Die plan gaan vorentoe.

the plan

Breakdown of Die plan gaan vorentoe.

• gaan: to go
• vorentoe: forwards; ahead

Questions & Answers about Die plan gaan vorentoe.

What does die mean here?

Die means the.

In Afrikaans, die is the normal definite article for singular and plural nouns:

• die plan = the plan
• die boeke = the books

Unlike some other languages, Afrikaans does not change the article for grammatical gender. So you do not need to learn separate words for the depending on whether a noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Is plan the same word as English plan?

Yes, plan in Afrikaans is essentially the same noun as English plan.

So:

• die plan = the plan

This is a helpful cognate for English speakers. Just remember that pronunciation will be Afrikaans, not English.

Why is gaan used here? Doesn’t gaan usually mean to go?

Yes, gaan normally means to go, and that is still the basic idea here.

In Die plan gaan vorentoe, gaan vorentoe literally means go forward or move ahead. In English, we often use this figuratively, and Afrikaans does the same. So the sentence can mean something like:

• The plan is moving forward
• The plan is going ahead
• The plan is progressing

So gaan is not just a future marker here; it is the main verb with its usual sense of movement/progress.