Die brilraam is gemaklik, behalwe dat die neusblokkie styf sit.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, very often forms compound nouns by joining words together.

• bril = glasses
• raam = frame

So brilraam means glasses frame / eyeglass frame as a single compound noun.

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English sometimes writes similar ideas as two words, but Afrikaans usually prefers one compound word.

Examples:

• sonbril = sunglasses
• handsak = handbag
• boekrak = bookshelf

Because gemaklik is being used after the verb is, not directly before a noun.

In Afrikaans:

• predicative adjective (after is, lyk, voel, etc.) → usually no -e
• attributive adjective (before a noun) → often takes -e

So:

• Die brilraam is gemaklik. = The frame is comfortable.
• Die gemaklike brilraam = the comfortable frame

That is why gemaklik is correct here.

Behalwe dat means except that.

It is used when what follows is a full clause, not just a noun phrase.

Here, what follows is a full clause:

• die neusblokkie styf sit

So:

• behalwe dat ... = except that ...

Compare:

• Behalwe dat die neusblokkie styf sit ...
  = Except that the nose pad fits tightly ...

But if you were only using a noun phrase, you would more likely use something like behalwe vir:

• behalwe vir die kleur = except for the color

So the dat is there because a whole clause follows.

Because dat introduces a subordinate clause, and in Afrikaans the finite verb usually goes to the end in that kind of clause.

Main clause:

• Die brilraam is gemaklik.

Subordinate clause after dat:

• dat die neusblokkie styf sit

This word order is very common in Afrikaans.

Compare:

• Die neusblokkie sit styf.
  Main clause

• ... dat die neusblokkie styf sit.
  Subordinate clause

So the final sit is there because of normal subordinate-clause word order.

Neusblokkie is made up of:

• neus = nose
• blokkie = little block / pad-like piece

In this context, it refers to the nose pad on the glasses.

The -ie ending is a very common diminutive ending in Afrikaans. Diminutives can mean:

• physically small
• little
• sometimes just the normal name for a small part or object

So here blokkie does not necessarily sound cute; it is just a natural way to refer to a small component.

Afrikaans uses diminutives a lot more freely than English.

Yes, sit is correct here, and in Afrikaans it has a wider range than English sit.

It can be used for:

• being positioned somewhere
• fitting in a certain way
• resting against something
• being located

So in styf sit, sit is closer to:

• fit
• sit against
• be positioned

Afrikaans often uses sit with objects where English would not.

Styf sit means something like:

• fit tightly
• sit too snugly
• press tightly

It is a very natural combination in Afrikaans.

Here it suggests that the nose pad is pressing too firmly or fitting too tightly.

You can think of it as:

• styf = tight
• sit = fit / be positioned

Together: fit tightly

A useful extension:

• te styf sit = fit too tightly

It can mean either, depending on context.

Common meanings of styf include:

• tight
• firm
• stiff

In this sentence, tight is the best sense.

So although English speakers may first think of stiff, here the meaning is about fit and pressure, not lack of flexibility.

Afrikaans does not have grammatical gender the way many European languages do, and the definite article is simply die for all nouns.

So:

• die brilraam
• die neusblokkie

Both use die, regardless of gender.

Also, die is used for both singular and plural definite nouns:

• die brilraam = the frame
• die brilrame = the frames

So learners do not need to memorize separate articles like de, het, der, etc.

Yes. A learner might hear or say alternatives such as:

• Die brilraam is gemaklik, maar die neusblokkie sit styf.
• Die brilraam is gemaklik, behalwe vir die stywe neusblokkie.

These are slightly different in structure:

• maar = but
• behalwe dat = except that
• behalwe vir = except for

The original sentence is perfectly natural, but the alternatives may feel easier to understand at first.

Yes. The comma is natural here because the sentence has a main statement followed by an added exception clause.

• Die brilraam is gemaklik, behalwe dat ...

In Afrikaans, commas are commonly used to separate this kind of additional information, especially when the second part is a subordinate clause introduced by something like dat.

So the punctuation helps show:

1. the main statement
2. the exception to it