Afrikaans verbs usually do not change according to the subject in the present tense.
So you get:
This is much simpler than English, where you have I proclaim but he proclaims.
It is present tense.
So Hulle verkondig die nuus means they proclaim / are proclaiming the news, depending on context.
Afrikaans often uses the simple present where English might use either:
The broader situation usually makes the timing clear.
Verkondig means announce, proclaim, or declare publicly.
It sounds a bit more formal or elevated than some everyday verbs. In religious, official, or public contexts, it is very common. In casual speech, other verbs such as sê, vertel, or aankondig might be more common depending on the meaning.
So this sentence has a slightly formal tone.
Yes, die is the definite article, usually meaning the.
So:
A useful thing to know is that Afrikaans uses die for all genders and for singular and plural nouns. Unlike languages such as Dutch or German, you do not need to learn different forms of the for masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns.
Afrikaans does not need a separate word like English are in this kind of sentence.
Afrikaans often just uses the present tense verb:
So the sentence can cover both a simple present and an ongoing present meaning, depending on context.
A rough English-friendly guide:
A few pronunciation notes:
Pronunciation varies somewhat by region and speaker.
Yes. In a normal yes/no question, Afrikaans usually puts the verb first:
So the statement:
becomes the question:
A common past-tense form in Afrikaans uses het + ge- + past participle:
With verkondig, the past participle is often the same in form here, without an extra ge- in normal usage because verbs ending in -eer are the classic ones that definitely avoid ge-, while many other verbs do take it. However, verkondig is commonly used in contexts where the simple past construction with het ... verkondig is what learners will encounter. If you are studying participle patterns in detail, it is best to check your course materials or dictionary, since Afrikaans participle formation has some verb-class details.
For practical beginner use, this is the key pattern: