almost at the campsite.

That means you have not quite arrived yet, but you are very close.

They are two completely different words:

• byna = almost / nearly
• by = at / by

So byna by die kampeerterrein means:

• almost at the campsite

Even though byna begins with the letters by, it is not the same word as by.

Here, by is best understood as at.

So:

• by die kampeerterrein = at the campsite

Because it follows byna, the full meaning becomes almost at the campsite.

In other contexts, by can also mean by or sometimes something close to with, depending on the sentence. But in this sentence, at is the best translation.

Yes. Die is the normal definite article in Afrikaans, and it does not change for gender.

That means Afrikaans does not have separate words like German der / die / das.

So:

• die tent = the tent
• die motor = the car
• die kampeerterrein = the campsite

It is also used for plural nouns:

• die tente = the tents

So die is a very useful all-purpose word for the.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, often forms compound nouns as one word.

Here:

• kampeer = camp / camping
• terrein = ground / site / area

Together:

• kampeerterrein = campsite / camping ground

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often writes similar ideas as two words, but Afrikaans usually joins them into one compound word.

Yes, very often you can.

• Ons is byna by die kampeerterrein.
• Ons is amper by die kampeerterrein.

Both can mean We are almost at the campsite.

In everyday speech, amper is very common. Byna is also correct and clear. In many situations, they are interchangeable.

No — this is an important difference.

• byna = almost / nearly
• naby = near / close to

So:

• Ons is byna by die kampeerterrein. = We are almost at the campsite.
• Ons is naby die kampeerterrein. = We are near the campsite.

The first sentence focuses on almost having arrived.
The second focuses on physical closeness.

Then the meaning changes from almost there to already there.

• Ons is byna by die kampeerterrein. = We are almost at the campsite.
• Ons is by die kampeerterrein. = We are at the campsite.

So byna is the word that shows you have not quite reached it yet.