Ons handig die skriftelike vertoë in.

Because inhandig is a separable verb in Afrikaans.

The full verb is inhandig, meaning to hand in or to submit. In a main clause, Afrikaans often splits separable verbs:

• Ons handig die skriftelike vertoë in.

Here:

• handig goes in the normal verb position
• in moves to the end

This is very similar to English hand in, but in Afrikaans the split is more regular and grammatical.

Compare:

• Ek handig die vorm in. = I hand in the form.
• Ons handig die skriftelike vertoë in. = We submit the written representations.

In some other contexts, the verb stays together, for example in an infinitive or often in subordinate clauses:

• om die skriftelike vertoë in te handig
• dat ons die skriftelike vertoë inhandig

Handig ... in means hand in, submit, or file.

So the sentence means that we are submitting something formally. In this context, it sounds more official than just physically giving something to someone.

Examples:

• Ek handig my huiswerk in. = I hand in my homework.
• Hulle handig die dokumente in. = They submit the documents.

So in your sentence, it suggests a formal submission of written documents or statements.

Because skriftelike is the attributive form of the adjective.

In Afrikaans, when an adjective comes before a noun, it usually takes -e:

• skriftelik = written / in writing
• die skriftelike vertoë = the written representations

Compare:

• Die vertoë is skriftelik. = The representations are written.
  Here the adjective is after the verb, so it stays skriftelik.
• die skriftelike vertoë = the written representations
  Here it comes before the noun, so it becomes skriftelike.

Vertoë usually means representations, submissions, pleas, or statements made formally to an authority.

In official or legal language, skriftelike vertoë often means something like:

• written representations
• written submissions
• formal written statements

It is not a very everyday word in casual conversation. It sounds formal, administrative, or legal.

The two dots are called a diaeresis.

In vertoë, they show that the vowels must be pronounced separately, not blended into one sound. So the ending is not treated like a single vowel combination.

This spelling helps the reader know how to pronounce the word correctly.

Afrikaans uses this in some words to show separate vowel sounds, for example:

• reël
• poësie
• geëet

So in vertoë, the diaeresis is a pronunciation guide built into the spelling.

Die here means the.

In Afrikaans, die is used for:

• singular nouns: die boek = the book
• plural nouns: die boeke = the books

So die does not tell you by itself whether the noun is singular or plural. You understand that from the noun itself and from context.

In this sentence, vertoë is plural, so:

• die skriftelike vertoë = the written representations / submissions

Formally, it is in the present tense, but like the English present tense, it can have a few uses depending on context.

It can mean:

• We submit the written representations.
• We are submitting the written representations.
• sometimes even We will submit the written representations, if the context makes that clear

Afrikaans often relies on context or time words rather than changing the verb form a lot.

For example:

• Vandag handig ons die skriftelike vertoë in. = Today we are handing in the written representations.
• Môre handig ons die skriftelike vertoë in. = Tomorrow we submit / will submit the written representations.

Afrikaans main clauses usually follow a verb-second pattern. That means the finite verb comes early in the sentence, usually in second position.

Here the structure is:

• Ons = subject
• handig = finite verb
• die skriftelike vertoë = object
• in = separable particle

So the sentence pattern is very normal for Afrikaans: Subject + verb + object + particle

This is why you do not say:

• Ons in handig die skriftelike vertoë
  or
• Ons die skriftelike vertoë handig in

The standard form is:

• Ons handig die skriftelike vertoë in.

Usually, yes: ons means we or us, depending on the sentence.

In your sentence:

• Ons = we

Examples:

• Ons werk hard. = We work hard.
• Hulle sien ons. = They see us.

Afrikaans uses the same form ons for both subject and object, unlike English, which distinguishes we and us.

Yes, but it depends on the structure.

The dictionary form is inhandig. When the verb is not split, it is written as one word.

For example:

• Ons wil die skriftelike vertoë inhandig.
• Dit is belangrik om die skriftelike vertoë in te handig.
• Ek weet dat hulle die dokumente inhandig.

But in a normal main clause, it is usually split:

• Ons handig die skriftelike vertoë in.

So both forms are correct, but they appear in different grammatical environments.

It sounds fairly formal, mostly because of skriftelike vertoë.

• handig ... in can be used in everyday speech
• skriftelike vertoë sounds official, legal, or administrative

A more everyday sentence might be:

• Ons handig die papiere in. = We hand in the papers.
• Ons dien die dokumente in. = We submit the documents.

So your sentence would fit well in a formal letter, legal process, public comment procedure, or government context.