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Questions & Answers about Ons bespreek die samewerking.
Why is ons used here, and does it always mean we?
Yes, ons means we in this sentence.
A helpful detail for learners is that ons can also mean us in other contexts, so Afrikaans uses the same form for both subject and object:
- Ons bespreek die samewerking. = We discuss the cooperation.
- Hulle help ons. = They help us.
You tell which meaning it has from the sentence structure.
What does bespreek mean grammatically here?
Bespreek is the verb, and here it is the finite verb of the sentence.
Its basic dictionary meaning is discuss or talk over. In this sentence, it comes in the normal present-tense statement position:
- Ons bespreek ... = We discuss ... / We are discussing ...
Afrikaans verbs are often simpler than English verbs because they do not usually change form depending on the subject.
Why doesn’t the verb change for ons? Shouldn’t it have a special ending like in some other languages?