Die hemoglobienvlak is hoog.

The haemoglobin level is high.

Breakdown of Die hemoglobienvlak is hoog.

• wees: to be
• hoog: high
• die hemoglobienvlak: haemoglobin level

Questions & Answers about Die hemoglobienvlak is hoog.

What does die mean here?

Die means the.

A few useful things to know about die in Afrikaans:

• It is the definite article.
• Afrikaans does not have different forms like English the vs. gendered articles in some other languages.
• Die is used for:
  • singular nouns: die hemoglobienvlak = the hemoglobin level
  • plural nouns too: die vlakke = the levels

So in this sentence, die hemoglobienvlak simply means the hemoglobin level.

Why is hemoglobienvlak written as one word?

Afrikaans very often forms compound nouns by writing them as one word.

So:

• hemoglobien = hemoglobin
• vlak = level

Together:

• hemoglobienvlak = hemoglobin level

This is very normal in Afrikaans. English often writes similar ideas as two words, but Afrikaans commonly joins them into one compound noun.

Other similar patterns:

• bloeddruk = blood pressure
• hartslag = heartbeat
• suikervlak = sugar level

Is the word order the same as in English here?