Die gordel is te styf.

to be

Breakdown of Die gordel is te styf.

• te: too
• die gordel: belt
• styf: tight

Questions & Answers about Die gordel is te styf.

What does die mean here?

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

A useful thing to know is that Afrikaans uses die for:

• singular nouns: die gordel = the belt
• plural nouns: die gordels = the belts

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not have a separate word like the for singular versus plural.

What does gordel mean, and is it a common word?

Gordel means belt.

It is a normal, common Afrikaans word. Depending on context, it can refer to:

• a clothing belt
• a seat belt
• sometimes other kinds of straps or bands

If you want to be more specific, Afrikaans can also say things like:

• veiligheidsgordel = seat belt

But in a simple sentence like Die gordel is te styf, gordel on its own is completely natural.

Why is there is in the sentence?