Die benadering werk.

In Afrikaans, die is the definite article meaning the.

Unlike languages such as German or Dutch, Afrikaans does not have grammatical gender in its articles, so die is used for all singular definite nouns and also for plural definite nouns.

So:

• die benadering = the approach
• die man = the man
• die vrou = the woman
• die boeke = the books

That makes Afrikaans articles much simpler than in many other European languages.

Benadering is a noun. In this sentence, it means approach.

It comes from the verb benader, which can mean to approach. The ending -ing often turns a verb into a noun, much like -ing or -tion sometimes can in English.

So:

• benader = to approach
• benadering = approach / method / way of dealing with something

Depending on context, benadering can refer to:

• a method
• an approach
• a strategy
• a way of handling something

This is the normal basic word order for a simple statement in Afrikaans:

Subject + verb

So:

• Die benadering = the subject
• werk = the verb

That gives:

Die benadering werk. = The approach works.

This is very similar to English word order in a simple present-tense sentence.

Afrikaans verbs usually do not change according to the subject in the present tense. This is much simpler than English.

Compare:

• Ek werk = I work
• Jy werk = you work
• Hy werk = he works
• Ons werk = we work
• Hulle werk = they work

In English, we say he works with an -s, but Afrikaans keeps werk unchanged.

So Die benadering werk is normal because the verb stays werk.

Here, werk means works in the sense of is effective, functions, or gets results.

In Afrikaans, werk can mean:

• to work as an activity: Ek werk vandag = I am working today
• to function / be effective: Die plan werk = The plan works

In Die benadering werk, the meaning is clearly:

• The approach works
• The approach is effective

not

• The approach is employed

It is singular here.

Die benadering = the approach

If you wanted the plural, it would typically be:

• die benaderings = the approaches

So:

• Die benadering werk. = The approach works.
• Die benaderings werk. = The approaches work.

Notice that die can be used with both singular and plural nouns.

A rough English-friendly pronunciation is:

buh-NAH-duh-ring

A few notes:

• The stress is usually on NA
• The r is typically trilled or tapped more than in most English accents
• The final g in Afrikaans is not like English g in go; it is usually a harsher throat sound, similar to the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach

A rougher approximation could be:

beh-NAA-duh-rikh
with that last sound made in the throat.

A rough approximation is:

verk

Notes:

• The w in Afrikaans is usually pronounced more like an English v
• The e is short, somewhat like the vowel in bed
• The r is usually rolled or tapped
• The k is a clear k sound

So English speakers often need to remember that w in Afrikaans is often not pronounced like English w.

Yes. Depending on context, benadering can also suggest:

• a method
• an approach
• a perspective
• a way of dealing with something
• an approximation (in some technical or mathematical contexts)

So while approach is a very good translation here, the exact nuance can depend on the situation.

For example:

• in business: strategy / approach
• in teaching: method / approach
• in maths or science: approximation

In your sentence, the most natural meaning is probably approach or method.

Afrikaans does not use do-support the way English does.

In English, we often use do / does in questions, negatives, or emphasis:

• Does it work?
• It does work.
• It does not work.

Afrikaans handles this differently, without adding a separate helping verb like does in a normal statement.

So:

• Die benadering werk. = The approach works.
• Werk die benadering? = Does the approach work?
• Die benadering werk nie. = The approach does not work.

The main verb werk stays central.

The negative would be:

Die benadering werk nie.

Afrikaans negatives often use nie, and in many sentences you get a double nie structure. But with a very short simple sentence like this, you may just see:

• Die benadering werk nie.

In fuller sentences, Afrikaans often has:

• one nie after the verb or object area
• another nie at the end

For example:

• Die benadering werk nie goed nie. = The approach does not work well.

So if you keep the sentence very short, werk nie is natural.

You would usually invert the word order:

Werk die benadering?

This is a very common Afrikaans pattern for yes/no questions:

• statement: Die benadering werk.
• question: Werk die benadering?

So Afrikaans often forms questions more simply than English, without adding does.

It is neutral and works well in both spoken and written Afrikaans.

• It is not especially formal
• It is not slangy
• It is perfectly normal in everyday speech, academic writing, business, or general discussion

Because benadering is a slightly more abstract noun, the sentence may sound a bit more thoughtful or professional than something very casual, but grammatically and stylistically it is completely standard.