Breakdown of Ons dra sowel die deelnemersnommer as die tydskyfie.
ons
we
dra
to carry
sowel ... as ...
both ... and ...
die deelnemersnommer
participant number
Questions & Answers about Ons dra sowel die deelnemersnommer as die tydskyfie.
What does sowel ... as ... mean?
Sowel ... as ... means both ... and ....
So in this sentence, it links two things that are both included:
- die deelnemersnommer
- die tydskyfie
It is a slightly more formal or emphatic way to say that both items apply. In everyday speech, people might also simply use en:
- Ons dra die deelnemersnommer en die tydskyfie.
That means almost the same thing, but sowel ... as ... stresses the idea of both a bit more clearly.
Why is the verb dra before the two nouns?
Afrikaans usually follows a verb-second pattern in main clauses.
In this sentence:
- Ons = subject
- dra = verb
- sowel die deelnemersnommer as die tydskyfie = object
So the basic structure is:
- Ons dra ...
- We wear/carry ...
That word order is completely normal for a simple main clause in Afrikaans.
What does dra mean here exactly?