Ons bespreek die behoefte.

we

Breakdown of Ons bespreek die behoefte.

• bespreek: to discuss
• die behoefte: need; requirement

Questions & Answers about Ons bespreek die behoefte.

Why is ons used here, and does it always mean we?

Yes, ons usually means we in Afrikaans.

In this sentence, Ons bespreek die behoefte, ons is the subject: the people doing the action.

A useful thing to know is that ons can also mean us in other contexts, depending on sentence structure. For example:

• Ons bespreek dit. = We discuss it.
• Hulle help ons. = They help us.

So ons can mean either we or us, but the role it plays in the sentence tells you which one it is.

Why is bespreek the same for ons? Shouldn’t the verb change like in English?

Afrikaans verbs usually do not change according to the subject the way English verbs sometimes do.

Compare:

• Ek bespreek = I discuss
• Jy bespreek = you discuss
• Hy bespreek = he discusses
• Ons bespreek = we discuss

In English, you get discuss but discusses with he/she/it. In Afrikaans, the verb usually stays the same: bespreek.

This is one of the simpler parts of Afrikaans grammar.

Is bespreek present tense here?