Wetenskap is belangrik.

Afrikaans often leaves out the definite article when talking about something in general.

So Wetenskap is belangrik means Science is important in the general sense, just like English often says Science is important rather than The science is important.

If you said die wetenskap, that would usually mean the science in a more specific sense, depending on context.

Not directly in form, but it is the normal Afrikaans word for science.

It is built from:

• wete / weet = knowledge / to know
• -skap = a noun-forming ending, similar to English -ship in some words

Historically, the idea is something like the state or field of knowing. Even though it does not look like English science, it is the standard everyday Afrikaans word.

Because it is the first word in the sentence.

In Afrikaans, ordinary nouns are not capitalized just because they are nouns. So:

• Wetenskap is belangrik.
• Ek hou van wetenskap.

This is different from German, where all nouns are capitalized.

Yes. is is the present tense of wees (to be) and works very much like English is.

So:

• Wetenskap is belangrik = Science is important
• Dit is goed = It is good

It is one of the easiest parts of the sentence for an English speaker because it looks and functions very similarly.

Because belangrik is the adjective describing the subject, and after is Afrikaans normally places the adjective in that position, just like English:

• Science is important
• Wetenskap is belangrik

This is called predicative use of the adjective: the adjective comes after a linking verb like is.

In this sentence, the adjective is used after the verb, so it stays in its basic form: belangrik.

Compare:

• Die wetenskap is belangrik. = The science is important.
• belangrike wetenskap = important science

So when an adjective comes before a noun, it often takes -e:

• ’n belangrike vraag = an important question

But after is, you usually use the plain form:

• Die vraag is belangrik.

Belangrik usually means important, but depending on context it can also suggest:

• significant
• important in value or effect
• noteworthy

It is a very common adjective in Afrikaans and is used much like English important.

Examples:

• Dit is belangrik. = It is important.
• ’n Belangrike besluit = An important decision.

A simple learner-friendly approximation is:

VEH-tun-skhap or VAY-tun-skhap, depending on accent and how narrowly you want to imitate Afrikaans sounds.

A few helpful points:

• W in Afrikaans is usually pronounced like English v
• e here is short, roughly like the e in bed
• sk is pronounced clearly as sk
• a in the last syllable is like the a in father or a short open a, depending on accent

A rough IPA-style guide is approximately /ˈveːtənskap/.

A useful approximation is:

buh-LUNG-rik or beh-LAHNG-rik

Helpful pronunciation notes:

• the stress is usually on the second syllable: -lang-
• ng is like the sound in English sing
• the final rik is short and crisp

A rough IPA-style version is approximately /bəˈlaŋrək/ or similar, depending on accent.

No, not in this sentence.

After is, you want the basic adjective form:

• Wetenskap is belangrik.

The form belangrike is generally used before a noun:

• belangrike wetenskaplike navorsing = important scientific research

So:

• correct: Wetenskap is belangrik
• not correct here: Wetenskap is belangrike

Yes, it sounds natural. It is a normal, simple statement in Afrikaans.

It has a very straightforward structure:

• Wetenskap = subject
• is = linking verb
• belangrik = adjective complement

It is exactly the kind of short sentence learners see early on because it is both grammatical and natural.

You would usually use the Afrikaans double negative:

Wetenskap is nie onbelangrik nie. = Science is not unimportant.
or more naturally for a direct negative idea:
Wetenskap is nie onbelangrik nie is grammatical, but if you want Science is not important, you would say:
Wetenskap is nie belangrik nie.

Afrikaans typically uses nie ... nie around the part being negated.

Yes, depending on context, wetenskap can refer to:

• science as a field of study
• scholarly or scientific knowledge
• an academic discipline

In most basic sentences like Wetenskap is belangrik, the most natural English translation is simply Science is important.