Die kontaklens werk, behalwe dat my oog droog raak.

Die is the definite article in Afrikaans, meaning the.

So:

• die kontaklens = the contact lens
• 'n kontaklens = a contact lens

Afrikaans uses die for all genders and for both singular and plural definite nouns, so it is much simpler than languages that have different articles.

It is singular here: the contact lens.

That is why the verb is werk in the singular sense of works / is working.

A learner may notice that the form kontaklens can look the same in singular and plural in some contexts, but in this sentence die kontaklens werk is understood as singular because of the meaning and structure.

Yes. Werk is the verb to work.

In this sentence, it means something like:

• works
• is working
• does the job

So Die kontaklens werk means the lens is functioning properly or doing what it is supposed to do.

Behalwe dat means except that.

Breakdown:

• behalwe = except / besides
• dat = that

So the sentence is structured like:

• The contact lens works, except that ...

The word dat introduces a subordinate clause, just like that does in English.

Because dat introduces a subordinate clause, and in Afrikaans subordinate clauses usually send the verb to the end or near the end of the clause.

Compare:

• Main clause: Die kontaklens werk
• Subordinate clause: dat my oog droog raak

In English, you would say that my eye gets dry. Afrikaans often places the verb later in the clause:

• my oog = my eye
• droog = dry
• raak = become/get

So the clause literally looks like that my eye dry gets/becomes.

In Afrikaans, raak often means become or get when used with an adjective.

So:

• droog raak = become dry / get dry
• moeg raak = get tired
• kwaad raak = get angry

That is a very common pattern in Afrikaans:

• adjective + raak = become/get + adjective

In a subordinate clause introduced by dat, the verb usually comes later, so droog raak is normal here.

Compare:

• Main clause style: My oog raak droog. = My eye gets dry.
• Subordinate clause style: ... dat my oog droog raak.

So the change is mainly because of Afrikaans word order rules in subordinate clauses.

Because droog raak does not mean is dry; it means gets dry / becomes dry.

If you wanted to say my eye is dry, you would use is:

• My oog is droog.

But here the meaning is a change of state:

• My oog raak droog. = My eye gets dry.

So raak is doing the job, not is.

The normal possessive adjective in Afrikaans is my = my.

So:

• my oog = my eye
• jou oog = your eye
• sy oog = his eye
• haar oog = her eye

Afrikaans does not use a form like myne oog in normal standard usage here.

Because the speaker is referring to one eye becoming dry.

• my oog = my eye
• my oë = my eyes

If both eyes were dry, you could say:

• ... behalwe dat my oë droog raak.

Notice that oog becomes oë in the plural.

Yes. Droog is an adjective meaning dry.

In this sentence:

• oog = noun
• droog = adjective describing the eye
• raak = verb meaning become/get

So my oog droog raak means my eye becomes dry.

Yes, that is possible.

Both raak and word can express becoming something, but they are not always identical in feel.

• droog raak often sounds very natural for a condition developing
• droog word can also mean become dry

In this sentence, droog raak sounds very idiomatic and natural.

The comma separates the main statement from the exception clause.

• Die kontaklens werk = main clause
• behalwe dat my oog droog raak = added clause explaining the problem

Afrikaans often uses commas in places similar to English, especially when a new clause is added after the main one.

Yes, exactly.

The tone of the sentence is:

• Overall the contact lens works
• but there is one problem
• my eye gets dry

So werk here has the sense of functions fine in general, not necessarily is perfect in every way.

Yes, it sounds natural.

It is a normal conversational way to say that a contact lens is basically fine, except for the fact that it causes dryness in the eye. The structure X werk, behalwe dat ... is a very useful everyday pattern for saying X works, except that ...