Ten spyte daarvan dat sterftesertifikate gereed is, is boedelbeplanning te laat.

It means despite the fact that or in spite of the fact that.

It is built from several parts:

• ten spyte van = in spite of / despite
• daarvan = of that
• dat = that

So the whole expression literally feels like:

in spite of that, that ...

But in natural English, you would simply understand it as despite the fact that ...

This is a fairly formal or written way to introduce a contrast.

Because there are two clauses, and each clause has its own verb:

1. Ten spyte daarvan dat sterftesertifikate gereed is

   • verb: is
   • meaning: death certificates are ready

2. is boedelbeplanning te laat

   • verb: is
   • meaning: estate planning is too late

So the sentence is not repeating is unnecessarily. Each clause needs its own verb.

Because it comes after dat.

In Afrikaans, a clause introduced by dat often sends the finite verb to the end of the clause.

So:

• main-clause style: Sterftesertifikate is gereed
• after dat: dat sterftesertifikate gereed is

This is very similar to other Germanic languages like Dutch and German, and it is one of the most important word-order patterns in Afrikaans.

Because the sentence starts with another element:

Ten spyte daarvan dat sterftesertifikate gereed is, ...

When Afrikaans begins a sentence with a fronted phrase or subordinate clause, the finite verb usually comes next in the main clause. This is often called the verb-second pattern.

So you get:

• neutral order: Boedelbeplanning is te laat
• after a fronted clause: Ten spyte daarvan dat ..., is boedelbeplanning te laat

This is a very common Afrikaans structure.

Yes. Sterftesertifikate is a compound noun, and Afrikaans very often writes compounds as one word.

It is made from:

• sterfte = death
• sertifikate = certificates

Together:

• sterftesertifikate = death certificates

A learner from English often expects two words, but Afrikaans usually combines them into one compound noun.

Also note that sertifikate is plural here.

This is another compound noun:

• boedel = estate
• beplanning = planning

So:

• boedelbeplanning = estate planning

Again, Afrikaans prefers one-word compounds where English often uses two words.

This is one of the most noticeable spelling differences between English and Afrikaans.

Gereed means ready.

In this sentence:

• sterftesertifikate gereed is = death certificates are ready

It functions like a predicate adjective, just as ready does in English after to be.

Examples:

• Die kos is gereed. = The food is ready.
• Ek is gereed. = I am ready.

Here, te laat means too late.

In this sentence:

• boedelbeplanning is te laat = estate planning is too late

This te is not the infinitive marker you see in phrases like om te gaan.

Here, te works more like an intensifier meaning too before an adjective or adverb:

• te laat = too late
• te duur = too expensive
• te vinnig = too fast

So in this sentence, think of te laat as a fixed phrase meaning too late.

Because both nouns are being used in a general sense here.

• sterftesertifikate refers to death certificates in general, not a specific set already identified by the
• boedelbeplanning is an abstract activity/concept: estate planning

English also often omits articles in similar general statements:

• Death certificates are ready
• Estate planning is too late

If the speaker wanted to refer to something specific, Afrikaans could use die:

• die sterftesertifikate
• die boedelbeplanning

But the sentence as given is making a broader statement.

It is not the only way. It is just a fairly formal, natural written expression.

Some possible alternatives include:

• Al is sterftesertifikate gereed, is boedelbeplanning te laat.

  • Although death certificates are ready, estate planning is too late.

• Selfs al is sterftesertifikate gereed, is boedelbeplanning te laat.

  • Even if death certificates are ready, estate planning is too late.
  • This is slightly different in meaning, though.

• Ondanks die feit dat sterftesertifikate gereed is, is boedelbeplanning te laat.

  • Another formal way to say despite the fact that

So Ten spyte daarvan dat is correct and natural, but not the only possible wording.

It sounds fairly formal and somewhat written or professional, especially because of:

• Ten spyte daarvan dat
• the topic boedelbeplanning
• the long compound nouns

This kind of sentence would fit well in:

• legal writing
• financial advice
• estate-planning materials
• serious commentary

In casual speech, a speaker might choose a shorter connector such as al or rephrase the sentence more simply.