Ons gebruik die verfkwas by die rand.

Ons means we in this sentence.

Afrikaans uses ons for both we and us, so the exact meaning depends on sentence role. Here it is the subject, so it means we:

• Ons gebruik ... = We use ...

In another sentence, it could mean us:

• Hy sien ons. = He sees us.

In Afrikaans, verbs usually change much less than in English.

Gebruik is the basic verb form meaning use. In the present tense, it stays the same with different subjects:

• Ek gebruik = I use
• Jy gebruik = you use
• Ons gebruik = we use
• Hulle gebruik = they use

So unlike English, you do not get a special form like uses for he/she/it in the present tense.

Because die is the definite article the, and Afrikaans uses it before each definite noun here:

• die verfkwas = the paintbrush
• die rand = the edge / the rim / the border

A very important point for learners: die does not change for gender or number in normal use. So Afrikaans does not have separate forms like the for masculine/feminine/neuter nouns.

Verfkwas is a compound noun:

• verf = paint
• kwas = brush

Together, verfkwas means paintbrush.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, very often writes compound nouns as one word. So where English may write paint brush or more commonly paintbrush, Afrikaans normally joins the parts:

• verfkwas
• huisdeur = house door / front door
• tafeldoek = tablecloth

So verfkwas as one word is completely normal.

By often means by, at, or near, depending on context.

So by die rand can mean something like:

• by the edge
• at the edge
• near the edge

And rand can mean:

• edge
• rim
• border
• margin

The exact English translation depends on the situation. If you are talking about painting, by die rand often suggests working along the edge or at the edge of something.

Afrikaans often uses the simple present tense where English might use either the simple present or the present continuous.

So:

• Ons gebruik die verfkwas ... can mean We use the paintbrush ...
• but in context it may also mean We are using the paintbrush ...

If Afrikaans wants to make the ongoing action extra explicit, it can use a longer form such as:

• Ons is besig om die verfkwas te gebruik.
  = We are busy using the paintbrush.

But in ordinary language, the simpler Ons gebruik ... is very common.

Yes. This is the standard main-clause word order in Afrikaans:

• Ons = subject
• gebruik = verb
• die verfkwas = object
• by die rand = prepositional phrase

So the structure is basically:

Subject + Verb + Object + Place/Location

This is very similar to normal English word order.

Yes, but then Afrikaans keeps its verb-second pattern.

You can say:

• By die rand gebruik ons die verfkwas.

This still means roughly the same thing, but now the location is emphasized: At the edge, we use the paintbrush.

Notice what happened:

• the phrase By die rand moved to the front
• the verb gebruik stayed in the second position
• ons moved after the verb

That verb-second pattern is very important in Afrikaans main clauses.

Not exactly.

Both can sometimes relate to the idea of an edge or side, but they are not always interchangeable.

• rand usually means edge, rim, border, margin
• kant usually means side

For example:

• die rand van die tafel = the edge of the table
• die kant van die huis = the side of the house

So in by die rand, rand suggests being near the outer edge or border of something, not just generally on one side.

A rough English-style guide is:

ons khuh-BRAYK dee fairf-kvahs bay dee rahnt

A few pronunciation notes:

• ons: the o is more like the vowel in British lot
• gebruik: the beginning ge- is not like English gee; it has a guttural sound typical of Afrikaans
• ui in gebruik is a difficult Afrikaans vowel for English speakers; it does not match a simple English vowel
• g is usually a throaty/guttural sound
• kw in kwas is pronounced much like English qu in quick
• rand ends with a clear d, though in fast speech it may sound a bit softened

If you want, I can also give a slower syllable-by-syllable pronunciation guide.

Yes, it is grammatically natural.

It is a straightforward sentence meaning that we use the paintbrush at/by the edge. Depending on context, a native speaker might choose a slightly more specific phrase if they wanted to be clearer, but the sentence itself is perfectly normal.

For example, depending on the situation, someone might also say:

• langs die rand = along the edge
• op die rand = on the edge
• naby die rand = near the edge

But by die rand is still a valid and understandable choice.