'n Klomp pottebakkersklei is op die werksoppervlak.

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Breakdown of 'n Klomp pottebakkersklei is op die werksoppervlak.

• wees: to be
• op: on
• die werksoppervlak: work surface

Questions & Answers about 'n Klomp pottebakkersklei is op die werksoppervlak.

Why does the sentence begin with 'n in lowercase, even though it is the first word?

In Afrikaans, the indefinite article 'n is always written in lowercase, even at the beginning of a sentence.

So instead of writing 'N Klomp ..., Afrikaans writes:

'n Klomp pottebakkersklei is op die werksoppervlak.

Because 'n stays lowercase, the next word, Klomp, gets the capital letter.

This is one of the first spelling conventions English speakers usually notice in Afrikaans.

How do I pronounce 'n?

'n is usually pronounced like a very weak uh sound, similar to the first vowel in English about.

So 'n klomp sounds roughly like:

uhn klomp

A few helpful points:

• Do not pronounce it like the English letter name en
• It is unstressed
• In fast speech, it can sound very light and short

What does klomp mean here?