Die plant is nog lewend.

Here die is the definite article, meaning the.

So die plant = the plant.

A useful thing to remember is that Afrikaans uses die for:

• singular nouns: die plant = the plant
• plural nouns: die plante = the plants

So unlike English, the article does not change.

Yes, plant in Afrikaans means plant, just like in English.

In this sentence, plant is a singular noun:

• die plant = the plant

The plural is usually:

• plante = plants

So:

• Die plant is nog lewend. = The plant is still alive.
• Die plante is nog lewend. = The plants are still alive.

In this sentence, nog means still.

So:

• is nog lewend = is still alive

This is a very common Afrikaans word, but its meaning depends on context. It can mean things like:

• still
• yet
• another / more

In this sentence, the correct sense is clearly still.

Examples:

• Hy slaap nog. = He is still sleeping.
• Is jy nog hier? = Are you still here?

Because nog is an adverb, and in Afrikaans it commonly comes before the adjective or description it modifies.

So:

• is nog lewend = is still alive

You can think of it as:

• is = verb
• nog = adverb modifying the state
• lewend = adjective describing the subject

This word order is normal in Afrikaans.

lewend means alive or living.

In this sentence it describes the condition of the plant:

• Die plant is nog lewend. = The plant is still alive.

It is an adjective used after is.

A closely related form is:

• lewende = living / alive before a noun

For example:

• 'n lewende plant = a living plant

So a useful contrast is:

• Die plant is lewend. = The plant is alive.
• Dit is 'n lewende plant. = It is a living plant.

Because lewend is being used predicatively, meaning it comes after the verb is.

Afrikaans often uses:

• a basic adjective form after the verb
• an -e form before a noun

So:

• Die plant is lewend. = The plant is alive.
• die lewende plant = the living plant

This is similar to the difference between:

• The plant is alive
• the living plant

So the short answer is:

• lewend after is
• lewende before a noun

Yes. Die plant leef nog is a very natural alternative.

Compare:

• Die plant is nog lewend. = The plant is still alive.
• Die plant leef nog. = The plant is still living / is still alive.

The difference is mainly grammatical:

• is ... lewend uses is
  • adjective
• leef uses a verb meaning live

Both express the same basic idea.

Because the sentence is describing a state or condition of the plant.

Afrikaans, like English, often uses to be + adjective:

• Die plant is groen. = The plant is green.
• Die plant is droog. = The plant is dry.
• Die plant is nog lewend. = The plant is still alive.

So is links the subject (die plant) to the description (nog lewend).

No, not in the same way English does.

Afrikaans uses is for all persons in the present tense of to be:

• Ek is = I am
• Jy is = you are
• Hy/Sy is = he/she is
• Ons is = we are
• Hulle is = they are

So even if the subject changes, is stays the same:

• Die plant is lewend.
• Die plante is lewend.

This is one of the simpler features of Afrikaans grammar.

A rough English-friendly pronunciation is:

dee plahnt iss nokh LAY-vunt

A few notes:

• die sounds like dee, not like English die
• plant is close to English plant, but with a broader vowel in many accents
• is is short, like iss
• nog has the guttural g/ch sound, similar to the Scottish loch
• lewend has stress on the first syllable: LE-wend

Pronunciation varies by accent, but this will get you close.

Yes, it is understandable and grammatically clear.

That said, many speakers might more commonly say:

• Die plant leef nog.

But Die plant is nog lewend is still a valid way to express the idea that the plant is still alive.

So as a learner, it is good to recognize both patterns:

• is + adjective
• verb

Both are useful in real Afrikaans.