Ons draai die skroef vas.

we

Breakdown of Ons draai die skroef vas.

• vasdraai: to tighten
• die skroef: screw

Questions & Answers about Ons draai die skroef vas.

Why is vas at the end of the sentence?

Because this sentence uses a separable verb: vasdraai.

• vasdraai = to tighten by turning
• In a main clause, the verb part draai goes into the normal verb position, and vas moves to the end.

So:

• Ons draai die skroef vas. = We tighten the screw.

Compare:

• Ons het die skroef vasgedraai. = We tightened the screw.
• ... dat ons die skroef vasdraai. = ... that we tighten the screw.

So draai ... vas and vasdraai are two forms of the same verb.

What does vas mean by itself?

Vas usually means something like firm, tight, fast, secure, or sometimes stuck, depending on context.

In this sentence, it gives the idea of tightening something so that it is firmly in place.

That is why draai on its own means turn, but vasdraai means tighten by turning.

Why is die used here?