Ons gebruik die gordyn en blindings.

Here ons means we, because it is the subject of the sentence: Ons gebruik ... = We use ...

A useful extra note: ons is a very common Afrikaans word and can also mean us or our in other contexts. In this sentence, though, it clearly means we.

Because Afrikaans verbs usually do not change form in the present tense depending on the subject.

So you get:

• ek gebruik = I use
• jy gebruik = you use
• ons gebruik = we use
• hulle gebruik = they use

This is much simpler than English, where you have I use but he uses.

Die is the definite article, so here it means the.

One important feature of Afrikaans is that die stays the same:

• for singular nouns
• for plural nouns
• for nouns that would be masculine, feminine, or neuter in some other languages

So Afrikaans does not have different forms like the for different genders. It is simply die.

Because one die can cover both nouns when they are linked by en.

So:

die gordyn en blindings

works like English the curtain and blinds.

You can also say:

die gordyn en die blindings

That is also grammatical, and it can sound a little more explicit. Both patterns are possible.

This sentence is talking about:

• one curtain = die gordyn
• more than one blind / blinds = blindings

So the number is just part of the meaning being expressed.

Related forms:

• gordyn = curtain
• gordyne = curtains
• blinding = blind
• blindings = blinds

The sentence follows the normal Afrikaans main-clause pattern:

Subject + verb + object

So here:

• Ons = subject
• gebruik = verb
• die gordyn en blindings = object

This is very similar to basic English word order.

Also, in Afrikaans main clauses, the finite verb normally comes in the second position. That is why gebruik appears right after Ons.

Yes. That is completely acceptable.

The difference is mainly stylistic:

• Ons gebruik die gordyn en blindings = one article shared across both nouns
• Ons gebruik die gordyn en die blindings = each noun gets its own article

The second version may sound a little more deliberate or separated, but the meaning is basically the same.

In standard Afrikaans, negation usually uses two instances of nie:

Ons gebruik nie die gordyn en blindings nie.

This is a very common pattern in Afrikaans. English speakers often need time to get used to it, because English usually uses only one negative marker.

If you use the repeated article version, you could also say:

Ons gebruik nie die gordyn en die blindings nie.