Hulle slaap by die gastehuis.

In Afrikaans, verbs usually do not change form for different subjects in the present tense.

So:

• ek slaap = I sleep / I am sleeping
• jy slaap = you sleep / you are sleeping
• hulle slaap = they sleep / they are sleeping

Unlike English, Afrikaans does not add endings like -s in he sleeps.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

Afrikaans often uses the simple present for both:

• a general habit: They sleep
• something happening now: They are sleeping

If the speaker wants to be extra clear about an action in progress, Afrikaans can use other structures, but in everyday language the simple form is very common.

Here, by means at.

So by die gastehuis means at the guesthouse.

Afrikaans by can have several meanings depending on context, such as:

• at
• near
• sometimes with

In this sentence, it is a location word.

Both can be possible, but they mean slightly different things.

• by die gastehuis = at the guesthouse
  This focuses on the place generally, often meaning they are staying there.
• in die gastehuis = in the guesthouse
  This focuses more on being physically inside the building.

So by is very natural if you mean they are staying there overnight.

Die is the Afrikaans definite article, meaning the.

So:

• die gastehuis = the guesthouse

A useful point for learners: Afrikaans uses die for all nouns, regardless of gender. There is no separate word for the like French le / la or German der / die / das.

Die means the, while 'n means a / an.

So the difference is:

• die gastehuis = the guesthouse
  a specific guesthouse
• 'n gastehuis = a guesthouse
  any guesthouse, not specific

This sentence uses die, so it refers to a particular guesthouse.

Gastehuis is a compound noun:

• gaste = guests
• huis = house

So it literally means guest house, or guesthouse.

Compound nouns are very common in Afrikaans, just as they are in English and Dutch.

That is normal in Afrikaans compounds.

The first part of a compound does not always have to be singular in form. In gastehuis, the first part is gaste (guests), but the whole compound is still a singular noun meaning guesthouse.

So:

• die gastehuis = the guesthouse
• die gastehuise = the guesthouses

This sentence uses the normal word order for a simple main clause:

• Hulle = subject
• slaap = verb
• by die gastehuis = place phrase

So the pattern is:

Subject + Verb + Place

Afrikaans main clauses usually keep the finite verb in the second position, and this sentence follows that pattern naturally.

Yes. Hulle can be used in several ways in Afrikaans, depending on the sentence:

• they
• them
• sometimes a possessive idea like their, in certain structures

But in Hulle slaap by die gastehuis, hulle is clearly the subject, so it means they.

Yes, often it does.

In a sentence like Hulle slaap by die gastehuis, it can mean not only that they literally sleep there, but also that they are staying overnight there.

So in real usage, it often suggests lodging or spending the night at that place.

A simple English-friendly guide is:

GAS-tuh-hace

Notes:

• gas sounds roughly like English guss/gas depending on accent
• te is a light tuh
• huis sounds a bit like hace or house with a different vowel, depending on accent

The exact pronunciation varies somewhat by accent, but that guide is close enough for a beginner.

Then you would normally use a word showing movement toward the place, not location at the place.

For example:

• Hulle gaan na die gastehuis. = They are going to the guesthouse.

Compare:

• Hulle slaap by die gastehuis. = They sleep / are staying at the guesthouse.
• Hulle gaan na die gastehuis. = They are going to the guesthouse.

So by shows location, while na shows direction.