Ons hol die pot uit.

• Ons = we
• hol ... uit = hollow out
• die = the
• pot = pot

So the structure is:

subject + verb + object + particle

Afrikaans often splits certain verbs in a main clause, so uithol appears here as hol ... uit.

Because uithol is a separable verb.

In a normal main clause, Afrikaans puts the conjugated verb early in the sentence, and the separable part goes to the end:

• Dictionary form: uithol
• Main clause: Ons hol die pot uit

This is similar to Dutch and German separable verbs.

You will often see:

• Ek hol die pampoen uit.
• Hulle hol die boomstam uit.

But in forms like the infinitive, it is written together again:

• om die pot uit te hol

And in a subordinate clause, it is also typically together:

• Ek weet dat ons die pot uithol.

Yes. hol can also mean run or dash in other contexts.

For example:

• Hy hol huis toe. = He runs home.

So a learner might see hol and think of run first. But in hol ... uit, the combination means hollow out.

That is why it is important to learn hol uit / uithol as a unit here, not just the single word hol.

Because Afrikaans verbs usually do not change according to the subject the way English verbs sometimes do.

Compare:

• Ek hol die pot uit.
• Jy hol die pot uit.
• Ons hol die pot uit.
• Hulle hol die pot uit.

The verb stays hol.

This is one of the simpler parts of Afrikaans grammar for English speakers.

It is the present tense.

Depending on context, it can mean either:

• We hollow out the pot
• We are hollowing out the pot

Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English might choose either simple present or present continuous.

If you want to make the ongoing action especially clear, Afrikaans can also use a more explicit form such as:

• Ons is besig om die pot uit te hol. = We are busy hollowing out the pot.

Because it is the separable part of the verb uithol.

In a main clause, Afrikaans commonly places the main verb in the usual verb position and sends the separable particle to the end:

• Ons hol die pot uit.

That does not mean uit is acting independently. It still belongs with hol.

So you should understand the sentence as:

Ons [hol ... uit] die pot even though the words are split in the sentence.

Here, die means the.

Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for both singular and plural nouns:

• die pot = the pot
• die potte = the pots

So unlike English, you do not need different forms such as the for singular and plural—it is just die.

Do not confuse this with Dutch pronunciation or usage; in Afrikaans, die is normally pronounced roughly like dee.

A rough guide:

• Ons ≈ awns / ons
• hol ≈ holl
• die ≈ dee
• pot ≈ pott
• uit has no perfect English equivalent, but it sounds somewhat like a rounded mix between out and ate

A rough full approximation could be:

awns holl dee pott uyt

But that is only approximate. The hardest part for many English speakers is uit.

Afrikaans usually uses double negation:

Ons hol nie die pot uit nie.

Structure:

• first nie goes after the verb
• second nie goes at the end of the clause

So:

• Ons hol die pot uit.
• Ons hol nie die pot uit nie.

This double nie pattern is very common in standard Afrikaans.

Pot usually means pot, but the exact kind depends on context.

It can refer to things like:

• a cooking pot
• a flowerpot
• a container or vessel

So the sentence structure stays the same, but the real-world meaning depends on what kind of pot is being discussed.

Then the separable verb is usually written together as uithol, or appears in the infinitive pattern uit te hol.

Examples:

• Ons wil die pot uithol. = We want to hollow out the pot.
• Dit is maklik om die pot uit te hol. = It is easy to hollow out the pot.

So a useful contrast is:

• Main clause: Ons hol die pot uit.
• Infinitive idea: om die pot uit te hol
• After another verb: Ons wil die pot uithol.

This helps you see that hol ... uit and uithol are really the same verb in different sentence environments.