Die datummerk lyk vreemd.

Here die means the.

In Afrikaans, die is the common definite article for both singular and plural nouns:

• die boek = the book
• die boeke = the books

So in Die datummerk lyk vreemd, die simply means the.

A common beginner mistake is to connect it with Dutch or German and expect several different forms, but Afrikaans keeps it simple.

Yes, datummerk is one word, and that is very normal in Afrikaans.

It is a compound noun:

• datum = date
• merk = mark / marking / stamp

So datummerk means something like date mark, date stamp, or date marking, depending on context.

Afrikaans often joins nouns together into a single word, much like Dutch and German do.

This is the normal basic word order for a simple statement in Afrikaans:

subject + verb + rest

So:

• Die datummerk = subject
• lyk = verb
• vreemd = adjective/complement

Literally:

• The date mark seems/looks strange

This is very similar to English word order in a simple sentence.

Not usually in that direct physical sense. In this sentence, lyk means seem, appear, or look in the sense of seem to be.

So:

• Die datummerk lyk vreemd = The date mark looks strange / seems strange

Examples:

• Hy lyk moeg. = He looks tired.
• Dit lyk goed. = It looks good.

If you want the idea of actively looking at something with your eyes, Afrikaans often uses kyk:

• Ek kyk na die datummerk. = I am looking at the date mark.

So learners should be careful not to confuse:

• lyk = seem/appear
• kyk = look at/watch

No. Even though lyk may look a bit like English like, it does not mean like.

In Afrikaans:

• lyk = seem / appear / look
• hou van = like in the sense of enjoying something

For example:

• Ek hou van koffie. = I like coffee.

So in this sentence, lyk definitely means seems/looks, not likes.

Because vreemd is describing how the subject seems or appears.

After verbs like lyk (seem/look), Afrikaans commonly places the descriptive word after the verb:

• Dit lyk mooi. = It looks beautiful.
• Hy lyk siek. = He looks ill.
• Die datummerk lyk vreemd. = The date mark looks strange.

This works much like English: looks strange, seems odd, appears normal.

Vreemd usually means strange, odd, weird, or unfamiliar, depending on context.

In this sentence, the most natural meaning is:

• strange
• odd

Other possible uses:

• Dit is vir my vreemd. = That is strange to me / unfamiliar to me.
• 'n vreemde man = a strange man or a foreign/unfamiliar man, depending on context

So vreemd can sometimes mean more than just weird. Context tells you which nuance is intended.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide would be:

Die datummerk lyk vreemd
≈ dee DAH-tum-merk lake fraymt

A few notes:

• die is usually pronounced roughly like dee
• lyk sounds a bit like English lake, but not exactly
• vreemd has a vowel somewhat like the vowel in Dutch/German-type words; for English speakers, fraymt is only an approximation

Pronunciation can vary somewhat by speaker and accent, but that guide is close enough for a beginner.

Yes. That is a very natural translation.

Depending on context, datummerk could be translated as:

• date mark
• date stamp
• date marking

And vreemd could be:

• strange
• odd
• weird

So good English translations include:

• The date mark looks strange.
• The date stamp looks odd.
• The date marking seems strange.

Afrikaans normally uses a double negative structure.

So:

• Die datummerk lyk vreemd. = The date mark looks strange.
• Die datummerk lyk nie vreemd nie. = The date mark does not look strange.

Notice the two nie words:

1. one after the verb or later in the clause
2. one at the end of the clause

This is a very important feature of Afrikaans grammar.

You would say:

Die datummerke lyk vreemd.

Here:

• datummerk = singular
• datummerke = plural

The article stays the same:

• die datummerk = the date mark
• die datummerke = the date marks

And the verb lyk does not change for plural:

• Die datummerk lyk vreemd.
• Die datummerke lyk vreemd.

That is another nice simplification in Afrikaans.