Die skarnier wankel.

In this sentence, die is the definite article, so it means the.

Afrikaans uses die for:

• singular nouns: die skarnier = the hinge
• plural nouns: die skarniere = the hinges

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not use different forms like the for one thing and the for many things—it is always die.

No. In Afrikaans, die is usually pronounced roughly like dee.

So:

• die skarnier sounds approximately like dee skar-NEER

An English speaker may want to avoid pronouncing it like to die.

Skarnier means hinge. Yes, it is a normal everyday noun, especially when talking about:

• doors
• gates
• lids
• cabinets
• anything attached by a hinge

So die skarnier simply means the hinge.

Wankel is a verb here. It means something like:

• wobbles
• rocks
• is unstable
• totters

So Die skarnier wankel means the hinge is not firm or steady.

Because wankel is an ordinary verb by itself, not an adjective.

Compare the difference:

• Die skarnier wankel. = The hinge wobbles / is wobbling.
• Die skarnier is los. = The hinge is loose.

In the first sentence, wankel already carries the action, so Afrikaans does not need is.

Yes. Die skarnier wankel is in the present tense.

Afrikaans present tense is often very simple. The verb usually does not change depending on the subject.

For example:

• Ek wankel = I wobble
• Die skarnier wankel = The hinge wobbles
• Hulle wankel = They wobble

Unlike English, there is no special -s ending for he/she/it.

Because Afrikaans verbs are much less inflected than English verbs.

In English:

• I wobble
• the hinge wobbles

In Afrikaans:

• ek wankel
• die skarnier wankel

The verb form stays the same. This is one of the simpler parts of Afrikaans grammar.

The word order is the basic Afrikaans pattern:

Subject + Verb

• Die skarnier = subject
• wankel = verb

This is the normal order for a simple main clause.

If you added extra information, the verb would still stay in second position in a main clause:

• Die skarnier wankel vandag. = The hinge is wobbling today.

A common way to form the past tense in Afrikaans is:

het + ge-verb

So:

• Die skarnier het gewankel. = The hinge wobbled / has wobbled

Here:

• het = auxiliary verb
• gewankel = past participle

That is the usual past-tense pattern learners should know first.

Afrikaans usually uses double negation:

Die skarnier wankel nie.
or in fuller patterns with extra elements:
Die skarnier wankel nie meer nie. = The hinge is no longer wobbling.

For this short simple sentence, Die skarnier wankel nie is the basic negative form you are most likely to see presented to beginners.

In a yes/no question, Afrikaans usually puts the verb first:

Wankel die skarnier? = Is the hinge wobbling? / Does the hinge wobble?

So the statement:

• Die skarnier wankel.

becomes the question:

• Wankel die skarnier?

Mostly it suggests physical unsteadiness, but it can also be used more figuratively depending on context.

Physical use:

• Die tafel wankel. = The table wobbles.
• Die skarnier wankel. = The hinge wobbles.

Figurative use can suggest instability or uncertainty, though beginners will most often meet it in physical situations first.

A rough English-friendly guide is:

• skarnier ≈ skar-NEER
• wankel ≈ VUN-kel or VAHN-kel depending on accent

A few helpful pronunciation points:

• w in Afrikaans is usually like an English v
• r is often rolled or tapped more than in many English accents
• ie at the end of skarnier sounds like eer

So the whole sentence is approximately:

dee skar-NEER VUN-kel

The plural of skarnier is skarniere.

So:

• Die skarnier wankel. = The hinge wobbles.
• Die skarniere wankel. = The hinges wobble.

Notice:

• die stays the same
• the verb wankel also stays the same

Only the noun changes to show plural.