Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Afrikaans grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Die leerder studeer vandag.
Why is die used here, and does it change for gender or number?
Die is the definite article, meaning the.
Unlike English, Afrikaans does not use different forms for grammatical gender, and die stays the same:
- for masculine nouns
- for feminine nouns
- for neuter nouns
- for singular and plural nouns
So:
- die leerder = the learner
- die leerders = the learners
If you wanted a/an learner, Afrikaans would use ’n instead: ’n leerder.
Does leerder mean exactly student?
Not always exactly.
Leerder most literally means learner, and it is often used for a school pupil or someone in a learning context. In everyday English, the best translation may sometimes be student, but the nuance can depend on context.
For example:
- leerder often sounds like learner/pupil
- student in Afrikaans is also a real word, and it is especially common for a university student
So this sentence could refer to a school learner, depending on context.
Why is the verb studeer not changing to match die leerder?