Die stukkie is op die tafel.

to be

Breakdown of Die stukkie is op die tafel.

• die tafel: the table
• op: on
• die stukkie: small piece

Questions & Answers about Die stukkie is op die tafel.

What does die mean here, and why is it used twice?

In this sentence, die means the both times:

• die stukkie = the little piece
• die tafel = the table

Afrikaans uses die as the definite article for both singular and plural nouns. Unlike English, it does not change form. So you use the same word whether you mean the table, the tables, the child, or the children.

What does stukkie mean exactly?

Stukkie is the diminutive form of stuk, which means piece.

So:

• stuk = piece
• stukkie = little piece / small piece

The ending -kie is a common diminutive ending in Afrikaans. Diminutives are used a lot and can show small size, affection, or just a natural way of speaking.

For example:

• huis = house
• huisie = little house

In stukkie, the spelling changes a bit when the diminutive is formed, which is normal in Afrikaans.

Why is it stukkie and not just stuk?