Die kilometermerker wys die afstand.

Die means the.

It appears twice because there are two noun phrases in the sentence:

• die kilometermerker = the kilometer marker
• die afstand = the distance

A useful thing for English speakers: Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for all genders, and also for plural nouns. So unlike languages such as German or Dutch, you do not need to learn different forms like the for masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Yes. Afrikaans very often forms compounds by writing them as one word.

So:

• kilometer = kilometer
• merker = marker

Together:

• kilometermerker = kilometer marker

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often writes similar expressions as two words, but Afrikaans commonly joins them into one compound noun.

Merker means marker or indicator.

In this sentence, kilometermerker refers to something that marks distance, such as a roadside marker showing how far you have gone or how far something is.

Depending on context, English might translate it as:

• kilometer marker
• milepost / distance marker if speaking more naturally in English

Wys means shows, indicates, or points out.

In this sentence, wys die afstand means shows the distance or indicates the distance.

A useful nuance:

• wys can mean show
• with na, it can also mean point to

For example:

• Hy wys die kaart. = He shows the map.
• Hy wys na die kaart. = He points to the map.

So in your sentence, wys is best understood as shows/indicates.

This is the normal word order for a simple main clause in Afrikaans:

• subject
  • verb
    • object

So here:

• Die kilometermerker = subject
• wys = verb
• die afstand = object

That is very similar to English:

• The kilometer marker shows the distance.

Afrikaans often follows a verb-second pattern in main clauses, but in a simple sentence like this, that just looks like normal subject-verb-object order.

Because the sentence is talking about a specific distance: the distance that the marker shows.

So die afstand means the distance.

If you said just afstand, it would sound more general or abstract, depending on context. In this sentence, the article makes it clear that a particular distance is meant.

No. In Afrikaans, verbs usually do not change form for different subjects in the present tense.

So you get:

• Ek wys = I show
• Jy wys = you show
• Hy wys = he shows
• Ons wys = we show
• Hulle wys = they show

That is much simpler than English, where you have show but shows in the third person singular.

A rough English-friendly guide is:

ki-LOH-mee-ter-MER-ker

A few helpful notes:

• kilometer in Afrikaans is commonly stressed more like kiloMEEter or kiLOmeter depending on accent and speech style, but the middle part is clearer and more even than in English.
• merker has a rolled or tapped Afrikaans r in many accents.
• The e sounds are usually more short and clear than English vowel sounds.

If you want a rough approximation without aiming for perfect accent, saying ki-loh-mee-ter-mer-ker will be understandable.

Yes, afstand is a very common word. It means distance.

You can use it in physical and abstract senses, for example:

• Die afstand is tien kilometer. = The distance is ten kilometers.
• Hou afstand. = Keep your distance.

In your sentence, it refers to physical distance.

Not really in the most natural reading of this sentence.

Die kilometermerker wys die afstand most naturally means:

• The kilometer marker shows the distance
• The kilometer marker indicates the distance

If you want the idea of physically pointing toward something, Afrikaans usually uses wys na:

• Hy wys na die bord. = He points to the sign.

So here, wys is better understood as shows/indicates, not literally points at.

The plural would depend on what you want to say.

For example:

• Die kilometermerkers wys die afstande. = The kilometer markers show the distances.

But in many real contexts, you might still keep afstand singular if one overall distance is meant.

A few plural notes:

• merker → merkers
• afstand → afstande

And notice that the definite article stays die:

• die kilometermerkers
• die afstande

So die works for both singular and plural.