Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat, bevat dit 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, very often forms compound nouns by writing them as a single word.

So:

• polisie = police
• klaring = clearance
• sertifikaat = certificate

Together, polisieklaringsertifikaat means police clearance certificate.

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often writes these as separate words, but Afrikaans usually combines them into one noun.

Other examples:

• identiteitsnommer = identity number
• huisdeur = house door / front door
• taalboek = language book

So if you see a long Afrikaans noun, it is often just several smaller ideas joined into one.

Soos blyk uit ... is a formal expression meaning something like:

• As appears from ...
• As is evident from ...
• As can be seen from ...

In this sentence:

• Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat
  = As is evident from the police clearance certificate

This is a fairly formal way to introduce information that is supported by a document or source.

A few useful points:

• soos often means as or like
• blyk means appear / be evident / become clear
• uit means from / out of

So literally, the idea is that something becomes clear from the certificate.

This is because Afrikaans is a verb-second language in main clauses.

When something other than the subject comes first in the sentence, the finite verb usually comes next, before the subject.

Here, the sentence begins with the introductory phrase:

• Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat,

Because that whole part comes first, the next part must begin with the verb:

• bevat dit ...

So the structure is:

• first element: Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat
• second position: bevat
• then subject: dit

If the sentence started directly with the subject, you would get:

• Dit bevat 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer.

Both are correct, but once the opening phrase is placed first, inversion happens.

Dit means it.

In this sentence, dit most naturally refers to the police clearance certificate.

So the idea is:

• the certificate contains an identity number and certificate number

Afrikaans often uses dit in the same way English uses it, to refer back to a thing already mentioned.

'n is the Afrikaans indefinite article, meaning a or an.

It is always written with an apostrophe:

• 'n boek = a book
• 'n sertifikaat = a certificate

A few important details:

1. 'n is normally written in lowercase, even at the start of a sentence.
   For example:

   • 'n Boek lê op die tafel.

2. If a sentence starts with 'n, the next word is capitalized, not 'n itself.

3. In pronunciation, 'n is usually very weak, like a neutral unstressed sound.

So in your sentence:

• 'n identiteitsnommer = an identity number

Because one indefinite article can apply to both nouns together.

So:

• 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer

means:

• an identity number and certificate number

This is similar to English, where you can sometimes say:

• a knife and fork

without repeating a before the second noun.

If you want to emphasize them more separately, Afrikaans can also repeat the article:

• 'n identiteitsnommer en 'n sertifikaatnommer

That would also be correct, but the version with just one 'n is natural and economical.

Both are compound nouns.

• identiteitsnommer

  • identiteit = identity
  • nommer = number
  • so: identity number / ID number

• sertifikaatnommer

  • sertifikaat = certificate
  • nommer = number
  • so: certificate number

Afrikaans often builds technical or official vocabulary this way: a main noun plus another noun attached to it.

Because blyk uit is a fixed combination.

• blyk uit = be evident from / appear from / emerge from

So in this expression, uit is the natural preposition.

Compare:

• Dit blyk uit die verslag.
  = This is evident from the report.

Using van here would generally not sound right with blyk in this meaning.

So it is best to learn blyk uit as a set phrase.

It is fairly common, but it sounds a bit more formal than very everyday speech.

You will often see it in:

• official writing
• reports
• legal or administrative language
• news-style writing

Examples:

• Dit blyk uit die data dat ...
• Soos blyk uit die dokument ...

In casual speech, people might prefer simpler expressions depending on context, such as wording closer to you can see from ... or it shows that ...

So yes, it is common, but especially in more formal contexts.

The comma separates the introductory phrase from the main clause.

The first part:

• Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat

sets the context.

The main statement is:

• bevat dit 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer

So the comma helps show that the opening phrase is complete before the main clause starts.

In English, you would often do the same:

• As is evident from the police clearance certificate, it contains ...

Yes. That would be a simpler and more direct sentence:

• Die polisieklaringsertifikaat bevat 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer.
• The police clearance certificate contains an identity number and certificate number.

The original sentence adds a more formal introductory idea:

• Soos blyk uit ... = As is evident from ...

So the difference is mainly one of style and tone:

• Die polisieklaringsertifikaat bevat ... = straightforward
• Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat, bevat dit ... = more formal, document-like

Yes. bevat means contains.

Examples:

• Die dokument bevat belangrike inligting. = The document contains important information.
• Die vorm bevat jou naam en adres. = The form contains your name and address.

In your sentence:

• bevat dit 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer = it contains an identity number and certificate number

So bevat works very much like English contain in formal or neutral language.

Yes, it is understandable and formal-sounding, especially in administrative or official writing.

However, some speakers might prefer slightly smoother alternatives, such as:

• Soos blyk uit die polisieklaringsertifikaat, bevat die sertifikaat 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer.
• Die polisieklaringsertifikaat bevat 'n identiteitsnommer en sertifikaatnommer.

The original is still acceptable, but because dit refers back to the certificate, some writers may choose to repeat the noun for extra clarity in formal documents.

A rough English-friendly guide would be:

• Soos ≈ sohss
• blyk ≈ blake but with a shorter, tighter vowel
• uit ≈ something like ayt
• die ≈ dee
• polisieklaringsertifikaat ≈ po-lee-SEE-klaa-ring-ser-ti-fi-KAHT
• bevat ≈ buh-FAHT
• dit ≈ dit
• 'n ≈ a very weak uh
• identiteitsnommer ≈ ee-den-ti-TATES-nom-er
• en ≈ en
• sertifikaatnommer ≈ ser-ti-fi-KAHT-nom-er

A few pronunciation notes:

• g in Afrikaans is usually much harsher than in English.
• r is often trilled or tapped.
• 'n is usually very weak and unstressed.

The exact pronunciation varies by speaker, but this should help you recognize the words.