Die handvatsel is op die werksoppervlak.

to be

Breakdown of Die handvatsel is op die werksoppervlak.

• op: on
• die werksoppervlak: work surface
• die handvatsel: handle

Questions & Answers about Die handvatsel is op die werksoppervlak.

How do I pronounce die in this sentence?

In Afrikaans, die is pronounced dee, not like the English word die.

So Die handvatsel... starts with a sound like dee.

This is one of the first pronunciation traps English speakers notice, because the spelling looks misleading if you read it as English.

Why is die used twice?

Both uses of die are the definite article, like English the.

• die handvatsel = the handle
• die werksoppervlak = the work surface

Afrikaans uses die for:

• singular nouns
• plural nouns
• all genders

So unlike languages such as German or Dutch, you do not have to learn different forms of the for masculine, feminine, neuter, or plural.

What would change if it meant a handle instead of the handle?