Ons konfigureer die modem.

Ons means we in this sentence.

A useful thing to know is that Afrikaans ons can mean both we and us. The sentence structure tells you which one it is. In Ons konfigureer die modem, it is the subject, so it means we.

Because Afrikaans verbs usually do not change form for different subjects in the present tense.

So you get:

• ek konfigureer = I configure
• jy konfigureer = you configure
• ons konfigureer = we configure
• hulle konfigureer = they configure

This is one of the ways Afrikaans is simpler than English.

Yes. Ons konfigureer die modem is in the present tense.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• we configure the modem
• we are configuring the modem

If you want to make the ongoing action especially clear, Afrikaans often uses a longer form such as Ons is besig om die modem te konfigureer.

Die is the definite article, meaning the.

Afrikaans uses die for:

• singular nouns
• plural nouns
• all genders

So you do not have to learn different forms like de/het in Dutch or der/die/das in German.

Here, die modem means the modem.

In this sentence, yes. It follows the basic pattern:

subject + verb + object

So:

• Ons = subject
• konfigureer = verb
• die modem = object

But it is also useful to know that Afrikaans is a verb-second language in main clauses. That means the finite verb normally comes second:

• Ons konfigureer die modem.
• Vandag konfigureer ons die modem.

So the order can change if another part comes first, but the verb still stays in second position.

Yes. It is a normal Afrikaans word, especially in technical contexts.

Like many technology terms in Afrikaans, it is borrowed from international or English-based vocabulary. Afrikaans often keeps such words with little or no change.

The plural is usually modems.

In this sentence, die is pronounced roughly like dee.

That is different from the English word die, which often confuses beginners.

So:

• die in Afrikaans article form = roughly dee

The g in Afrikaans is usually a guttural, throaty sound, not the hard English g in go.

A rough English-friendly guide for konfigureer would be:

kon-fi-ghuh-REER

That is only approximate, but it helps. The exact sound varies somewhat by region, and the Afrikaans g is one of the sounds English speakers usually need time to get used to.

Yes.

Afrikaans does not normally use different words to distinguish:

• we, including you
• we, not including you

Both are usually just ons. Context tells you which meaning is intended.

A common past form is:

Ons het die modem gekonfigureer. = We configured the modem.

A common future form is:

Ons sal die modem konfigureer. = We will configure the modem.

This gives you two very useful patterns in Afrikaans:

• het + past participle for a common past construction
• sal + verb for the future

Yes, depending on what you mean.

Konfigureer is a good technical word for configure.
But in everyday speech, people may also use stel ... op, especially when they mean set up rather than more technical configure.

So:

• Ons konfigureer die modem = more technical
• Ons stel die modem op = often more everyday, like we are setting up the modem

In many situations, both are natural, but they are not always exactly identical in nuance.